Pumpkin patch story
25 Pumpkin Books for Fall in Preschool and Kindergarten
Fall is the perfect time to start teaching your kids about pumpkins! Pumpkins are a great way to connect your lesson to an autumn, harvest, or even Halloween theme in your classroom. If you are ready to get started with fall lesson plans in your classroom, these pumpkin books are a great addition to your Fall Theme Preschool Activities! While we might not be seeing the leaves change color in the deep south, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t already diving into these great fall books! Take a look at some of our favorite pumpkin books to read during the fall months.
GET A FULL WEEK OF PUMPKIN THEME ACTIVITIES IN OUR PRINTABLE PUMPKIN PRESCHOOL LESSON PLANS
Non-Fiction
Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson
Pumpkin Circle is an educational exploration book that walks your kids through the life cycle of a pumpkin.
From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer
From Seed to Pumpkin will teach your kids about how pumpkins start as a tiny seed and grow into a giant pumpkin!
I Pick Fall Pumpkins by Mary Lindeen
I Pick Fall Pumpkins takes you right into a pumpkin patch to talk about the parts of a pumpkin and how they grow.
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Jill Esbaum
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie is a beautiful book full of colorful photos and lively text that will teach your family all about pumpkins.
The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons
The Pumpkin Book is a book full of everything your kids could ever want to know about pumpkins and how they grow.
Fiction
We’re Going on a Pumpkin Hunt by Mary Wilcox
We’re Going on a Pumpkin Hunt tells the story of a spooky nighttime hunt to find the biggest pumpkin in town.
Little Boo by Stephen Wunderli
Little Boo is a simple story about a tiny pumpkin seed and is a fun heartwarming tale for any child anxious about growing up.
The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry
The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin is a gentle twist on the nursery rhyme The Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
Too Many Pumpkins tells a fun tale about what a girl does when you have too many pumpkins!
It’s Pumpkin Time! by Zoe Hall
It’s Pumpkin Time! Tells the story of a brother and sister who try to plant their very own pumpkin patch.
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? Features the beloved Mr. Tiffin and his students as they learn about counting pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper
Pumpkin Soup tells the delightful story of animals making a delicious bowl of autumn pumpkin soup!
Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell
Pumpkin Jack tells the story of the first carved pumpkin and how after the Halloween season he starts to rot.
The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll
The Biggest Pumpkin Ever tells the story of Desmond and Clayton as they work together to win the Biggest Pumpkin competition.
Pumpkin Hill by Elizabeth Spurr
Pumpkin Hill is a story about a large pumpkin who sets off on a tumble waking the sleepy valley town below.
The Pumpkin Patch by Margaret McNamara
The Pumpkin Patch is a story about a first grade class who heads to a pumpkin patch for a field trip to learn all about pumpkins.
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! Takes you alongside Mouse as he decorates pumpkins in the patch for Halloween.
I Like Pumpkins by Jerry Smath
I Like Pumpkins is a rhyming story about a girl who loves pumpkins.
Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean
Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins adds a fun and groovy rendition to the tale of The Five Little Pumpkins sung by Pete the Cat.
How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor
How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? Celebrates America’s love for pumpkins with the help of some major landmarks and landscapes across the country.
Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht
Pick a Pumpkin tells the joyful celebration of the classic Halloween tradition of picking out a pumpkin.
Pumpkin Town! by Katie McKy
Pumpkin Town! Tells the story of what happens when there is an accidental abundance of pumpkins.
The Very Best Pumpkin by Mark Kimball Moulton
The Very Best Pumpkin tells an enchanting story about autumn, friendship, and the magic it plays with the best pumpkin.
Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington
Pumpkin Pumpkin tells the tale of a boy named Jamie and how he plants and grows his own pumpkin.
The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis
The Runaway Pumpkin is a funny tale about what happens when a large pumpkin gets loose!
PRINTABLE PUMPKIN THEME LESSON PLANS
Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 playful learning activities related to the theme, and we’ve provided different versions for home preschool families and classroom teachers so all activities are geared directly toward your needs.
Teach kids about real pumpkins and use this theme to teach many math and literacy skills as well. Use this pumpkin theme as you get close to Halloween, for the letter P, or as part of a larger fall unit. Watch this short video to see just a few examples of the types of activities and printables included in this set:
The full Pumpkin Theme Lesson Plan Pack also includes:
- 5 Little Pumpkins Song Chart and Coordinating Cards (in color and b/w)
- Pumpkin Pie Class Graph Header and Voting Pieces
- How to Make Pumpkin Pie Sequencing Chart and Recording Sheet (in color and b/w)
- Pumpkin Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching ABC Game
- A to Z Uppercase and Lowercase Pumpkin Letter Cards (in color and b/w)
- Pumpkin Life Cycle Cards (photograph version and clip art version with and without text and in color and b/w)
- Pumpkin Number Cards (in color and b/w)
- Our Pumpkin Counting Class Book Cover and Page Templates
- My Pumpkin Science Journal (in color and b/w)
- Pumpkin Shape Mats (in color and b/w)
- Pumpkin Theme Word Cards (photograph version and clip art version in color and b/w)
- Real Pumpkin Photos
Also available on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Books about pumpkins for kids: Great read aloud books for fall and Halloween
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Sometime around the beginning of October, pumpkins start to appear. In grocery stores, at the hardware store, and, of course, at the pumpkin patch, pumpkins are everywhere in early fall!
While pumpkins may be most prized for their ability to be carved into jack-o-lanterns, they are actually rather fascinating fruits to study in and of themselves.
If you or your children will be learning about pumpkins this fall, check out my review below of 19 books about pumpkins for kids. These children’s books about pumpkins include both non-fiction and fiction selections.
Non-fiction books about pumpkins
Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson
This book uses captivating photography to show the life cycle of pumpkin from seed to plant to flower to plump orange fruit.
This book celebrates the beauty of the pumpkin vine, including its twisty tendrils and the sunlit bowls of its flowers. The book’s stunning photography of insects coming to enjoy the pumpkin flower’s nectar and hopping along the large leaves will impress. The rhyming text that accompanies the stunning photographs makes this a very fun and educational read for kids in preschool through early elementary school. The back of the book includes tips on growing pumpkins.
From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer
This is a wonderful early science book that explains the pumpkin growth process from seed to mature pumpkin in a friendly way that is easy for kids in preschool through 1st grade to understand.
The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons
This book comes from the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out-Science series, which I just adore. This book provides a detailed description of the process by which a pumpkin seed is planted, a vine grows, pumpkins grow large, and pumpkins are harvested to be used as jack-o-lanterns or pumpkin pies.
The book provides lots of scientific facts about this process, albeit at a level that is appropriate for kids in preschool through grade 3. For example, the book discusses how plants make food using sunlight, water, and air (but doesn’t mention big words like photosynthesis or chlorophyl). The lovely illustrations that accompany the text make this book a wonderful way to introduce children to the life cycle of a pumpkin. The back of the book includes additional facts about pumpkins, directions for roasting pumpkin seeds, and an experiment (very similar to this one) to show kids how plants drink water.
This book provides a wealth of fun and factual information about pumpkins. From the fact that pumpkins are part of the squash family to information about how to grow pumpkins to how they came to be associated with holidays like Thanksgiving and Halloween, this book covers a lot of information! Colorful illustrations accompany the text. This book will be a delightful read for preschoolers through 3rd grade.
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Jill Esbaum
This book from National Geographic Kids briefly covers the pumpkin life cycle from seed to sprout to full grown pumpkin fruit. It explains how pumpkins come in many colors and sizes. Kids may particularly enjoy the photograph of people rowing boats made from gigantic, hollowed-out pumpkins! Pumpkin make delicious bread, wonderful pies, and fantastic jack-o-lanterns! The photographs in this book are striking and the language is short and simple. This book will be most enjoyed by kids ages 3 to 7.
Fiction books about pumpkins
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara
This is a truly lovely book that explores important social themes while mixing in some math and science lessons as well. Charlie is the smallest person in his class, a fact that does not make him very happy. One day his teacher brings in three pumpkins: a large one, a medium one, and a small one. The class has to figure out which pumpkin has the most seeds.
The children guess that the largest pumpkin will have the most seeds and the smallest pumpkin will have the fewest seeds. But after opening their pumpkins and counting the seeds by twos, fives, or tens, the students learn that the smallest pumpkin actually had the most! Some wonderful scientific facts about pumpkins are included in the story as well as on the last spread of the book.
How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor
Inspired by the giant pumpkins that win awards at pumpkin festivals each year, the author of this beautifully illustrated book lets his creativity take over. The premise of this book is to imagine all sorts of fun things you could do with a really, really, REALLY big pumpkin. For example, could you carve an enormous pumpkin into a boat and race in a regatta? Can you carve it into a jack-o-lantern that beams as bright at a lighthouse? Could your pumpkin be so large as to fill the Grand Canyon?
Pumpkins by Mary Lyn Ray
An old man lives across from big field.
One day he notices a for sale sign on the field. Fearing that the field will get sold to a developer, the old man decides to buy the field to save it. He sells all his possessions, but still does not have enough to buy the field. Considering his options, the man decides to buy a packet of seeds. He sows the seeds in the field, and grows thousands and thousands and thousands of pumpkins. When the pumpkins are ready to harvest, he rents trucks, boats, airplanes, and flying carpets to deliver his pumpkins. He attaches a tag to each pumpkin with instructions for how to make a jack-o-lantern. And he sends his pumpkins to countries all around the world. People from all the different countries purchase his pumpkins in order to carve jack-o-lanterns, bake pumpkin pies, and make pumpkin muffins. Finally, the man has enough money to buy the field next to his house.
The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll
This is an adorable little story of two mice who both find and fall in love with the same little pumpkin growing in the vegetable garden.
Both decide to nurture the little pumpkin and grow it into the biggest pumpkin ever, and both have big plans for the big pumpkin they hope to grow. Over several months, one little mouse cares for the pumpkin during the day and the other little mouse cares for the pumpkin during the evening. Neither mouse knows about the other until one night when both come out to put blankets on the pumpkin to protect it from the bitter cold. Both mice discover that the other one has a plan for the pumpkin, and I love the way the two mice compromise so that each can make their dream come true.
Ready for Pumpkins by Kate Duke
Hercules is the class guinea pig in Miss MacGuffey’s first grade classroom. When he goes to the country for summer vacation, he decides to grow his own pumpkin garden. He enlists the help of a rabbit named Daisy, and together they plant some pumpkin seeds. But to Hercules’s dismay, the seeds take a long time to sprout. Neither yelling nor jumping up and down nor digging them up makes them grow faster.
The only thing that works is. . . patience!
The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis
This story takes place on Halloween day, although Halloween is only a backdrop for the story and not the main focus. In this story, three siblings climb a hill where they find a gigantic pumpkin. The siblings pluck the pumpkin from its stem and begin to roll it down the hill. But no sooner do they start when one hears a “thumping’ bumpin’ sound” as the pumpkin runs away! The runway pumpkin busts through Momma Baxter’s pig sty. It knocks Grampa Baxter to the ground. Finally, at the bottom of the hill, Poppa Baxter sees the pumpkin barreling toward him and quickly creates a soft landing spot for the runaway pumpkin. The family then brings the runaway pumpkin inside where Granny stirs and stews and bakes it into a delicious meal for all.
Sixteen Runaway Pumpkins by Dianne Ochiltree
It is harvest time in the pumpkin patch, and Sam sets out to pick lots of pumpkins for her Gramps.
She picks and picks pumpkins until 16 have filled up her wagon. She begins to haul them back to the house when – whoops! The wagon wobbles and the 16 pumpkins tumble out and start rolling down the hill! Some of the pumpkins roll right through Gramps’s front door, smashing on his clean floor. But Gramps isn’t worried – he knows just what to do! And soon the family has baked up several pumpkin pies to enjoy.
The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz
This book uses rhyming text to tell the story of a pumpkin that doesn’t look like all the other Halloween pumpkins. He never gets picked like the other pumpkins and because of this, he feels ugly. The ugly pumpkin survives into November where he eventually meets up with some Thanksgiving squash that look just like him. And in the end he learns there’s a perfect place for him at a Thanksgiving table. This book would be appropriate for either Halloween or Thanksgiving. My kids really enjoyed it as a Halloween book, and were so intrigued by why the pumpkin was ugly.
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
A witch plants a pumpkin seed in the hopes of harvesting a pumpkin for pumpkin pie. By the time Halloween rolls around, the pumpkin has grown so large that she cannot pluck it from its vine to make her Halloween pumpkin pie. So she enlists the help of other creatures including a ghost, a vampire, a mummy, and a bat. Along the way, young readers will learn the importance of recognizing that everyone – no matter their size – has something to contribute. The text includes rhythmic text and a repetitive storyline that will draw in young readers.
Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper
Cat, Squirrel, and Duck like to make pumpkin soup together. For as long as they can remember, Cat has sliced the pumpkin, Squirrel has stirred the water, and Duck as added the salt. But one day Duck decides he wants to be the one to stir the soup, and a fight erupts among these three friends. When Duck storms off, Cat and Squirrel decide they can make the soup by themselves.
However, it doesn’t taste right, and they realize it was a mistake to not give Duck a turn at stirring. Eventually, the three animals are reunited and they cook up the best pumpkin soup they’ve ever made by doing it together. This book touches upon themes of sharing and turn taking with friends. The delightful illustrations vividly portray the emotions of the animals in the story.
Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night by Anne Rockwell
The protagonist in this tale knows it is pumpkin time when the leaves turn colors in the fall. That is when his mom takes him to the pumpkin patch to select the perfect pumpkin to take home. His mom also buys 10 small pumpkins to make pie. Mom and son ride home with their 11 pumpkins – one big one and 10 small ones. Once home, they carve the big pumpkin and bake the small ones. The evening ends with a carved pumpkin grinning at the moon and little pumpkins in the oven turning to pie.
Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell
This is a fantastic book to read if you plan to do a pumpkin decomposition activity.
This book tells the story of a boy who carves a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, and then leaves it to rot in the backyard when Halloween is over. By springtime, little is left of the jack-o-lantern, as it has mostly decomposed. The boy kicks some dirt over it and forgets about it. But a few weeks later, the boy notices a small spout growing where he left his jack-o-lantern. He cares for the sprout, and eventually it grows into a large vine bursting with pumpkins. The boy harvests his pumpkins and uses one to create a new jack-o-lantern for Halloween. In this way, he completes the cycle from jack-o-lantern to seed to pumpkin to jack-o-lantern once again.
The Very Best Pumpkin by Mark Kimball Moulton
Peter lives on a farm with his grandparents. In the fall, his grandparents’ farm produces wonderful pumpkins of every shape and size. One day Peter notices a long vine that extends well beyond the edge of his grandparents’ field. He follows the vine into a nearby meadow where he discovers a tiny pumpkin growing at the end.
From that day on, Peter takes care of the little pumpkin. One day his new neighbor, a girl named Meg, sees Peter caring for his pumpkin. Meg does not disturb Peter, but she continues to watch him care for the growing pumpkin day after day. In the fall, people begin arriving at Peter’s grandparents’ farm to select their pumpkins. Peter helps everyone select just the right pumpkin. Then Meg arrives, but she has difficulty finding just the right pumpkin to take home. Just as she is about to leave, Peter approaches her and suggests that they look somewhere new to find her the perfect pumpkin. He leads Meg to his special pumpkin and offers it to her. She admits that she has been watching him care for the pumpkin, and he admits that he knew she was watching, which is why he wants her to have it. From that day forward, Meg and Peter become best friends. The following year, the two work side by side to prepare the next crop of pumpkins.
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
Rebecca Estelle is a grown woman who has sworn to never even look at a pumpkin after spending much of her childhood eating nothing by pumpkin.
But one day a pumpkin truck drives by her house, and a pumpkin falls out and lands splat in her yard. She covers it with dirt and vows to never think about the pumpkin again. But several months later, sprouts begin to grow where the pumpkin landed in her yard. However, Rebecca Estelle vows not to water it so that will die. But several weeks later, she notices that the vines have grown. Eventually, despite ignoring the plant completely, Rebecca Estelle’s entire front yard is covered in pumpkins! But how to get rid of them? She devises a plan that brings the whole community together and also erases her negative association with pumpkins for good!
The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry
This board book is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. It features bright illustrations and a rhyming story that can be sung to the tune of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” However, in this story we follow an “itsy bitsy pumpkin” as it rolls down a street and past a variety of Halloween frights including a ghoulish ghost and a pair of stinky goblin feet.
The Roll-Away Pumpkin by Junia Wonders
On a windy autumn day, Marla Little’s pumpkin starts to roll away. “Help!” she calls as she chases her pumpkin all over town after the roll-away pumpkin, past the farmer, baker, milkman, and so on. How will Marla finally get her pumpkin to stop? This tale is whimsical and engaging with repeated phrases throughout that kids will love to recite along with the book.
More pumpkin resources for kids
More pumpkin posts from Gift of Curiosity:
- Describe a pumpkin using all 5 senses
- Pumpkin decomposition demonstration
- Pumpkin decomposition experiment
- Pumpkin math: Measuring the circumference of a pumpkin
- Pumpkin arts and crafts
- Pumpkin do-a-dot printables
- Printable pumpkin outlines
Pumpkin: history and classification | Master. House. Garden. Garden
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Content
- Distribution history
- Pumpkin classification
Pumpkin is an important element of human culture, and not only in terms of nutrition.
For example, a hollow pumpkin with a lantern is a traditional attribute of a Halloween masquerade. More than 90 percent of all pumpkins sold in the US are used to celebrate Halloween. nine0016
The history of the holiday began many centuries ago in the lands of modern Britain and northern France. In the 9th century, when Christianity spread to Great Britain, these ancient traditions were mixed with another holiday - the Catholic All Saints' Day. The legend tells of the cunning Irish blacksmith Jack. Having deceived the devil twice, he received a promise not to encroach on his soul. For his sins, Jack never went to heaven, and in anticipation of the Day of Judgment, he had to wander the earth, illuminating the path with a piece of coal, protected from the rain by a pumpkin. nine0003
Distribution history
Despite the fact that the pumpkin is considered one of the oldest food plants, there is no consensus on the place of origin.
Its supposed homeland is Central America, the territory of modern Mexico. The remains of almost all cultivated types of pumpkins were found in the burial places of the ancient Indians. According to archaeological excavations, it can be concluded that the inhabitants of Mexico have been cultivating pumpkin for more than 5 thousand years. The first mention of a pumpkin, or rather, a vessel from it, dates back to the sixth century BC. Wild types and forms of pumpkins, common in the Old World, still grow in Central and South America, on various plateaus of the Rocky Mountains and in the territory of the modern states of California, Texas and Florida (USA). nine0003
And in 1926, a Russian expedition led by academician Vavilov discovered wild pumpkin varieties in northern Africa. This gave the right to assume that the pumpkin has been growing in those lands since ancient times and, perhaps, it was from there that it spread throughout the world.
Pumpkin was brought to Russia in the 16th century either by Asian merchants who came to Derbent, Astrakhan and other cities with goods, or by Moscow merchants, who by the 16th century had established close trade relations with the countries of Western Europe, in which by that time pumpkin was a popular vegetable .
nine0003
Unlike watermelon and melon, pumpkin was not intended for trade, but it was widely cultivated in household plots for domestic consumption. It was profitable to grow it - the pumpkin almost did not occupy a usable area: it was planted along the edges of the gardens, and the lashes spread along the boundary spaces, hedges. At home, the pumpkin was used in baked and boiled form, in bread baking, when cooking cereals, it was fed to livestock, especially pigs.
At present, pumpkin is distributed on all continents, in all climatic zones, except for the northern regions, where fruit ripening is impossible. Pumpkins are widely cultivated in the CIS countries, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Italy and Spain, in China, Japan, India, and in the countries of the Indochinese Peninsula. In America, pumpkin is most intensively cultivated in Mexico, Peru, Chile and Brazil. To a lesser extent, pumpkin is common in Africa, but even there it is grown in almost all agricultural areas.
In Uzbekistan, it replaces potatoes. The enzyme contained in its fruits is similar to gastric pepsin. In addition, pumpkin contains a lot of vitamin E, which prevents early aging. nine0003
Scientists predict a great future for pumpkins. Its yield is simply huge (100-1000 kg / ha), and individual large-fruited forms can add up to 4.5 kg per day.
Its hard shell, like armor, protects the delicate inside during transportation and storage. Pumpkins can be kept indoors under normal conditions until spring, and individual fruits in the experiment were kept for up to three years even in the Central Asian climate.
Pumpkin has the largest fruit of all known cultivated plants. In the West, competitions are held annually for the largest pumpkin. So, according to 2010 data, the record for the largest grown pumpkin belongs to farmer Chris Stevens from New Richmond, Wisconsin, USA. His pumpkin pulled 1810.5 pounds (821.2 kg) and thus set a new world record, officially confirmed by Guinness World Records.
According to Stevens, good seeds and good soil helped him grow such a large pumpkin. nine0003
Classification of pumpkins
According to the botanical nomenclature, the genus pumpkin (Cucurbita) includes 11 species. Of these, only three are widely used in culture: large-fruited pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.), Muscat pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata L.) and hard-barked pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.). In turn, the hard-barked pumpkin is divided into a number of varieties, of which the following are common: the hard-barked pumpkin itself (var. citrullina Duch.), squash (var. giraunontia Duch.) and squash (var. patisson Duch.). nine0003
Thus, three types of pumpkins, zucchini and squash, which have their own specifics of distribution and use, are common species in vegetable growing.
In addition to these varieties, crucknek , or wryneck (var.
crucknek Duch.), which is common in the USA, and vegetable pumpkin (var. vegetabilis Fil.), which produces relatively small fruits and is common in Western Europe. There are also a number of varieties of decorative gourds, the fruits of which have an original bottle or pear shape. Botanical differences between the main species and varieties of pumpkin cultivated in our country are presented in the table. nine0003
large-fruited pumpkin is characterized by cylindrical, pubescent stems, rounded reniform or slightly rump-like green leaf blades. Flowers with bright yellow petals bent outward, calyx goblet, green, sepals narrow, filiform. The seeds are large (weight of 1000 pieces - 200-370 g), white, yellow or coffee-colored, smooth with an indistinct rim. This variety is characterized by very powerful plants with shoots up to 10 m long. However, there are also bush forms with a compact bush habit. nine0003
A feature of all varieties of hard-barked gourd is the presence of a woody shell in the bark, which is formed as the fruit ripens.
Plants hard-barked gourd have sharply faceted, furrowed stems, leaves with five pointed lobes. Their color is dark green, the fabric is coarse, the stalks, leaves and stems are covered with hard prickly thorns. The flowers are orange with erect, pointed petals, the calyx is barrel-shaped, yellowish, the sepals are subulate. The pulp of the fruit is fibrous, rough. Seeds of medium size (weight 1000 pieces 180-220 g), yellowish white or cream with a distinct smooth rim (rib). nine0003
Butternut squash morphologically occupies an intermediate position between hard-barked and large-fruited squash. The stems and petioles of the leaves of plants of this species are rounded-faceted, and the stalks are faceted, expanded at the fruit. Leaf blades are five-lobed, weakly eminulate or reniform with white spots. The leaves are dark green, softer than other species. The flowers are pale orange in color with pointed petals, the calyx is dark green, the sepals are elongated, wide, often turning into leaflets.
The pulp is orange or dark orange, dense, tender, with a specific smell. Perhaps this is the sweetest type of pumpkin common. Seeds of medium size and small (weight 1000 pcs. 80-150 g), off-white, with a pronounced twisted rim darker than the seed. nine0003
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Just recently on Halloween, we played a puppet show of three ghosts and Sinyushka's pumpkin. I wrote the story two years ago, but first covid, then post-covid - in general, I only got my hands on it this fall. I want to share this good story with everyone, so I'm posting it here. (NOT) SCARY HALLOWEEN STORY Three ghosts sat on an old creaky fence and looked towards the village. The lights were just being lit there, and the children ran screaming for supper. "The night before Halloween," whispered Uhla, waving his white robes. ‒ Holiday on the Black Mountain! I've been waiting for this for a whole year. nine0105 ‒ Me too, – Rotten added wistfully. ‒ I even learned one great tune. ‒ Hush you! Giggle yelled at the brothers as they hooted and moaned their way through the corn forest and tomato patches. ‒ The night watchman is here. An hour later they were sitting on an old rickety fence, behind which stood a small crooked house. The windows were dark - everyone in the house had been asleep for a long time. "It's…blue," Ukhlya cautiously poked the pumpkin in the side. A story about three ghosts and one blue pumpkin
They played well - the children left happy. 
Read and choose your favorite ghost and cute pumpkin. There are some :)
Thin Giggle joyfully flew over the fence. His friend, the boy Maksik, lived in the village, with whom they climbed abandoned ravines at night, visited watermen and kikimors. Giggle liked people, especially children - they were not afraid of him at all, and they always gladly accepted him into their games.
On the other hand, the Giggle brothers, the ghosts of Ukhla and Rotten, didn't like it. nine0105 Ukhlya is the oldest, serious and important.
‒ No wonder I lived in the forest for so many years. – he said many times. ‒ Eagle owls and owls taught me their skills. I know how to scare in a way that these toothy vampires and werewolves never dreamed of.
"Uh-huh," his eerie, owl-howling scream sounded, causing people to drop everything they were doing and hide in their homes.
- Ghosts should scare! And the stronger the better! he told his younger brothers. But Giggle only tumbled in the air, and Rotten nodded dejectedly. nine0105 Rotten really wanted to be a real creepy ghost, but since childhood, his howls were too sad. He blew on the reeds and squeaked on the blades of grass, and howled thinly, sitting on the bank of the river or on the ledge of the house. His screams made my soul so sad that I wanted to cry and blow my nose into a handkerchief.
One day Rotten flew past the window of a famous violinist who was in a bad mood that night. The violin melodies wept and lamented their fate, breaking Rotten's heart. After the violinist fell asleep, Rotten stole his violin. Since then, as soon as he takes up the bow, everyone scatters, scatters and crawls in different directions - away from Rotten music. nine0105 With such and such brothers, it is not clear in whom Khikhiklya was born kind and cheerful. Ukhlya even suspected that the fairies had thrown this merry fellow, but they only waved him off.
‒ Here's more!
True, one good fairy noticed:
‒ He appeared already in the morning, and probably captured the first rays of the sun. Therefore, you can enjoy the day. It's great, right?
But apart from Giggle, no one thought it was great.
Chuckle laughed.
‒ Even witches scatter from your melodies. You would play something dark or energetic.
- No, no, my violin can't play anything but sadness. She needs longing and peace.
"That's not your violin," Giggle remarked.
- Mine!
- No, not yours. You stole it from the violinist. So you don't know what a violin can play. Give it to me here, I'll try to sing a funny song. nine0105 - No way! - Rotten bloated with indignation and hid the violin behind his back.
Giggle pretended to rush to take it away. Rotten let out a mournful cry.
‒ In the name of the Black Lord, what is going on here! ' came a rough, scary voice. Well, it would be scary for some cowardly child, and the ghosts just looked up in surprise. A black raven hung in the sky above them - the messenger of the Lord of Darkness.
"I beg your pardon for my brothers," Oohl emerged from the trees. ‒ They are worried about Halloween. How can we serve the Lord? nine0105 And he respectfully and beautifully waved his white robes.
‒ This year it's your turn to look for the biggest pumpkin to decorate Blackrock Mountain. - the messenger threw them a huge feather, which, swaying, flew down and stuck into the ground near the fence. ‒ Don't let me down!
He disappeared, and the three brothers surrounded the pen, looking at the white luminous letters.
THE BIGGEST PUMPKIN OF THE YEAR.
DELIVERY: THREE GHOSTS OF THE PINE FOREST.
"That's us," Giggle nodded.
‒ What is a pumpkin?
‒ Every year, someone from the Evil Society brings the biggest pumpkin to Halloween. She becomes a symbol of the holiday. And it evokes horror and horror, ‒ shivering, explained Rotten. nine0105 "It's a great honor to deliver a pumpkin on the main night of the year," Uhlya muttered and frowned. “But also a great danger. If we fail the Black Lord, we will be driven out of the forest, and we will disgrace the entire species of ghosts.
- Well then, we need to find her. By the way, as many as three huge pumpkins have grown this year. In the king's garden, in the pumpkin field outside the village, and in the old wizard's experimental house. I went there recently to drive fireflies.
All this Giggle said, merrily somersaulting in the air. nine0105 ‒ Wow and ah! Uhla was outraged. ‒ Chasing fireflies is unworthy of an old ghost. But I like the pumpkin news. Now the lights will go out, everyone will go to bed, and we will go in search.
- I suggest we go to the king's garden.
Starting tomorrow, festive night festivities begin in the Kingdom, so it will be difficult to get into the garden. ‒ Hanging upside down on a branch, Giggle suggested.
"Ah, festivities are so much fun," Rotten grimaced. “I think we need to hurry.
Almost round, the moon crept into the sky and illuminated the closed doors and curtained windows. People had long been sleeping when three ghosts leaked through the carved lattice into the autumn Royal Garden. nine0105 "Be careful, don't hit the bells on the bushes," Giggle warned. ‒ And the pumpkin patch is over there, right next to the wall.
- Wow! Uhla said respectfully. ‒ I don't remember such a huge pumpkin at our party.
"Last year the witches brought a pumpkin half the size of this one," Rotten added sourly. ‒ Yes, and with a rotten barrel.
- Yes, it is the king's pride. Giggle announced happily, tapping on the echoing pumpkin side. ‒ He wants to decorate it tomorrow and dance around it. nine0105 ‒ Ha ha, it's okay.
We need it more,” boomed Ukhlya. ‒ Let's take it from the sides! Push!
Three ghosts grabbed a pumpkin and tried to push it out of the garden. In vain! The pumpkin was too heavy and did not give in.
"We didn't think the pumpkin was too big for us," Uhlya frowned after his tenth unsuccessful attempt to move the orange hulk.
"Ghosts shouldn't carry such weights at all," Rotten whined.
"Maybe we can revive her," Giggle suddenly suggested. ‒ It's the week before Halloween, we can revive the pumpkin and it will reach the mountain by itself. nine0105 ‒ Great idea! – Ukhlya blinked admiringly, but immediately caught himself and added importantly: – Since I am the eldest, I will revive you.
He took out a magic coal from the folds of his sheets and began to draw on the side of the pumpkin...a face.
Didn't you know? It turns out that a painted face is enough to bring any object to life. Of course, you need to draw it with magic crayon and only during Halloween week.
- But it's forbidden! - suddenly squealed Tukhlya. “We are not allowed to animate items the day before the Great Holiday. If they find out, then we will be deprived of the title of forest ghosts, and we will turn into ghosts that no one sees and is not afraid of. nine0105 "And we'll deliver the pumpkin, and then we'll erase the drawing," Giggle remarked lightly. “Besides, it’s too late to talk about it.
And he was right.
‒ Oh-Oh-OOOOOH! the pumpkin yelled, jumping up on its thin legs. - Horror! Fear! Nightmarrr!
‒ What did you draw for her? - Tukhlya got scared.
- Frightened face. I scare everyone, so I’ve seen enough of these faces,” Ukhlya grinned.
"That's why she's afraid of us," Giggle laughed, looking at the royal pride.
And she was running around the garden, comically stretching out her painted lips with a tube and frightened wailing. No matter how the brothers tried to calm her down, nothing worked. In the end, she knocked Rotten down, rolled on his heavy side and rushed off into the greenery of the garden.
Couldn't find her. nine0105 ‒ Uh, huh. I was wrong, the scared face doesn't fit. Uhlya squeezed out of himself, brushing off Tukhlin's clothes, while he, groaning, dug himself out of the garden. ‒ I'll be smarter in the future. Where else do we have pumpkins?
‒ In the field, outside the village. ' Giggle replied.
- But what about this one? We need to catch her, erase her, they can find her! - Tukhlya wailed.
"I think she's already too far away." Chuckle waved towards the field. A path of crushed grass stretched far, far through the vegetable gardens, going straight to the river. ‒ I probably swam away. nine0105 The ghosts swayed a little more at the edge of the gardens, and then flew towards the field.
"Just think," Rotten mumbled. ‒ We are ghosts, now we will howl, we will instill fear.
- Yeah! And all the people will run here, and we won’t see pumpkins! And without a pumpkin, you know what…” the younger made a scary face.
"Yes, let's be quiet," Uhlya confirmed. He had already met the night watchman once, and he did not like him very much. It turned out that the night watchmen were afraid of only one thing - that someone would quietly rob their field. And ghosts, witches and other evil spirits do not care for them. nine0105 They slipped slowly towards the pumpkin patches. There were many beds - half of the field was bumpy with orange shiny sides. In the very center, the side was especially large. The brothers flew closer.
- That's a pumpkin! Uhla was surprised. ‒ There will be more royal.
"Yes," said Rotten. - But I'm reviving, mind you, me. And then he runs away again.
The brothers didn't have time to say anything when Rotten quickly drew big sad eyes and eyebrows on the pumpkin, a brace-down mouth, and even small tears on his cheeks.
"Well, hold on," Giggle whispered and plugged his ears. nine0105 And he was right. The pumpkin howled so that even the wolves in the forest fell silent.
She sobbed and screamed, opening her huge mouth, and then refused to leave the garden. Rotten tried to explain that they were waiting for her at the Black Mountain festival, that it was an honor and her duty. But the pumpkin buried its face in the mud and only desperately gurgled.
- The watchman is coming! yelled Giggle, who, despite the crying of the pumpkin, managed to keep an eye on the surroundings. Ghosts rushed in different directions.
They heard the watchman's mumbling, and then his terrible scream. nine0105 ‒ Wow, I couldn't scare you, but the crybaby pumpkin did, Uhlya was upset, hiding behind corncobs. - This is unfair.
“Honestly, unfairly, it doesn’t matter anymore,” Giggle remarked. — Well, let's go to the experimental garden?
- Is this where we'll find a huge pumpkin? Tuhlya was surprised.
‒ It's a small, ugly, sad house. How can the people who live here grow something worthy of a holiday on Black Mountain? nine0105 ‒ My friend, the boy Maksik, lives here. ' Giggle cut him off. ‒ His parents love their garden very much and grow amazing vegetables and fruits.
He laughed out loud, and then flew to a tree growing across the road from the fence.
- But in general, we're not here. I just sat down to rest. We need a house on the hill, see?
A brick house surrounded by a high fence was clearly visible from the tree.
‒ An old scientist lives there. He experiments and grows miracle vegetables. There I saw a giant pumpkin that might suit us. nine0105 Ukhlya and Rotten immediately took off and, overtaking each other, flew to the scientist's house.
"May or may not fit," Giggle added thoughtfully, and flew after him.
"Well, yes, I mean experiments," Giggle decisively took out a magic ember.
- Now it's my turn.
He drew cheerful eyes, a smiling mouth, and before he had time to finish, the blue pumpkin jumped up and laughed joyfully.
"Hello," she said to the ghost brothers. - Well, it's dark. Let's go have some fun! nine0105 And she cheerfully, jumping over the beds, moved to the exit.
- There's a fence. And the gate is closed, - Rotten began to itch, but the pumpkin rolled, jumped up and easily jumped over the fence. She didn't stop talking though.
- Who are you? Oh ghosts! And I'm Sinyushka - a new experimental vegetable. I even have blue bones, do you want to show me?
She puffed out her cheeks, shook something in her mouth and spat out a couple of blue seeds. Rotten turned green - he was very sensitive, and could not stand spitting, snot, and even coughing. All this seemed to him rude and unpleasant. nine0105 But Bluey didn't pay any attention to him - she galloped herself in wide leaps along the road behind Giggles. Near Maksik's house, the pumpkin stopped.
- Oh, the door is open. They are probably waiting for me. With a joyful squeak, Sinyushka rolled into the open gate.
“I’ll get her back now,” Giggle promised and flew into the gate after the pumpkin. They returned a few minutes later - Sinyushka rolled ahead, and Khikhiklya urged her on with a twig.
- Sorry, I made a mistake. I thought we were visiting.
She didn't stop talking the rest of the way. nine0105 - It's good that you revived me. And then you sit like this in the garden - sad, bored, you want lights and fun. I was hoping that by Halloween I would be dressed up and placed in the center of the village, but no, they chose a large royal pumpkin. The orange one.
Bluey sighed.
"Don't worry, the orange pumpkin is not up to it now," Giggle encouraged her. ‒ She floats along the river to distant cities.
- Oh, how good! - Sinyushka was delighted. “Then I have a chance. And where are we going?
She suddenly looked around - old gnarled trees stuck out around, thick roots crawled out onto the road, it was dark and uncomfortable.
nine0105 "We're going to the party," Giggle answered honestly. ‒ Feast on the Black Mountain.
‒ Right? pumpkin doubted. ‒ Something is dark around, there are no lights and music.
‒ I can play music, ‒ Tukhlya brightened up and reached for the violin.
"Let's go later," Uhlya stopped him. "We need to get her to the mountain and eliminate the animation."
‒ What to liquidate? ‒ Sinyushka clarified, glancing at the older ghost with apprehension.
"Nothing, nothing," he reassured her and smiled terribly. “Besides, we’ve already arrived. nine0105 Having passed the last bushes, they came to a large forest clearing. The grass in the clearing did not grow, only a few dried stalks rustled in the silence of the night.
- Where is the mountain? asked the surprised pumpkin. ‒ You said there would be a mountain.
"Blackrock Mountain will open at midnight," Uhlya replied dully. He came closer and tried on how to quickly wipe the magic charcoal off Bluey. But she did not stand still, she swayed to the side, then forward, spinning and bouncing.
"I myself," Giggle suddenly suggested. He walked closer to the gourd and covered it with his white robes. nine0105 ‒ You need to pretend you're a pumpkin in the garden again. he whispered to her. ‒ Hide your face in the ground and lie still. And then I'll rock you somehow.
Giggle knew what punishment awaited him for stealing the main symbol of Blackrock Mountain. But he really did not want such a cheerful and good pumpkin to become an evil decoration of the holiday. In general, he had already decided a long time ago that he would run away from all evil spirits, and would live in some village and be friends with boys and girls. Yes, with everyone who is not afraid of him. Giggle was too kind and cheerful ghost to frighten and rejoice in frightened screams. nine0105 Pumpkin understood him immediately - she was a smart experimental vegetable, so she figured out a long time ago that two unpleasant ghosts were up to something. And all hope is only on this good man. She winked at Giggle, turned sideways and poked her face into the muddy ground.
"That's it," Giggle said sadly as he flew away from Bluey. The pumpkin lay on its side, the most ordinary, silent and motionless.
- Well, that's good! ' exhaled Tuhlya. ‒ She's such a talker, she gave me a headache.
And Uhlya silently approached and examined the pumpkin from all sides. One side was so dirty that you couldn't make out what was there - you should have wiped it, but it was a pity to get Uhla's clothes dirty. nine0105 ‒ Okay, let's leave it here. Holiday is coming soon.
It's good that the pumpkin lay right in the middle of the clearing, otherwise the ghosts would never have rolled it to the right place. They put small pebbles, roots and smelly herbs around, and waited patiently.
An hour later, the first guests began to gather. Witches, werewolves, sorcerers, goblin and kikimors crawled from all over the forest and its outskirts. Closer to midnight, vampires flew in and hung on the branches of trees growing around the clearing. The last one, having covered the sky with its wings, descended into the clearing the Lord of Darkness - the ancient Black Raven.
nine0105 ‒ What is this? ' his voice rasped harshly. Everyone present immediately fell silent and stared at the blue pumpkin and the three ghosts nearby.
"This is the largest experimental blue gourd," Uhla said solemnly, swaying slightly in fear. ‒ We chose her for her unusual and gloomy appearance.
"Not because they missed the other two pumpkins," Giggle added softly. And, of course, he chuckled.
Uhlya pouted angrily and forgot what else he wanted to say. But no one expected words from him, everyone looked at the blue pumpkin. They felt her, poked her with fingers, and one vampire even wanted to bite her. But Khikhiklya was on the alert - otherwise the pumpkin could bite the offender in response, and then they would not have been greeted. nine0105 "I am pleased with your choice," Black Raven said suddenly. ‒ Soon we will decorate it for the celebration, but for now, it's time to move to the Black Mountain.
He flapped his wings and a terrible wind arose. Everything around spun, rustled, and white sparks fell from the sky.
The earth howled terribly, and everyone felt how it was rising up, higher and higher. The black mountain grew right under their feet - those who had legs. In a moment, the mountain already towered in the middle of the forest, and below the village, the Kingdom, the river, and the eastern forests darkened in the distance. nine0105 "I award you with the new title of Ghost of the highest rank," said the Black Sovereign. The three ghosts breathed a sigh of relief, but at that moment a huge orange pumpkin with a sad face rolled out into the clearing.
- I want to complain! I was forcibly revived, I was made to suffer! yelled the pumpkin. ‒ I barely had time to run here to tell you everything. It's all of them, they're to blame.
She ran up to the three ghosts and started pointing her finger at them. Ukhlya waved it off, Rotten howled, and Khikhiklya looked at the sneak with interest. nine0105 - You dared to bring a pumpkin to life the day before Halloween. ' the Black Raven rasped in an eerie voice.
‒ We… the thing is, Uhla justified himself, but the pumpkin got in here too:
‒ I'm actually not the first. They were talking about another one that had run away from them. So they are double offenders!!!
The black raven suddenly swelled to an incredible size and hovered over the brothers.
- Wow, I haven't punished my subjects for a long time. It will be nice to come up with a terrible punishment for you.
He made a circle over the clearing
‒ I won't be surprised if you also revived the third pumpkin, ‒ he croaked. ‒ Otherwise, how would you drag her to the mountain. Hey, check out the blue pumpkin. nine0105 Three witches and two kikimores rushed to the pumpkin, but did not even have time to touch it, as they scattered through the bushes.
‒ You don't need to check me, I'm really alive, ‒ Bluey stood on her thin legs and looked cheerfully at the Lord of Darkness.
- Holiday ruined! But not for good. You can still fix it, - Black Raven sat on his throne, hewn from an old oak.
He jabbed his wing at Rotten, and then at a gourd-sneak: - Erase.
- Wh-what?
- You were the one who revived her, weren't you? Erase. We use this pumpkin for our holiday. nine0105 Rotten sadly looked at his sad pumpkin. The pumpkin's painted lower lip trembled.
- I won't! Tuhlya said. ‒ I have never met a creature like me. And she looks like. I won't erase.
Raven croaked and a swarm of bats loomed over Rotten. They opened their little toothy mouths, trying to quickly tear Rotten to shreds.
"I don't think the pumpkin will be needed anymore," Hihkla suddenly called out. He looked at the full moon, which shone in the sky with its cold festive light. ‒ Max, come out! nine0105 Bluey opened her huge mouth, and a little boy suddenly jumped out of it. It was all covered with seeds and pumpkin mass.
"Child," Black Crow choked out. ‒ A CHILD ON THE MOUNTAIN IN THE FULL MOON.
He darted across the clearing, trying to hide from the moonlight. His feathers turned white, his beak stretched out, he himself swelled to gigantic proportions.
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