Books for the Littlest Pumpkins

Maybe it's baby's first, second or third Halloween and you're looking for the perfect sized story to delight and ignite their love of reading. If so, you'll not want to miss these fun options for your littlest pumpkins! You can find them all by clicking here. You can also click the images below to go to the collection that contains all of the books featured here. If you want to know more, here's the breakdown of a few of the fun books shared above:

You’re the Pumpkin in My Pie by Laura Gehl

A sweet, rhyming board book that uses fall imagery (leaves, apples, Halloween, Thanksgiving) to express affection for a child. Each page pairs a fall-themed metaphor (e.g. “You’re my jack-o’-lantern’s smile,” “You’re my trick-or-treating candy”) with a message of love. The book’s tone is cozy, reassuring, and celebratory of autumn and togetherness.

One Little Pumpkin: A Halloween Counting Book

This is a lift-the-flap / pop-up Halloween counting book. It starts with “One little pumpkin shines in the night, / Two silly monsters take a big bite…” and invites children to count characters and spooky creatures (owls, ghosts, witches, werewolves) on each spread. As children lift flaps and reveal pop-ups, they discover hidden surprises tied to the counting. Overall, it’s an engaging, interactive Halloween-themed counting read for toddlers and preschoolers.

Find a Pumpkin (aka Duck & Goose, Find a Pumpkin) by Tad Hills

Duck and Goose see their friend Thistle carrying a pumpkin and decide they want one too, so they set off on a search.
They look in various places — in a log, under leaves, in the apple tree, etc. — asking “Is it here? / Is it there?” until finally they find the perfect pumpkin. The text is simple, repetitive, and question-based, making it ideal for read-aloud participation. The illustrations use warm fall colors and help punctuate the search and discovery.

Trick or Treat, Little Pumpkin

A hand-sized board book with a built-in plush finger puppet (a little pumpkin) that children can manipulate as the story is read. The rhyming text invites the child (via the finger puppet) to join Halloween activities—tricking, treating, singing with black cats, dancing, etc. Its interactive, tactile design supports early motor skills, finger strength, and engagement through play.

Spot’s Pumpkin Surprise by Eric Hill

Spot and his family plant a pumpkin seed in the spring, tend it through the seasons, and watch it grow. When autumn arrives, the pumpkin is ready, and they decide to make a surprise (a pumpkin treat or project). The book is shaped like a pumpkin, making it playful and visually thematic for toddlers.

Pop-Up Peekaboo! Pumpkin (DK)

A Halloween-themed interactive board book featuring fun rhymes, five large flaps, and pop-up surprises.
Readers are invited to lift flaps to find Little Black Cat and friends hiding (or jumping) out: behind cauldrons, leaves, etc. Its design encourages hands-on exploration, curiosity, and surprise for young children at Halloween time.

No matter which you choose, you can never go wrong by reading to little ones!

As always, from Kidlutions, we wish you Happy Parenting {and Teaching}!

Until next time,

Wendy Young, LMSW, BCD, is  the founder of Kidlutions and co-author of BLOOM: 50 Things to Say, Think and Do with Anxious, Angry and Over-the-Top Kids, co-creator of BLOOM Brainsmarts, and creator of The Joyful Parent. She is the author of numerous workbooks and resources to help from the preschool through the teen years. 

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