There is something undeniably special about a big round pumpkins. They symbolize the beginning of fall, a season filled with beautiful foliage, brisk temperatures, and an abundance of fun family activities. Parents take young children to farms with corn mazes and patches where they can pick their very own. Families go on hay rides, drink apple cider, gather around bonfires, and talk about all the creative ways they are going to carve their pumpkins. A great way to find inspiration is by reading the best kids' books about pumpkins full of colorful pictures.
A classic book for children about a lonely lady who accidentally finds herself with an abundance of the one food she despises. Growing up poor, Rebecca Estelle's family often only had pumpkins to eat. She swore off eating them ever again once she was on her own. One day, an unfortunate event results in an oversupply at her disposal. Her frugal and resourceful nature leads new friendships through her gifts of pie, soup, muffins and lots of other delicious goodies.
Children's Pumpkin Stories For Halloween
Shorter days, cooler temps, and colorful leaves are all signs that fall has arrived. Big orange pumpkins are popular Halloween decorations alongside scarecrows and skeletons. When they start popping up on front porches along with witches, scarecrows, and other decor, we can officially celebrate the start of a new season. Here is a list a list of the best children's pumpkin books for you to read filled with tales of orange squash. Little ones will love learning about how they grow, how to carve jack-o'-lanterns, and all sorts of ways to enjoy eating this fruit. When you are finished with this collection, move on to the best ghost stories for spooky holiday reading. If there is not time to visit a real one, be sure to read about haunted houses to experience more spooky entertainment. And after a long day of outdoor adventures, families gather your little ones around to read and learn all kinds of fun facts about pumpkins It's a time to create traditions that will carry over from year to year, starting with reading the best pumpkin stories perfect for Halloween.
Pumpkin Jack
A popular book amongst teachers, this is a vibrant story about the cycle of life. A little boy, Tim, carved his very first jack-o-lantern. Over time, as it began to rot, Tim decided to lay it to rest in the garden. From there, he watched it disintegrate into the earth, and then rise again as a brand new plant the next season.
The Biggest Pumpkin Ever
A bestselling children's book filled with lots of life lessons! Two friends, Desmond and Clayton, are on a hunt to find a gigantic pumpkin. One wants to make the biggest jack-o-lantern, and the other wants to win a contest. What happens when these two mice set their sights on the same one? A fun story about compromise and teamwork.
10 Spooky Pumpkins
Eerily gothic illustrations set the tone for this picture book based on a popular nursery rhyme. Children will enjoy counting down until there are no objects left. Witches, goblins, ghosts and other scary creatures join in on the fun as they make their way through the countryside.
Big Pumpkin
Work smarter, not harder. That's the takeaway from this popular non-scary Halloween book. A witch, ecstatic over the size of a pumpkin she grew, runs into a problem when she can't remove it from the vine. She reaches out to her friends- a ghost, a vampire, and a mummy- for help. But the object proves to be too large for these Halloween creatures. When a tiny bat with a big brain flies by, he may just be able to offer the perfect solution.
How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow?
If there is one children's book about a giant squash to add to your reading list, this is the one to get. This artful picture book pushes children's imaginations to the limit. All kinds of contests are held across the country every year, and there is always a grand prize for the biggest one. The author/illustrator takes this concept one step further by presenting pumpkins adorning enormous landmarks like the Grand Canyon, the Brooklyn Bridge, Mount Rushmore and the Capitol Dome.
How to Help a Pumpkin Grow
Kids will love learning about all the things a pumpkin-loving dog does to protect his beloved patch. He waters the plants, pulls out the weeds, and even provides shelter for the pumpkins when it snows. But what happens when some other creatures from the barnyard, like Crow, Rabbit, Duck and Goat, encroach on the patch? Will they destroy the pumpkins or lend a helping hand?
We're Going on a Pumpkin Hunt
Children who are familiar with the classic "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" will love this spin on it. A group of animal pals, all dressed up for Halloween, head out for a nighttime adventure in search for the biggest pumpkin around. The crew faces challenging adventures, from climbing mountains to traversing fields, and startling some surprises around each bend. At the end, readers will find this fun book to be a not-so-scary choice for Halloween and all year long.
Five Little Pumpkins on Sesame Street
Abby, Zoe, Grover, Elmo and Cookie Monster dress up in matching costumes for a fun night of trick-or-treating. Sing along with an adaptation of the classic song as your favorite Sesame Street characters prance around collecting candy on Halloween. As an added bonus, the book comes with three paper masks in the back.
Pumpkin Soup
A delicious book about three friends who gather together for an annual tradition- making soup! Cat, Bunny and Duck all have very specific tasks to bring their concoction together. But when Duck decides to overstep (he can't help buy use his beak to mix the soup this year), it causes quite the squabble. A warm story about friendship and resolving conflict.
Pick a Pumpkin
Join a family for every step of the process, from picking them at the patch to carving them into jack-o-lanterns. Spooky illustrations capture the allure of Halloween, especially when all the trick-or-treaters fill the streets in their costumes. The rhythm of this book and the retro effect of the pictures add to the appeal.
A Unicorn Named Sparkle and the Pumpkin Monster
Have you ever taken a prank a bit too far? Lucy does exactly this and Sparkle the unicorn is not happy about it. They both love fall activities like decorating pumpkins and running through corn mazes. Lucy especially loves all the frights that come along with Halloween. Sparkle, well, not so much. What starts as a fun (ok, a little scary) trick threatens to ruin the trust between these special friends. Can Lucy get Sparkle to forgive her? Find out in this fun holiday story.
The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin
The Berenstain Bears can always be counted on to teach our children a valuable lesson. In this fall edition, the Bear family has entered the Big Pumpkin Contest at their local festival. While always up for a good, healthy competition, the cubs also realize that winning is not always the most important thing. Perfect for reading about the real meaning of Thanksgiving. A page of stickers on the last page adds some extra fun.
Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins
Just like the Five Little Monkeys, Pete the cat notices that they are dropping out of site one by one! A short, rhyming book with a comical cat that quickly finds himself all alone as each one finds another excuse to disappear.
The Great Pumpkin Returns
It's a Pumpkin!
Little readers will be in fits of laughter at the silliness of this book. A group of woodland creatures come upon a big orange sphere in the middle of the road, but none of them can properly identify it. They ponder this big round orange ball for some time and finally decide it has many uses! An adorable addition to a child's fall reading list.
Splat the Cat and the Pumpkin-Picking Plan
Splat does not disappoint in this funny book about a visit to the patch. Our favorite feline is determined to pick the biggest one, but he fails to think through the challenge of transporting his gigantic ball of orange back home. A bonus page of 30+ stickers perfect for kids who want to make their own crafts or pictures after reading this cute book.
The Ugly Pumpkin
A cinderella story of sorts that follows an unshapely gourd on a journey toward self-discovery. The orange protagonist is passed over at the patch time and again, for he is not plump and round like his more desirable friends. Halloween passes him by, but then Thanksgiving arrives and a most unexpected surprise awaits. A wonderful rhyming story with a twist at the end.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Fans of the classic Peanuts special will want to add this book to their collection. As the rest of the gang heads out for a night of trick or treating, Linus stays behind to watch the famous one rise from the patch and disperse toys to all the girls and boys. Magic, mystery, and Peanuts nostalgia are all wrapped up in this deluxe gift book edition.
Runaway Pumpkins
A school trip to a pumpkin patch starts off well, but ends in disaster. After a fun morning picking, the kids board the bus and head back to school. But when they arrive, they discover that all but one lone squash survived the ride back. Making the most of a bad situation, these resourceful children rebound from their initial disappointment with a creative solution.