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?
my thoughts:
Pumpkinheads may just be one of the most adorable graphic novels I have had the pleasure of reading. My pumpkin-spice loving basic self couldn’t help but love this story. Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks were the perfect pair to bring this story to life.
Deja and Josiah are best friends, working their last ever shift at the pumpkin patch before heading off to college. It’s Deja’s mission to taste all the snacks she’s missed out on while also helping Josiah pursue his crush of the past 4 years. Hijinks ensue and their last night at the patch is far from what either expected.
Now, I’ve got plenty of experience with Rainbow Rowell stories. I expected nothing less than something cute and quirky from her and that’s exactly what was delivered. However, I have no experience with Faith Erin Hicks’ art style but I found that it meshed perfectly with Rainbow’s style of writing and characterization. I felt like I was right there in the pumpkin patch with the two of them.
With that being said, I would have preferred to spend a little more time with Josiah and Deja. Pumpkinheads was an extremely fast read and while I appreciated that, I would have liked a little more of an ending. Things wrapped up very quickly and I felt like a lot was left open-ended for Josiah and Deja. I would not say no to more of the two of them.
Overall, Pumpkinheads is close to perfect. It’s got a great story, fun romance, gorgeous artwork, and characters that you can’t help but love. I look forward to reading more from both Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks, together or apart!