Fall has begun and that means...it’s pumpkin time!
As I walk around the neighborhood, I have started to see pumpkins outside supermarkets and door stoops. Trips to pumpkin patches are being planned, and one can find pumpkins of all sizes and colors at their local food stores. As it happens, here at the Free Library we also have pumpinks to share—pumpkins books I mean. Check out this sample of pumpkin theme books. Do you have a favorite?
Amara’s Farm by JaNay Brown-Wood; illustrated by Samara Hardy
Amara is hosting a potluck for friends on her farm, and she needs help finding her pumpkins to serve a tasty dish. What do we know about pumpkins? They're large, round, and orange—and, wait a minute, is that a pumpkin? No, that's an apple. Where, oh, where could those pumpkins be? Can you help Amara find them in time for her potluck?
Ebook available from Overdrive
The Great Pumpkin Contest by Angela Rozelaar
Mimi and Clara are neighbors. Both cats want to win this fall’s Great Pumpkin Contest. As the competition draws near, Mimi’s pumpkin grows larger . . . and larger . . . and LARGER. And soon the pumpkin—and her worries—are bigger than she imagined. Can Clara help Mimi find her way?
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara; illustrated by G. Brian Karas
"How many seeds are in a pumpkin?" Mr. Tiffin asks his class as they gather around the big, medium, and small pumpkins on his desk. Robert, the biggest kid, guesses that the largest one has a million seeds; Elinor, sounding like she knows what she's talking about, guesses the medium one has 500 seeds; and Anna, who likes even numbers better than odd ones, guesses that the little one has 22. Charlie, the smallest boy in the class, doesn't have a guess. Counting pumpkin seeds is messy business, but once the slimy job is done, to everyone's surprise, the smallest pumpkin has the most seeds! As Charlie happily exclaims, "Small things have a lot going on inside of them."
Ebook available from Overdrive
I’m a Little Pumpkin by Hannah Eliot
The classic children's song "I'm a Little Teapot" gets a delightful autumn twist in this charming board book. 'I'm a little pumpkin, yes I am. Here are my green leaves. Here is my stem!' Meet adorable pumpkins and animal friends in this sweet story that celebrates fall!
Ready for Pumpkins by Kate Duke
Hercules, a classroom guinea pig, has a revelation when he watches the first graders grow plants from seeds. He wants to grow things, too! And during summer vacation (spent with the teacher's dad), he gets his chance. With the help of a friendly rabbit, Herky prepares the soil, carefully plants pumpkin seeds, and waits. And waits, and waits. One of the most important things he learns about gardening is patience. It's very hard to go back to school when fall comes--especially because his pumpkins aren't quite ready yet. But in October, the teacher's dad arrives with a big pumpkin for her class--that just mysteriously grew in his yard! And Herky begins dreaming about next year's garden . . .
Pumpkin Day! by Candice F. Ramson; illustrated by Erika Meza
A boy and his family visit a pumpkin patch, where they ride on a cart, see animals, and pick out a pumpkin that is just right for carving.
Ebook available from Overdrive
Runaway Pumpkins by Teresa Bateman; illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman
The old adage of "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade" is reborn with pumpkins! When a bumpy road and a faulty bus storage lock release a load of handpicked pumpkins back into the wild, the students on a field trip are left with a single pumpkin. Pluckily, they decide to take what they have and do what they can. Together they decorate the only surviving pumpkin for their harvest fair. But good fortune comes knocking the next day when a group of kind neighbors arrives at the school. They found the smashed pumpkins and turned them into celebratory seasonal fare, perfect for sharing: yummy soup, cake, pie, and even fries!
Ebook available from Overdrive
We’re Going on a Pumpkin Hunt by Mary Hogan Wilcox; illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
A group of children sets out on a secret nighttime hunt for the biggest pumpkin they can find, encountering a scary jack-o'-lantern, overcoming their fears and other obstacles, until they return home to--pumpkin pie
Ebook available from Overdrive
Be sure to check our catalog and Overdrive Kids eReading Room for these titles and many more being added!
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