Hester, William and their friends are headed to the Halloween picnic. William wants to prove to Hester that he is better. He tries to carve a pumpkin but it comes out silly looking. He tangles his fishing line on Hester's. William also swallows his pumpkin seed during the spitting contest. Then during the costume competition everyone becomes scared because the water begins to gurrble and glow. William goes to investigate but falls in. He discovers there is no monster and wins the costume contest because he glows from the swamp water. Hester ends up calling WIlliam her hero.

I really enjoy reading Patricia Polacco books mainly because of the illustrations. In this book in particular the illustrations were just so beautiful. It almost looks as it is watercolors the way the colors blend together with no harsh lines. Another thing that I enjoyed about this book the character William never gave up. In the text it said "William stood his ground, He'd show them". This is just a great example of this and that he was not going to let anything stop him even though somethings may not have gone his way. The big idea of the story is to not let anything stop you at doing your best. Some things may be against you but do not stop trying. ( )

William has a huge crush on Hester. Hester, on the other hand, loves to taunt and tease, make fun and somewhat bully him.

When the Halloween picnic at Grange hall occurs, William tries to impress Hester. Sadly, each contest he enters makes him look more foolish in Hester's eyes.

When he decides to dive into Quicksand bottom swamp, something others are loathe and fearful to do because of the supposed ghost of Titus Dinworthy, he becomes covered in eerie swamp gas.

Glowing, he wins the prize as Halloween costume prize and the affections of his beloved Hester.

I enjoyed the creativity of this book and smiled at the names given to the characters.

While not one of my favorites, Polacco never ceases to amaze and leave me longing to read more of her delightful tales filled with lovely illustrations. ( )

When William attends his town's annual Halloween picnic at Grange Hall, in the middle of Mudsock Meadow, he has every expectation of enjoying himself. But the teasing of Hester Bledden - whose antics, and shouts of "Peeee youuuuu!" every time he is near, undermine William's confidence, and ruin his chances in one contest after another - cast a pall over the day. Then the picnickers spy ghostly lights out on Quicksand Bottoms, and are amazed when William sets out to prove, once and for all, that they are not, as long believed, the spirit of Titus Dinworthy, a nineteenth-century miner, but merely swamp gas...

I'm not sure why it is that Picnic at Mudsock Meadow left me so cold, when other picture-books from Patricia Polacco, with similar themes of community and outdoor celebration (The Bee Tree, When Lightning Comes in a Jar) managed to engage my interest, but I simply couldn't work up any enthusiasm for it. I found that I wasn't as sympathetic to William, or invested in his effort to finally prove himself, as I might have expected, and am having trouble pinpointing just why that is. This is one I recommend primarily to determined Polacco fans, who will doubtlessly enjoy the ebullient artwork, but otherwise, it's pretty skippable. ( )

William wants to impress Hester Bledden so she'll stop teasing him. At the Halloween picnic, a series of mishaps cause further embarassment for William until he finally does what no one else can: face down the ghost in the swamp. The ghost turns out to be swamp gas, but William proves his bravery and impresses Hester. ( )