A Bold Pumpkin Plan

by Katy Hudson

A plan to build a unique home takes a timid Hedgehog on an incredible journey of self-discovery. From meeting new friends to conquering countless obstacles, Hedgehog tackles his house plan with a newfound confidence. Best-selling creator Katy Hudson (Too Many Carrots and Mindful Mr. Sloth) combines her stunning, detailed artwork with themes of friendship, problem solving, and self-awareness in this empowering picture book.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Friendship, Halloween, Childrens, Juvenile, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2024

About the author

Katy Hudson won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Book Award Gold in 2014 for her illustrations in the book Animal Teachers. Her debut picture book, Bear and Duck, received strong reviews, including a starred review from Kirkus. Katy is the author of the best-selling picture books Too Many Carrots and A Loud Winter's Nap, which both received numerous positive reviews. Katy lives in London.

From Google Books.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventurous and colourful!
This is a story about a little hedgehog finding ways to build a new better home. He gets to know new friends in this adventurous story and yes, the story is a happy one! I find the illustrations really beautiful and fun!

The book is more pictures and less writing which works well for the reading age group.

Thank you, Capstone, for the advance reading copy.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, A Bold Pumpkin Plan, by Katy Hudson, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I love kids books. This is a really cute story about a hedge hog, who wants to build his home out of a pumpkin, and the adversity he goes through with his friends. A great book for kids.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

A Bold Pumpkin Plan is an absolutely adorable illustrated children's book about a shy little Hedgehog who has to ask for help from others to get his new pumpkin house home. Hedgehog is fed up of the same scene year after year when they're hibernating, so he finds a pumpkin that would make a fantastic change but struggled getting it home alone. He is very shy, so asking others for help is very hard, but he uses courage to ask and as a group all the little animals get the job done together and Hedgehog makes new friends in the process. I loved how the book ended, showing that it's both fine and normal as an introvert to want to spend time alone as well as occasionally with others. The illustrations are just adorable and melted my heart.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delightful [and fantastically illustrated] book about how it is totally okay to be alone and need/enjoy that alone, quiet time, BUT it is also lovely to have help when one needs it and then to share time with those very people who know when and how to help us introverted people.

Hedgehog is a lovely, shy, quiet character and many littles will relate to him and his decision/dream to step outside his own box [a PUMPKIN house! How glorious!!] and his initial hesitation to have conversations ["more talking" (said with a deep sigh) is one of the best lines ever from a book character] but how glad he is when he does choose both the conversations and the help. It is just a really lovely book that will resonate with so many, adults and littles alike.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katy Hudson, and Capstone for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Editions for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published August 1, 2024.

This sweet children’s book is about Hedgehog and his bold plan to build a new home out of a pumpkin! But he can’t do it alone. With the help of his new friends Mouse, Raccoon, Frog and Owl they transport his pumpkin through a variety of obstacles.

The moral: it’s ok to ask for help, even if you’re an introvert!

Beautiful illustrations too!

[Der Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

My son totally loved this book! Such a cute storyline and illustration is on point. It's about a shy little hedgehog who is stepping out of his comfort zone who build new friends along the way. It is such a great children book and I definitely recommend it!

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed this special little story, and I think it would be a delightful "again" for preschoolers and younger elementary. When I read a picture book or easy-text-and-pictures for young children, I consider what lessons the story might be imparting. On several levels, THE BOLD PUMPKIN PLAN delivers. Not only are the illustrations appealing; the story enphasizes perseverance, accepting teamwork, friendship, and gratitude. Also, it teaches that divergent personalities are equally valid, and that a shy, retiring individual can also enjoy and benefit from quality time spent with others as well as basking in Solitude.

[Élise Massé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toujours aussi fan de Katy Hudson. Un album sur la sortie de zone de confort quand tu es introverti.

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for Fall. An adorable and well written story showing friendship and problem-solving. When Hedgehog goes on a journey to build his own unique home he discovers new friends and self-discovery. So well written and beautifully illustrated with fall colors and adorable characters your little ones will love. They will see how the friends help each other and problem solve to help Hedgehog build his special home. A story filled with thinking and love. We adore this book. We loved receiving it as an ebook ARC but we will have to add it to our home library for sure. It will soon be a treasured classic. Perfect to read as a family. A great addition to the bedtime routine.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katy Hudson has some of the cutest books. This wasn’t my favorite of hers but it was still cute about a shy hedgehog learning to make friends and accept help. Illustrations are fabulous!

[Linn van den Heuvel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet 💕

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute book about the necessity (and joy) of working together as a community to achieve a goal, even if you're a shy little hedgehog. Step out of your comfort zone!

[Amber Zacharias · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable children’s book send a great message on friendship, hard work, and helping those in need.

The illustrations are beautiful and captivating. I read this to my 6 year old son and 5 year old niece and they loved it!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book before the publishing date! It is such a cute children’s book. I can’t wait for my kiddos to read it. I love how timid the hedgehog is but he accepts help from other little critters. The illustrations are beautiful! A fall vibes book but can be read in any season. Just the right amount of words and colourful pictures. I can’t wait to get my hands on a hard copy!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-illustrated story about overcoming fears in order to do something outside of the box and also about making friends. I am a sucker for a hedgehog book, and so reading this one was a great opportunity to indulge myself since my kids are well past the picture book phase. The illustrations are lovely and the idea of a little hedgehog wanting to mix up his winter home and find a new one, in a pumpkin no less, is super cute. Not sure it hasn't been done before in some way, but that's ok, because the story works. This is a shy hedgie who, through his adventures, not only overcomes his fear of the unknown but also gets over his shyness with others and makes a few animal friends along the way.

The story moves well, although I did find a few spots with a less smooth transition, and the lesson is not too repetitive. Probably just enough. Sure, as an adult, a few things are a bit far fetched, but all in all, the story works.

I think this will be a good addition to fall and Halloween baskets for little ones.

*I received an ARC via NetGalley

[Cheryl Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a former preschool and kindergarten teacher as well as a mom of 7 children and a grandma of 2. I LOVE children’s books and have a huge collection. So when I say this is one of the sweetest children’s books I’ve read, that’s saying a lot. The illustrations just drew me in - all the attention to detail on every single page is extraordinary! This is a simple story of how we all have our part and that helping others is just something that should be natural. I adored this book so much!!

[Jakki (BizzyBookNook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a darling story of stepping out of your comfort zone and making friends. I loved the message of this story and my children absolutely loved the illustrations. This is one that we will read over and over for years to come.

[Julia✨Book Reviews by Jules✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

When I was in elementary school over 20 years ago, there was a book that one of my teachers read to us that I haven't forgotten to this day. It was called Big Pumpkin. This book reminded me partially of Big Pumpkin and partially of The Great Pumpkin story from Charlie Brown and the Peanuts. I really enjoyed this book and I thought the illustrations were very fun and charming. I can see this book being very popular come Fall!
–

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[Sid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this ahead of publication, and it's a very well illustrated children's book. I love the images, they're vivid and bright, super engaging.

Overall, it's a very cute story that follows an ambitious hedgehog, determined to build himself a house out of a pumpkin. The opening pages with his notes and building plans is super fun. However, I felt a little let down once I got into the rest of the book. The exciting plans that we start with, are semi irrelevant as you progress, and the journey becomes more one of the hedgehog's adventurous day getting his new pumpkin back to his home base to start work.

What I like about this change is that we see an anxious & shy Hedgehog forced to overcome his fears of stepping out and engaging with new friends & accepting help, when he's too scared to ask for it, but knows he needs it. As the story progresses, we see him go from dreading the help to feeling empowered and confident to ask for the help before it's offered.

The book does a good job at illustrating that it's okay to need help, accept help and to ask for help.

What I wish it had more of, would be Hedgehog accepting that same help to build his house – not just to get his pumpkin home. It would be a nice finishing touch to see Hedgehog accept help not only with the things he's insecure in and doesn't know a lot about, but also in the areas that he feels confident and empowered in. I also think this would help wrap the ending up and feel less abrupt, currently it feels like a hard transition happens between getting the pumpkin home, then everyone leaves and now once the house is finished they're all there and that's the end. It's like the last step and the final transitional piece the story feels like it needs to me. This is what made it 4/5 starts for me vs. 5/5 stars.

Overall though, it's a really cute children's book and I enjoyed it's story and overall message.

#ABoldPumpkinPlan #NetGalley

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hedgehog is ready for a change. After building the same house year after year, he’s planning something new this year.

Something brighter. Something bolder.

Like many introverts, Hedgehog’s imagination is big and so is his attention to detail. He figures out the perfect plan to make his perfect home a reality, but the best laid plans of mice and men (and hedgehogs) often go awry.

Opening yourself up to change in one area of your life often generates change in others. It isn’t long before Hedgehog has the opportunity to overcome obstacles.

Although he probably wants to roll up into a ball and hide, Hedgehog chooses to be courageous, being clear about what his needs are and accepting help from others.



Along the way, Hedgehog and I gain much needed confidence and learn that while alone time is so very important for introverts like us, we also need others in our life.

I love Katy Hudson’s books. She’s one of my favourite illustrators, bringing the struggles and triumphs of the most adorable animals to life. Their emotions are clearly portrayed and they’re always so relatable. Having read almost all of Katy’s previous books, I was delighted to find a few familiar faces amongst the pages.

The words are just as rewarding as the illustrations. I see myself in so many of Katy’s characters so her books are always a good reminder of lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Like the stories that preceded it, I haven’t found the reread that’s one too many. I don’t think I will ever tire of this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Capstone Editions, an imprint of Capstone, for the opportunity to read this picture book.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: A Bold Pumpkin Plan by Katy Hudson

Rating: 5 Stars

I recently picked up A Bold Pumpkin Plan by Katy Hudson, and it was an absolute delight from start to finish! First off, can we talk about the cover? It's just adorable! The vibrant colors and charming illustrations immediately caught my eye and set the tone for what was to come.

The story follows a timid Hedgehog who embarks on a remarkable journey to create a unique home. As he navigates through various challenges and meets new friends along the way, Hedgehog discovers a well of confidence he never knew existed. It’s such a relatable tale of self-discovery and growth. I loved how the author beautifully intertwined themes of friendship and problem-solving throughout the narrative. Each page is filled with stunning artwork that complements the uplifting story perfectly.

What I appreciate most about this book is its ability to engage young readers while also imparting valuable lessons about self-awareness and courage. I honestly don’t have much more to say about this one other than it is an absolutely adorable illustrated children's book. Whether you're reading it to a child or enjoying it solo, A Bold Pumpkin Plan is sure to bring a smile to your face!

If you're on the lookout for a charming story that encourages kids to step out of their comfort zones, this book is definitely for you. Katy Hudson has done it again with another gem that I can wholeheartedly recommend!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

[Jessica Kluthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cozy read-aloud by is filled with fall—from the big pumpkin Hedgehog longs to make his home, to drizzly forest scenes, a corn maze, and all the colours of the season.

This story about learning to make friends, about the power of working together, and about overcoming obstacles to achieving a goal, provides so many entry points to have conversations. These relatable instances allow a young reader to link their own life and experiences to that of the woodland creatures in the story—which is a key aspect of what can make for an effective read aloud in terms of early literacy development.

I love that this book features a big, bold pumpkin without linking it to Halloween — not all kids and cultures celebrate, and yet, our connections to nature and the symbols of the season can be special to us in so many different ways. (And, of course, there ARE so many wonderful Halloween books that DO include jack-o-lanterns that this book feels like it fills an important gap.) A Bold Pumpkin Plan would make for an excellent book in the classroom with a seasonal link.

One fun extension activity that immediately comes to mind: on a piece of paper, shaped like a pumpkin, plan out a house for a little critter. Who would live there? What features would you include? Wouldn’t it be fun to display this neighbourhood of pumpkin houses?

This book was submitted by @captsonepub to the #bookstagang_bestof2024 awards. I feel so fortunate to be able to add it to our autumn reads!

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

#ABoldPumpkinPlan #NetGalley
I was a little confused upon finishing this book, but after some extra thought, I actually really liked this book.
I will start by saying I absolutely loved the art throughout the entire book. The colors were beautiful and the characters were adorable. There was a lot of repetition, and while it did start to get a little old at a point, I thought that the plot had enough mystery to balance everything out. For example, I did not expect the pumpkin to fall into the river, and that helped me stay engaged.
Basically, this book is about an introverted hedgehog with social anxiety. While making his new home, he interacts with other people and finds that, while he still values his time by himself, hanging out with friends is great, too. While this message was a bit hard to understand, I think that, in a roundabout way, kids will read this book and know that interacting with new people doesn't always have to be scary, and it is a great way to make new friends. This will ultimately assist kids in getting past social anxiety that they might have.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read! If you loved “too many carrots” you will love this. This story follows hedgehog who is building a new home, but struggles getting his new home(a pumpkin) back to his spot. He’s a bit shy and quiet, but with repetition of making new friends who help hedgehog along his journey to get his pumpkin home, he finds the courage to speak up and ask for help. I see this being a great fall read for little kids. Drawings are amazing as well! The only thing the I’m not a fan of is the title - title seemed a little misleading to me. I initially clicked this book would be set using the pumpkin to do something with or in a pumpkin patch. I felt like the “plan” part is never seen in the book.

[Athala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. Thank you!
Wow, this was such a cute little story about a timid hedgehog (I can totally empathyse as an introvert person) who wants to build a pumpkin house.
He plans the route, draws a map and picks the perfect pumpkin. But he has to face the fact that there can occur bumps on the road. He needs to learn to communicate and to ask for help. After some unexpected trouble he gets some help, and at the end he realizes that life is better with friends <3
The illustrations are beautiful and colourful! I love the autumn vibes and the animals are very sweet. My favourite picture is the maze! I definitely wilI buy it after it gets published! *-*

[Linn J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this is such a lovely story about a little timid and shy hedgehog who wanna build a home of a pumpkin. On his journey from the farm he gets lost, the pumpkin gets struck, sinks and so on. No way he could get the pumpkin home...
Luckely there are some animals that have special skills and helps the hedgehog on his journey.

It's a playful, friendly and lovely story about a hedgehog on a self-journey of friendship and learning that he can be an introvert, shy, timid and enjoys alone time. But friends are also wonderfully.

The illustrations was such a joy for the eye. I truly loved this book! This was one of the best picture book I have read this year.

I received this e-arc from NetGalley in exchange to give an review. All opinions here, are my own.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable animal book set in the Fall follows a shy Hedgehog in search of a new house, and he knows the perfect one - a pumpkin! The only trouble is that the pumpkin patch is rather far away, and there are many obstacles between it and the spot where he wants to build his home. Along the way, Hedgehog learns to accept help from various other forest friends - Mouse, Racoon, Frog, and Owl. Together, they work to get Hedgehog’s new house to the perfect spot. I really adored the illustrations in the book as well as the journey Hedgehog took to not only get a house but also gained a family of friends, thus making a real home. This is a perfect edition to libraries looking for Autumn stories.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shy little hedgehog decides to bring a large pumpkin to his space to make into his new home. But each step along the way he runs into a problem and must learn to be very brave and ask for help. He makes new friends and learns that it is a good thing to have friends over sometimes. Wonderful book!
The illustrations by renowned illustrator/writer Katy Hudson are fun, intricate, brilliantly colored, and delightful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone aged 4-104, but especially to a school, church library, or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected proof EARC on Adobe Digital Editions from Capstone | Capstone Editions via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Monica Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bold Pumpkin Plan is an enchanting children's book that beautifully captures the essence of fall through the charming story of a Hedgehog and his pumpkin house. The delightful illustrations vividly bring to life the cozy and magical world of the hedgehog as he journeys home with his pumpkin. It's a heartwarming tale of friendship and adventure! With its engaging storyline and adorable characters, this book is sure to become a seasonal favorite in my household. Highly recommended for families looking to share a heartwarming and whimsical autumn adventure with their little ones.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Bold Pumpkin Plan " by Katy Hudson is a 32 page children's picture book. It is about a timid hedgehog who wants to have a new bold house made from a big pumpkin. His chosen pumpkin was a long way from home, and it wasn't going to be easy. As he goes home with his pumpkin, he needs help from various animals: mouse, raccoon, frog, and owl. Hedgehog, once a loner, now likes the company of his new friends.

The illustrations are great! They are bright and vibrant and very realistic! I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you to Netgalley, Capstone Editions, and author Katy Hudson for providing this e-book ARC so that I could give you my honest review.