The Pumpkin Patch Surprise: A Thanksgiving Story about Friendship and Acceptance

by Ashley Butler

"The Pumpkin Patch Surprise" is a heartwarming Thanksgiving story that follows four best friends, Mia, Ben, Olivia, and Jake, whose excitement for their annual pumpkin-picking tradition is as bountiful as the harvest season itself. With dreams of the perfect pumpkin fixed in their hearts, they embark on a journey that promises to be the highlight of their Thanksgiving. However, their afternoon adventure takes an unexpected turn when they get an unwelcome surprise at the pumpkin patch. After a kind-hearted farmer reminds them of nature’s resilience and the beauty found in life’s unexpected twists, the children learn to appreciate the uniqueness and the charm of life’s imperfections. The children return home with more than just pumpkins as they learn to understand what is truly important -- gratitude for the moment, love for the imperfect, and the warmth of togetherness. "The Pumpkin Patch Surprise" is a gentle reminder that perfection isn't about the flawless, but about finding joy in the flawed.

31 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2023

About the author

Ashley Butler is a former teacher and devoted stay-at-home mom of two young children. Born and raised in the heart of Cajun Country in Louisiana, Ashley embarked on an extraordinary journey when her husband's career led their family to the captivating landscapes of Arizona. This move presented its challenges, but it also transformed into a profound and enlightening experience for the Butlers. Today, Ashley, her husband, and their two children have wholeheartedly embraced their new home in the arid beauty of Arizona's deserts.

When Ashley isn't writing or fulfilling her many mom duties, you can often find her pedaling through scenic desert trails on her trusty bike, or immersing herself in the imaginative worlds of video games. She draws inspiration from the enchanting desert scenery that surrounds her, and her writing is infused with experiences of life, with its ups and downs.

Reviews

[Marin . · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Perfection comes in different forms”, said Mr. Jenkins, and to me, this is the moral of the story.
THE PUMPKIN PATCH SURPRISE is a small, unpretentious book with a good lesson at the end.
The plot is simple and the words chosen are easy to understand. The story is long enough to fit the young readers’ short spans of attention.
The illustrations are bright, festive, and with a good Thanksgiving palette of warm colours.
The book is lovely and the idea that sometimes our expectations do not align with reality is the best part of the exercise reading the story…

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this adorable story a trip to the pumpkin patch doesn’t turn out exactly as expected. Four friends find that not all the pumpkins are big, orange and round. The farmer teaches them that being different is ok and that we can still be thankful for the “perfectly imperfect” in our lives. This story about acceptance and thankfulness is ideal for Thanksgiving, but it tells a tale that can be appreciated at any time of the year. The language would seem to be aimed at three- to eight-year-olds, but the simple colorful illustrations caught the eye and my 20-month-old grandson sat quietly entranced for the whole book.

I received an advanced reader copy for review, but I can honestly say that this book is a gem. I recommend it for families or classrooms with young children.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very Sweet Story With a Good Message!

The Pumpkin Patch Surprise is a lovely story about how our expectations don’t always line up with reality. The Farmer Jenkins character is likable and kind. He teaches the children that differences are not only okay, but good! Sometimes, things don’t turn out how you expect them to, and that’s okay! The illustrations are very cute.

[Chelsea Kong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanksgiving and friends

This is a nice Thanksgiving book for the season. It's positive and encouraging. It has lessons that children can learn about friendship and acceptance even when things aren't perfect. Being thankful is very important and best for everyday.

[Holly DiBella-McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet story to read during the Thanksgiving season to young children. Some of the big concept words may need to be explained. The message left is one of embracing individuality. Perfection is hard to find, but finding the true beauty inside matters.

[Emily Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pumpkins and Thanksgiving

Nothing beats a cuter story than a Phil good story geared towards children about the importance of spending time with loved ones and that nothing is perfect including pumpkins.

[Jyothsna Raju · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute

This is a lovely book to gift during Thanksgiving. The book contains lovely message inside with bright illustrations. We loved the book.

[Emily Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story with a heartfelt message to kids! Loved the illustrations. Perfect book for fall time!

[Stacey Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great read. It does a wonderful job showing how it's okay that everything isn't perfect. I would definitely recommend this book to read to your kids or class.

[Chloe Dubisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

a sweet story

Four children go in search of the perfect pumpkins at the pumpkin patch, but all they find are lumpy, lopsided ones. A cute story about being thankful. Perfect for Thanksgiving!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story to teach little kids about acceptance and thankfulness. Little ones (5 and 2) enjoyed the book and found it easy to understand.

[Iris Alapin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Imperfections

Lovely tale about accepting differences and embracing imperfections. In this story, four best friends join in excitement for their annual pumpkin-picking tradition as they dream of finding the perfect pumpkin. They are quickly faced with the realization that it doesn’t exist…