The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin is one of those children’s books which has become something of a contemporary classic since its release in 2001. On the surface it may seems as though it’s merely a Halloween themed story which young children enjoy but in reality the book is just a little more. Spookley is a creatively disguised tale which also teaches children about why it’s not nice to bully others if they are different and on some levels it also celebrates the idea of being different. It also teaches children to accept who they are regardless of what others may think or say, something which isn’t always easy to do.
The success of the short story eventually paved the way for Spookley to appear again only as an animated special which was originally released around Halloween of 2005. Since its debut the special has become a staple over at Disney Junior where it airs each year just in time for every child’s favorite night of scares, boos, and candy. Keeping up with the modern age, Spookley is reappearing again and finally making an appearance on blu-ray as well as digital platforms for young fans of revisits this familiar tale or perhaps see it for the first time.
Spookley the Square Pumpkin is an adaptation of book written by Joe Troiano so while it’s not an exact rendition of the story it still carries the same general premise. Holiday Hill Farms acts as the location of Spookley the Square Pumpkin where two bats have come across the strangest sight hidden beneath the pumpkin patch leaves. They immediately inform Jack, the scarecrow who watches over the field, of their find and he soon sees it as well. Among the common round pumpkin sits one who is square and introduces himself as Spookley. The other pumpkins immediately begin to tease him because he’s different and have even decided that he shouldn’t be allowed to participate in the annual Jack Olympics games, an event meant to determine which pumpkin will represent all others for Halloween. Jack however feels that Spookley should be a part of it regardless but when a sudden storm threatens the farm, Spookley may be the only pumpkin capable of saving the others.
Spookley the Square Pumpkin, much like the book, features portions of the story which are told as rhyming narration but only to a certain extent. Much of the film instead focuses on Spookley as well as the assortment of new characters which are exclusive to the release, none of whom speak a way where their dialog needs to rhyme to convey the story. However the film does feature a number of short songs to add into the tale. As children might expect, once Spookley is introduced into the story he is immediately teased by the other pumpkins for being different and not just in any way . . . . they tease him via song, a true insult for any pumpkin who might be different.
The anti-bullying message rings clear throughout the movie. Spookley feels disappointed by what has been said to him by the other pumpkins and becomes rather sad and rejected. He never retaliates however and despite him being different, Jack is the only one who seems to see that Spookley is still a pumpkin regardless of how he might look on the outside. While it seems that having the pumpkins participate in the Jack Olympics might be the best way to prove that Spookley is just like the others and can do everything they can, it would honestly be a cheap way out and rather predictable. Spookley isn’t very good at the games and this is shown frequently but regardless it does give children another message which is that no matter what, you should try you best. It’s not about winning or losing but instead just trying to overcome whatever difference you might have to the best of your ability. That’s exactly what Spookley does even though he’s never really successful.
It isn’t until the final portion of the movie where children finally see the Spookley they have come to expect. A storm hits the farm and begins causing massive damage. The strong winds have blown the other pumpkins into a wagon which seems poised to fall into the river that runs through the fields and a lightning strike has now managed to put Jack’s life in danger. While the other pumpkins and characters try and determine how to solve the grave situation they face it is Spookley who quickly realizes that his being different is exactly what can save the day. Instead of reflecting on how he has been treated in the past and allowing the storm to do whatever damage it can, Spookley steps up to save the other pumpkins no matter how mean they might have been to him in the past.
The blu-ray version of Spookley the Square Pumpkin looks decent in high definition but is lacking in a few ways. The movie was released over a decade ago and the technology available for computer animation, especially a made-for-television movie, weren’t quite where they are today. Spookley though is a good look at how the industry itself has improved in terms of overall visual presentation although I don’t believe a lot of children will happen to notice this. Instead they will be more focused on the antics of Spookley and the other characters. In 2005 a 16:9 aspect ratio which is now common with most new releases wasn’t even a consideration. Spookley the Square Pumpkin is instead presented in its original 4:3 aspect ratio.
Also found on the blu-ray is a collection of four short stories, adaptations of the books written by Joe Troiano. In the video book collection children will find The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin which is very similar to the app that was released a few years ago. Other character books include Beacon the Bright Little Firefly, Jellybean the Unbreakable Egg, Layla the Lovesick Ladybug and Mistletoe and the Christmas Kittens. Each book features narration and the original artwork from the book while the text is highlighted as the stories are read to the children. There is also a DVD copy of the film and while there is also a digital HD release, the blu-ray doesn’t include a code for this.
Spookley the Square Pumpkin does teach children some important lessons. I did find though that it may be a video for younger children to enjoy. I originally introduced my daughter to the book at a very young age and she used to enjoy it tremendously but now at the age of five, it seems that Spookley doesn’t hold quite the fascination of her that it once did. She watched the movie, she told me that she thought it was okay, but it hasn’t been something that she’s been clamoring to watch over and over again. Still, the lessons here are important and getting children to understand at a young age that bullying isn’t something they should do is what makes Spookley the Square Pumpkin an important story and film plus the atmosphere of Halloween gives them another holiday special that they can enjoy even if, at least for my daughter, it’s only for a few years.
Mike is the resident reviewer for Couponing to Disney and his own site Underland Online. He has a toddler daughter and is obsessed with Haunted Mansion and all things Disney. You can read Mike’s complete bio here.