Book Review :: Pumpkinheads, by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, Faith Erin Hicks
ISBN: 1529008638
Published by Macmillan Children's Books
on 2019-09-05
Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Young Adult
Pages: 224
Goodreads

Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends.

Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.But this Halloween is different?Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if instead of moping they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .

What if their last shift was an adventure?

Last updated on 19 March 2023

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What is Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks about?

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks is the story of the last day of a pumpkin patch shift. Seasonal friends Deja and Josiah have mixed emotions. This is the last time the two of them will be working at the patch; it’s their senior year and they’ll no longer need autumn jobs.

Josiah is pretty much in mourning; his time at the park has been both amazing and yet disappointing. He’s never plucked up enough courage to go and talk to the girl who works in the fudge shop, despite having been there for multiple years. Deja is a little less sombre, promising him that she will help him get to the fudge shop (even swapping shifts with other workers so they’re closer to where they need to be in the park) so he can finally introduce himself to Fudge Girl.

As the two gallivant around the park trying to catch up with Fudge Girl (who seems to be just out of reach at every turn), we learn more about the characters, see their exes and co-workers, explore the park (there’s a map!) with them, and avoid the goat who’s gotten out of his enclosure. Eventually, Josiah gets to talk to Fudge Girl … but she’s not quite what he expected.

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My thoughts on Pumpkinheads

You can already see I’ve given Pumpkinheads 5-stars. I loved it! Everything from the fall/Halloween theme, the stunning artwork by Faith Erin Hicks, the storyline, the characters, the pumpkins. Northern Hemisphere fall/autumn and the month of October is my favourite; autumn in New Zealand just isn’t the same. We don’t do pumpkin patches, or petting zoos with cute animals or hayrides (we do have those things (minus the pumpkins), but not all in one place, and not specifically at autumn time). Starbucks in NZ releases pumpkin spice lattes in October, but it’s spring here so it’s not really the same. But I.love.autumn. It’s my favourite season, so reading about it and seeing it so stunningly illustrated made me both happy and sad.

The storyline is so adorable, and I loved following Deja and Josiah around the park, joining them as they bought toffee apples, rode in tractors, rocked those denim overalls, and avoided working the entire evening. Both characters are excellent, but especially Deja who is this YOLO curvy queen who has dated half the park but values her friendship with Josiah over it all. She’s sassy, energetic and unexpected and I loved everything about her.

This book is also funny. Deja gives Fudge Girl a load of names that are plays on words or celebrity names, such as Vanessa Fudgens. Ha! Classic. I loved it. There was also a few other fandom references thrown in, which was a joy!

“Maybe don’t repeat her name dreamily like she just handed you the One Ring.”

Another amazing aspect of this graphic novel was the background people. Because it’s Halloween time, there are kids visiting the park in the background of the main storyline and I spotted little ghosts, Rey from Star Wars and even a mini Harry Potter. The attention to those sorts of quirky details added an extra layer or seven to the story.

If you’re a fan of Rainbow Rowell, Halloween, fall, and/or graphic novels, you need to pick this up. It’s stinkin’ adorable, and I’m so glad I have a copy I can read again and again.

Have you read it? What did you think?