Rating: 
Summary: squashed
Review: In the book, Squashed, sixteen year old Ellie Morgan, the main character, is determined to take the first place spot light from her rival, Cyril Pool. Her life would be almost perfect if she could just get her potentially prize winning pumpkin, Max, to put on about two-hundred pounds, and if she could loose twenty herself. It was a perfect time for Ellie to start planting her prize winning pumpkin. Ellie had plain to complete this task with her new secret booster solution to add some more pounds on her pumpkin. With the extra weight, Max would be the champion at the Rock River pumpkin weight in. Ellie could then become a famous pumpkin-growing personality and squash the obnoxious Cyril Pool once and for all. With trimmer figure, Ellie would have the courage to face Wes, the new boy in town and former president of the Agriculture Club at Gaithersville High.
I enjoyed reading the book, Squashed. Because it was fun reading about the many ways Ellie Morgan used to reach her goal and strive to the top. I love how the author, Joan Bauer, wrote in descriptive detail and added interesting dialogue to the story.
The many interesting characters like Wes, which Ellie didn't have the courage to face because of her body weight, and Cyril poor, whom was beaten be Ellie towards the end of the story at the Rock River Weigh-in. Ellie becomes very proud of herself and is always determined to be better and better every time.
The part that interests me the most was when Cyril Pool's pumpkin gave a shocking surprise at the Rock River Weight-in. While Cyril cheers himself on the worst that could happen happened. Cyril's pumpkin started to ooze with orange slime. There was so much of it; it stared to run down the giant scale. Cyril ran to his pumpkin and tried to patch him up, like a little boy who put his finger in the dam, but it was too late. The pumpkin started to shrink. I also enjoyed reading about the part of Ellie's weighing. Ellie's pumpkin weighted in at six-hundred eleven point seven pounds. She set a new record in festival history, which also happened to be there greatest pumpkin in the world.
Rating:
Summary: Gain a new perspective on pumpkins
Review: Joan Bauer's books have a few things in common: a spirited, talented protagonist, an unusual quest, a family obstacle, and good triumphant. In Squashed, the first and, IMO, best of her books, this formula works to great effect - you'll laugh, you'll rejoice, and you'll never see pumpkins the same way again. Ellie Morgan has just two goals: to lose 20 pounds, and to grow a pumpkin big enough to win the Annual Rock River Weigh-In, the pumpkin festival to end all pumpkin festivals. Unfortunately, a few things stand in her way: her motivation-obsessed father, who despises agriculture ("the Absolute Dead-End of Existence"), Cyril, the 35-year-old grower (with a heart of evil) who usually wins the competition, and her history teacher, who, strangely, thinks that school is more important. On Ellie's side she has her cousin Richard, baseball semi-star and pumpkin spy, her Grandmother, a pillar of growing wisdom and strength, and her friends. From the beginning, the reader knows it's all going to come together in a major showdown at the Weigh-In. But the question is - how will Ellie make it that far? And the answer is purely hilarious. Sprinkled with humor and agriculture wisdom, Squashed is a highly appealing novel for young adults and adults alike.
Rating: 
Summary: She's got faith in Max, yet none in herself
Review: Joan Bauer's SQUASHED is a first novel, and yet it doesn't at all read like one. Protagonist Ellie Morgan is fumbling with her confidence and Bauer apparently seems to realize this is an unfortunate thing that many of today's teen girls go through and must overcome. In fact, Ellie is insecure about basically every single option about herself - except for Max. Max is a different story entirely. Meet Max, perhaps the future champ of the pumpkin contest. Ellie likes growing vegetables and likes cooking - in a way, the two go hand and hand. Ellie is a wonderful cook and family knows it. Cooking reminds Ellie of her deceased mother, who died when she was younger. Still, the memories live on and give Ellie the strength she needs. Back to Max... Ellie is the mother of Max - she treats him like a newborn baby, nuturing him daily and chasing off the crows that land on his stem. Now, if only Ellie could drop 20 pounds, while simultaneously, Max put on 200. If Ellie was lighter, she resolutely believes, she'd have the courage to approach Wes, a new hottie at school. And if Max gained 200 pounds, he'd be a shoe-in for the pumpkin contest victory! Cyril, winner of many previous competitions, proves that with his own pumpkin, 46 days prior to the contest, will be a difficult entry to beat. Upon seeing Cyril's pumpkin, Ellie brushes him off with a laugh. "Is that what you call a pumpkin?" she laughs. Inside, she's nervous, but on the outside, she's perfectly able to play it cool in the presence of nerdy yet all too arrogant Cyril. Will she be able to work against the unpredictable and unfavorable weather that's threatening her baby? Will her father finally learn to appreciate her love for veggie growing? Will Ellie drop her weight and muster up her bravado to get with Wes? Will Max demolish Cyril's entry in the town's competition for the very first time? Read and see. :) SQUASHED is a very nice first effort and worth a read. Bauer tells a story of a protagonist who will make many rejoice, for she is much like them. SQUASHED is, for the most part, a seemingly coming-of-age novel, yet it is laced with wry wit and raw humor at the very same time. Ellie is a girl who is insecure and unbeknownst to her honestly valuable and significant worth. She needs to realize she has the sass, potential, and heart of a truly wonderful 16 year-old girl. And that, quite frankly, is far better than any contest win.
Rating:
Summary: She's got faith in Max, yet none in herself
Review: Joan Bauer's SQUASHED is a first novel, and yet it doesn't at all read like one. Protagonist Ellie Morgan is fumbling with her confidence and Bauer apparently seems to realize this is an unfortunate thing that many of today's teen girls go through and must overcome. In fact, Ellie is insecure about basically every single option about herself - except for Max. Max is a different story entirely. Meet Max, perhaps the future champ of the pumpkin contest. Ellie likes growing vegetables and likes cooking - in a way, the two go hand and hand. Ellie is a wonderful cook and family knows it. Cooking reminds Ellie of her deceased mother, who died when she was younger. Still, the memories live on and give Ellie the strength she needs. Back to Max... Ellie is the mother of Max - she treats him like a newborn baby, nuturing him daily and chasing off the crows that land on his stem. Now, if only Ellie could drop 20 pounds, while simultaneously, Max put on 200. If Ellie was lighter, she resolutely believes, she'd have the courage to approach Wes, a new hottie at school. And if Max gained 200 pounds, he'd be a shoe-in for the pumpkin contest victory! Cyril, winner of many previous competitions, proves that with his own pumpkin, 46 days prior to the contest, will be a difficult entry to beat. Upon seeing Cyril's pumpkin, Ellie brushes him off with a laugh. "Is that what you call a pumpkin?" she laughs. Inside, she's nervous, but on the outside, she's perfectly able to play it cool in the presence of nerdy yet all too arrogant Cyril. Will she be able to work against the unpredictable and unfavorable weather that's threatening her baby? Will her father finally learn to appreciate her love for veggie growing? Will Ellie drop her weight and muster up her bravado to get with Wes? Will Max demolish Cyril's entry in the town's competition for the very first time? Read and see. :) SQUASHED is a very nice first effort and worth a read. Bauer tells a story of a protagonist who will make many rejoice, for she is much like them. SQUASHED is, for the most part, a seemingly coming-of-age novel, yet it is laced with wry wit and raw humor at the very same time. Ellie is a girl who is insecure and unbeknownst to her honestly valuable and significant worth. She needs to realize she has the sass, potential, and heart of a truly wonderful 16 year-old girl. And that, quite frankly, is far better than any contest win.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book
Review: Squased is one of Joan Bauer's many novels. Ellie Morgan has been growing squash for many years. She has been second in the adult weigh-in, but first in the children weigh-in. This year her goal is to lose twenty pounds and her pumpkin Max to gain two-hundred pounds to beat her arch rival Cyril Pool. She also wants to to get her father yo like farming. Soon a new boy named Wes comes to town, and she wants him to notice her. soo when he gets to know her he starts helping her with Max. Wes, Ellie, and her cousin, Richard start the long run to the weigh-in. Through hail, pumpkin snatchers, and bacteria they go though it all. Her father (who still hates farming) starts to help. A week or so before the weigh-in Wes goes to look at Big Daddy, Cyril's pumpkin. It turns out that Big daddy is one big rotting daddy. if he cuts it off the vain it will stop growing, but if he leaves it on it will get worse. She learns don't give up no matter what obstacles' life throws at you. it is full of obtacles, suspense and happiness. It was also filled with thrill and fun. I really felt like I was there myself going through it all with Ellie and Wes and everyone. You keep turning the pages on, and on, till you are done.
Rating:
Summary: Squashed
Review: squashed was another example of joan bauer's hilarious, scarcastic, down-to-earth writing style. this book is about a girl named ellie who strugles with self-confidence the thought of approaching her crush, wes, and then there's max: her soon-to-become champion sized pumpkin which she is entering in the county fair. her main competetor is a grungy, disgusting man named cyril pool (who has a sign reading "home of the whopper" over his surprisingly large pumpkin entitled "big daddy".) i found myself laughing out loud at all ellie's cynical remarks. also, the story draws you in, and i got really excited and even a little bit nervous for ellie and max as the big competition drew closer and the tension mounted. joan bauer took a common young adult plot and put a fun spin on it that made it more intereting and hard to put down. congrats to bauer on another great book!
Rating:
Summary: A book with a twist...
Review: This book is about an unpopular, heavy girl, Ellie. She grows gigantic pumpkins for fun. In growing the pumpkin, she hopes Wes, the most popular guy in school, will ask her to a dance. A great story about unseen love. Highly reccomended!!
Rating:
Summary: If you like growing pumpkins, then you will enjoy this book.
Review: This book is very interesting. It is about a girl named Ellie Morgan who grows giant pumpkins. I think she has absolutely no life. I mean to not go anywhere with your friends because you are worried about your pumpkin is kind of dumb. She does meet a guy who likes her and she likes him. It's pretty cute I think. She also has some competition in town for the biggest pumpkin. She's go through a lot with that pumpkin. Everything from pumpkin thieves to talking to her pumpkin. It's very strange. Their town in very different. They get excited over a pumpkin weighing/harvest festival. Very odd.... My favorite part of the book though is when she goes to a party and gets a peanut stuck in her bra. She goes to a closet to try and get it out and she is caught. It is pretty funny (well atleast I thought it was!). In the end, everything works out and they live happily ever after. It's a pretty good story if you like growing things and entering the minds of very determined teenagers. It's really cute.
Rating: 
Summary: iffy-okay
Review: This book was okay, but a BIT too unreal. It kind of makes you think that real life isn't good enough to be like that. Nothing like that really happens to REAL people and I know I would be in a big mess and nothing could ever "save the day" like that, but I would reread it if there was nothing new lying around to read so it's O
Rating:
Summary: A REALLY GOOD BOOK!
Review: This book was very good. I read it with a mother/daughter book group and we talked for about an hour about this book! Squashed is about a girl named Ellie who grows a pumkin to try to win the Rock River weigh-in. There is another contestant named Cyril who is 35 years old and he ALWAYS wins the contest. At the end, after hard work and determination, Ellie's pumpkin is 611.7 pounds. Cyril's is 668 pounds. So Cyril's pumpkin is on the scale when all of a sudden, the pumpkin explodes and all the mushy stuff comes out and Ellie wins. This book is very good for kids who like to read interesting books. I gave it 4 stars because I thought that it was a really good book.
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