So I can identify with Jesse, who is impatiently waiting for the watermelon growing in the corner of the patch where the fence posts meet. That is because at the end of the summer is the family's annual "Watermelon Day." That is a big day for Jesse's family when cousins show up, her mom makes peach ice cream, Uncle Ike brings his banjo, and lots of softball gets played. Then, at the end of the day to top everything off, there is ice-cold watermelon to be enjoyed from the biggest one in the patch.
Kathi Appelt's "Watermelon Day," illustrated by Dale Gottlieb, follows Jesse's long summer of waiting for that watermelon to grow. Repeatedly Jesse asks "How much longer, Pappy?" and he patiently explains how long the process is, although Jesse is pretty sure that both she and the watermelon might burst from the sheer waiting of it all. Even on the final day there is much waiting to be endured before finally getting to eat a melon that is as sweet as the summer rain and a nighttime song.
"Watermelon Day" is a nice little story that shows the virtue of waiting patiently for something. Okay, maybe not exactly waiting patiently, but at least waiting without being totally annoying. Obviously this is a great book for those growing their first watermelon, but the idea that some things take time to happen is a lesson worth learning even if it involves something other than watermelons. This is another good effort from Appelt, who is a poet as well as a writer of children's books.