But I'm a Pumpkin!: A Summerween Story by Choppy, Kat

A little seed dreams of becoming a jack-o-lantern, but nature has other ideas in this delightful read-aloud about the origin of a "summerween" tradition--perfect for fans of Stumpkin or The Bad Seed.

A young girl waits for Halloween, telling tales and singing songs of costumes, candy, and trick-or-treaters to the sprouts in the pumpkin patch. One seed in particular has big dreams: he wants to be the biggest, scariest jack-o-lantern of all! But as time passes and new vines unfurl, he remains greener than all the other pumpkins in the patch. Even his Halloweeniest thoughts have no effect!

Will this watermelon's dreams of pumpkinhood ever come true? Will the girl be able to celebrate her favorite season with her star jack-o-lantern? And what happens when he's picked on a hot summer's day, months before Halloween?

Author: Kat Choppy
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published: 05/12/2026
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.91lbs
Size: 9.75h x 9.87w x 0.42d
ISBN: 9798217122509
Audience: Ages 4-8

Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 03/01/2026 pg. 50
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 06/08/2026

About the Author
Kat Choppy was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where she successfully grew at least one pumpkin during her years as a feral, outdoorsy child. She now works as a children's book editor, and when her nose isn't stuck in a book, she enjoys hiking, playing in a band, and chasing the elusive dream of carving a jack-o-lantern as good as her artistic older sister's.

Heidi Moreno is a Mexican American author, illustrator, and designer. Her debut illustrated book, Working from Home with a Cat, started out as a zine she printed at home. She is also the author and illustrator of the bilingual children's book Luna Oscura. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their neighborhood's community cats.