Pumpkin Heads is a standalone graphic novel that was written by Rainbow Rowell and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks. This review will be spoiler-free.

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 and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—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? (Synopsis from Goodreads)

Adorable. Heart-warming. Endearing. A story of friendship, love, and Halloween. 

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It was so different than any other graphic novel I have read, but I was not disappointed in the slightest. It was a quick, easy read that put a soft smile on my face and reminded me of what it was like to be a teenager.

Deja and Josie. I don’t even know what to say about them. They were both absolutely adorable. Josie was a self-conscious sweetheart. Deja was open and bubbly with no shame of being her true self. She was definitely my favorite character. We didn’t learn very much about either of the character’s backgrounds, but I really felt like I knew them. They were completely honest about who they were and their friendship felt genuine and fun.

Then there were the side characters. For such a short book, there were a lot of side characters introduced, but I felt like each one had a purpose and they served it. There weren’t any characters that I would have suggested cutting. I won’t say they were well-rounded or special in any way, but they didn’t need to be.

DeKnock’s World Famous Pumpkin Patch and Autumn Jamboree was one impressive pumpkin patch! It had everything from a corn maze to a smores pit to chicken races. I think a huge reason why this book was so much fun to read was because of the setting. They were on one big adventure and I loved watching them explore this place where they had spent so much of their time, yet never really seen.

I loved the artwork in this novel. Hicks did a really good job making the pumpkin patch and the characters come to life. The facial expressions on Deja were some of my favorite parts of the book.

Overall, I really loved this graphic novel. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. It was a fun fall read that warmed my heart and left me feeling good. I definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quick easy read this fall.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐