Have you prepared your Jack-O-Lantern Halloween yet? We hope so, because today is #NationalPumpkinDay, a day to celebrate the pumpkins that line everyone’s yards and make up some of our favorite desserts! Did you know that every year, the US produces more than 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins? Now that you’ve learned a new fun fact, we have some pumpkin-related suggestions for new reads, that will spook you and leave you in stitches:
Pumpkins in Paradise, Kathi Daley
You will be surprised by how a mystery novel and #NationalPumpkinDay fuse together so well in the first part of a 7-part TJ Jensen Mystery Series, but it’s bound to have you at the edge of your seat! TJ Jensen has a normal life spending her October volunteering at the annual pumpkin festival and coaching the girl’s soccer team. However, her world is turned upside down in an instant when she finds one of her best friends dead. Suddenly, her October festivities get pushed to the side so she can help unravel the secrets of his death with interesting and in-depth characters – one you can’t put down!
Pumpkins, Ken Robbins
Many of the children’s novels we see on shelves today consist of fun, illustrated pictures that pop off the page – but sometimes keeping it simple and realistic goes a long way, as told by this Ken Robbins book that’s quickly becoming an autumn favorite in many households. Robbins is known for his photo-essays on a variety of subjects including trucks and tools, but now he brings pumpkins to life with these luscious photographs that make this book eye-grabbing and beautiful. In this book, you and your children will get to see a pumpkin from seed to sprout, to fully-fledged pumpkin and back again.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Charles M. Schulz
Who else has watched the Great Pumpkin television special based on the Peanuts comic strip growing up? When it comes to the hilarious and adorable Peanuts characters, we can’t get enough. That’s why this is a perfect addition to any collection! Join the Peanuts gang you have come to know and love as they get ready for trick-or-treat night and wait for the Great Pumpkin to appear. This is a staple for anybody who loves Halloween!
The Legend of the Pumpkin Thief, Charles Day
In this unforgettable short YA novel that brilliantly ties together themes of bullies and friends, sibling love and rivalry, and maturity, we follow a 17-year-old boy named Nick who just wants to solve a neighborhood crime when all the pumpkins go missing. As he digs deep into the mystery of the stolen pumpkins, including his own masterpiece, he ends up discovering that there is a legend afoot in his town: The Legend of the Pumpkin Thief. Embarking on one of the most dangerous journeys of his life, this teenager is bound to learn many lessons about life and curiosity, with some scary twists!
Pumpkin Spice Secrets, Hillary Homzie
You probably never thought that you could tie one of our favorite flavors on #NationalPumpkinDay, pumpkin spice, into a romance novel – but Hillary Homzie does so eloquently in her novel of love and stress, a passionate read for young adults. It all starts when Maddie picks up her pumpkin spice latte and spills it all over Jacob, who becomes her new crush in no time. But what happens when her best friend Jana announces that Jacob is also her crush? Get ready for secrets, turmoil, and an all-around perfect tale for staying true to your heart and your friendships.
What will you be reading this #NationalPumpkinDay? Let us know in the comments!
