Look no further for a seasonal collection of books so special, you don’t have to save them for a single Halloween day in October. What’s unique about this dozen is that these stories — which feature pumpkins both animated and real, round and square, decorative and delicious — are enchanting year round. So you can save them for a spooky read, or pull one out in the summer for a look at how food grows from the care of a loving planter.
You want a classic? Look to the Peanuts gang in their holiday classic . You want a simple read for growing babies? There’s a Pete-the-Cat fave, and a touch-and-feel adventure from Doc McStuffins. You want a real-life lesson in how a pumpkin grows from a sticky seed to a big squash, then back to a seed once again? Then treat your family to the facts and photography in Pumpkin Circle . There’s even a modern classic tale about an oddly shaped pumpkin so kind, so charming, and so enduring that it’s launched a movie and annual public viewing parties (in an orchard... with snacks... yeah, you have to check it out). So enjoy reading out-loud, and celebrating this star of the Halloween season with the family.
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1 A Kind (& Yummy!) Tale A witch wanted to make pumpkin pie, so she buried a seed and grew her own pumpkin. Hours before Halloween, she can’t yank free the fruit off the vine. A ghost offers to help, to no avail; a vampire takes a turn at the Big Pumpkin, as does a mummy, but none are strong enough. Then a little bat comes along, without muscles, but with an idea… which leads to a yummy pie made yummier through the act of sharing.
2 A Helpful Tale The touch-and-feel board book is filled with spooky pumpkins, and one that hides a boo -ing ghost. Solving a case of Ghost-stuck-in-a-pumpkin syndrome is no problem for this Disney star . And the book ultimately shows that Halloween characters aren’t oh-so-scary.
3 A Tale About Feelings Celebrating a moment called “Pumpkin Day,” this much-loved mouse is decorating pumpkins (seven, to be exact), and decides to illustrate emotions on each one. Each face emotes feelings ranging from sad to surprised, and then a dog makes that scary one…
4 A Classic Tale The Great Pumpkin is said to rise out of the pumpkin patch on Halloween night — or so believes Linus, who misses out on bobbing for apples and dancing at a Halloween party to wait all night for its appearance. Spoiler: No Great Pumpkin appears, but the sweet belief rises every year. You can find other iterations of the Peanuts book, like this sound-enhanced version , which brings the story to greater life with musical soundtracks, and cartoon voices saying familiar phrases like, “I got a rock.”
5 A Tale of Patience A seed wants desperately to boo! and be scary. The seed tries to boo! passing leaves and snowflakes, but not a thing flinches. While the seed snoozes, it grows; while different objects tend to it, like a shovel and watering can, it boos! and grows from sprout to plant, all the while the wind whispering words of patience. As a pumpkin, it boos the hands that pick it; as a jack-o’-lantern it freights and lights the house that holds it.
6 A Cool Tale If your kid’s a fan of this too-cool cat , pull out this simple counting story. Each pumpkin (well, jack-o’-lantern, more accurately) makes spooky observations in short statements, building suspense and smiles along the way.
7 A Tale For The Occasion It’s not just about picking a pumpkin; it’s about how the act can turn into a fun occasion to be shared with family and friends. From the orchard to the house and into Halloween night, pumpkins can play a big part in the seasonal traditions. And as you’ll see in these pages, the fruits also come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
8 An Interactive Tale For Babies Consider for babies working on their fine motor skills this hardcover, which contains five open-shut flaps that reveal Halloween themed pop-ups, from a trio of bats to a Smiley Ghost. The final, a pumpkin, sits in front of a hiding, meow-ing cat.
9 A Realistic Tale With photos and lessons from life, this story shows budding gardeners how a pumpkin grows from seed, to vine, to fruit, to seed again. With descriptive language that conjures the textures and feels you get from a pumpkin (both inside and out), it’s a timeless and educational read.
10 A Visual Tale Jamie planted a pumpkin seed… the seed became a sprout… and transformed into a round fruit, and all the page-turning time you can just see the wonder grow in Jamie’s eyes. The story is short, sweet, and surprisingly emotional, no doubt in part to its watercolor-y images.
11 A Tale Of Friendship A long narrative, which begins with two mice who fall head-over-heels for the same pumpkin, takes readers on a journey. When the two mice finally realize that they have been working together on the same goal, it leads to a town-wide celebration of what may just be the biggest pumpkin ever.
12 A Special Tale About A Special Square Pumpkin This four-sided squash has become so popular — thanks to its kind heart and generous spirit — it has inspired an orchard in upstate New York to host autumnal viewing parties of the cartoon under the stars. For locals, it’s a tradition worth falling for. In this hardcover, you’ll even find a CD for a read-aloud experience. And on Netflix, you can even watch Spookley’s 2004 animated movie.