But I'm a Pumpkin!: A Summerween Story
Published on 12. May 2026
Book
Hardback
40 pages
979-8-217-12250-9 (ISBN)
Description
A little seed dreams of becoming a jack-o-lantern, but nature has other ideas in this delightful read-aloud about the origin of a "summerween" tradition-perfect for fans of Stumpkin or The Bad Seed.
A young girl waits for Halloween, telling tales and singing songs of costumes, candy, and trick-or-treaters to the sprouts in the pumpkin patch. One seed in particular has big dreams: he wants to be the biggest, scariest jack-o-lantern of all! But as time passes and new vines unfurl, he remains greener than all the other pumpkins in the patch. Even his Halloweeniest thoughts have no effect!
Will this watermelon's dreams of pumpkinhood ever come true? Will the girl be able to celebrate her favorite season with her star jack-o-lantern? And what happens when he's picked on a hot summer's day, months before Halloween?
A young girl waits for Halloween, telling tales and singing songs of costumes, candy, and trick-or-treaters to the sprouts in the pumpkin patch. One seed in particular has big dreams: he wants to be the biggest, scariest jack-o-lantern of all! But as time passes and new vines unfurl, he remains greener than all the other pumpkins in the patch. Even his Halloweeniest thoughts have no effect!
Will this watermelon's dreams of pumpkinhood ever come true? Will the girl be able to celebrate her favorite season with her star jack-o-lantern? And what happens when he's picked on a hot summer's day, months before Halloween?
Reviews / Votes
"Delighting in Halloween symbols and autumnal energy, Choppy and Moreno's lighthearted story visually highlights the holiday's cutest aspects. Candy corn, goofy little ghosts, silly costumes, and snuggly moonlit nights glow invitingly in the bright, bouncy illustrations. A fun, friendly reminder to celebrate the things we love whenever we like." -Kirkus Reviews"This warm, gently humorous story will appeal to budding gardeners, Halloween enthusiasts, and children who hold fast to their dreams." -School Library Journal
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Random House USA Inc
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Preschool to Second Grade, Interest Age: From 3 to 7 years
Illustrations
FULL-COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS
Dimensions
Height: 248 mm
Width: 251 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight
416 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-217-12250-9 (9798217122509)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Kat Choppy
But I'm a Pumpkin!: A Summerween Story
E-Book
05/2026
Knopf Books for Young Readers
€6.49
Available for download
Persons
Kat Choppy was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where she successfully grew at least one pumpkin during her years as a feral, outdoorsy child. She now works as a children's book editor, and when her nose isn't stuck in a book, she enjoys hiking, playing in a band, and chasing the elusive dream of carving a jack-o-lantern as good as her artistic older sister's.
Heidi Moreno is a Mexican American author, illustrator, and designer. Her debut illustrated book, Working from Home with a Cat, started out as a zine she printed at home. She is also the author and illustrator of the bilingual children's book Luna Oscura. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their neighborhood's community cats.
Heidi Moreno is a Mexican American author, illustrator, and designer. Her debut illustrated book, Working from Home with a Cat, started out as a zine she printed at home. She is also the author and illustrator of the bilingual children's book Luna Oscura. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their neighborhood's community cats.