A dozen pumpkin books for kids that are perfect for Fall storytime and Autumn activities!

Every Fall, we love to look at beautiful leaves, enjoy the cool weather and read books about PUMPKINS!

The pumpkin patches in our area open this week and like many families, my kids are excited to hunt down the perfect orange orb. 

So today’s book list features stories for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary kids with all types of pumpkin fun!

 

12 Perfect Pumpkin Books for Kids

I love pairing books with family outings or class field trips!

And Fall is the perfect time to do this whether you’re heading to a pumpkin patch, carving a jack o’lantern or just looking for some fun seasonal Autumn books to read with kids!

In honor of “pumpkin” season, here’s a fun list of picture books that that can be read as you enjoy your favorite pumpkin festivities.  We’ve included affiliate links for each story and matched the books to favorite fun Fall activities (say that five times fast 😉 so it’s easy to see which ones to read before each traditional Fall activity.

 

Pumpkin Books to Read Before Visiting the Patch

Do the kids have questions about how those gorgeous pumpkins grow so big?   These books will help them to learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin as it grows from seed to squash.

 

 

It’s Pumpkin Time! is wonderful for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarten age children.  Beautiful illustrations introduce children to the idea of planting & harvesting from a pumpkin patch.  You can also pair this book with this creative textured art pumpkin patch craft too!

From Seed to Pumpkin (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science) is a non-fiction book that does an excellent job of introducing the science behind how seeds grow.  Kids will learn about pollination, what’s important in growing a pumpkin along with a few fun activities. 

 

    

 Pumpkin Pumpkin is the wonderful story of a young boy who plants a pumpkin seed in spring, cares for it all summer and then carves the pumpkin for Halloween (but not before saving a few seeds for next year). Perfect for toddlers & preschoolers!

The Pumpkin Book is another great non-fiction book for kids of all ages.  A favorite children’s author, Gail Gibbons introduces all the details about the growth of pumpkins along with some new terms for kids to learn.

 

Funny Children’s Books about Pumpkins

 Enjoy some laughs with these funny seasonal pumpkin stories that all have wonderful illustrations!

 

 

 In The Very Best Pumpkin, Peter lives at a pumpkin farm and finds a tiny pumpkin in a field all by itself.  He cares for all summer long and it grows into a nice large pumpkin.  But then a visitor to the farm wants to buy it — can Peter sell his pumpkin?

Pumpkin Town! is an entertaining story about a family that grows too many pumpkins — what should you do with a mountain of pumpkins?  Find out in this funny round-about read that keeps kids asking ‘what will happen next?’

Readers will love all the bumping, thumping fun in The Runaway Pumpkin — three siblings find a giant pumpin and try to roll it down the hill to show everyone, and away it goes!

 

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Jack-o-lantern Themed Pumpkin Books

Not sure what type of face to carve on that pumpkin? 

These books introduce lots of ideas for how to turn that pretty pumpkin into something funny, spooky or down-right cute!

 

     

It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! brings back our favorite mouse who is trying to decide what type of face to put on his pumpkin.  A perfect book for toddlers & preschoolers!

What happens when too many pumpkins break loose and roll down the hill into town?  The residents of Pumpkin Hill will show you when the mayor declares that each person must carve a pumpkin!  This is a fun book that showcases problem-solving ideas to kids.

And if you’re searching for jack o’lantern ideas, browse these 100+ FREE Pumpkin Carving Stencils!

 

Books to Read with Pumpkin Seeds

 What do you do with all those seeds?  Do you love to toast them, count them, plant them? 

 

Which size pumpkin has the most seeds — a big one or small one? Or does a pumpkin’s size really matter?  Follow along with the class activities and they try to find the answers in How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?  This is a great math read for elementary age kids!

 

Kids Books about Pumpkins & Baking

Pumpkins aren’t just for carving — they also make some wonderful treats!

 

     

Cat, Duck & Squirrel are making pumpkin soup again, as they do every year.  But this time, Duck wants to stir the soup instead of putting in the salt.  Will his friends cooperate too?  Find out in Pumpkin Soup.  A great story that introduces the idea of working together — wonderful for preschoolers and kindergarten ages!

Have you ever attended The Pumpkin Fair?  You’ll find pumpkin bowling, pumpkin games and tons of pumpkin food to enjoy!  A wonderful story if you’re planning to attend a Fall festival in your town.

 

More Autumn Books & Fall Stories for Kids

14 Cozy Books that Celebrate Fall

The Best ER (Early Readers) with Seasonal Themes

Great Books to Take on a Leaf Hunt

16 Classic Books for Autumn