Pumpkinheads

Rainbow Rowell has made me cry. Yet again. I've read enough of her work for this to be expected, but everything about Pumpkinheads — her first graphic novel with the inimitable Faith Erin Hicks — sounded to me like it was just going to be a cute, fun romp. And it was, you know? Pumpkinheads is the story of Josiah and Deja, two high school seniors who've spent the last couple of years working at their local pumpkin patch every Fall. Theirs is a seasonal friendship, but the bond they develop is strong — indeed, they consider themselves best friends. This is their last season working together, and once it wraps up, they will both, for the last time, go their separate ways, towards college and new lives. So Deja is determined to have their last day (their last Hallowe'en together) be an adventure. "Friends," she says at one point, "don't let friends live small lives." Pumpkinheads is charming and adorable and the most fun, gentle read. As are most of Rowell's stories. And like most of Rowell's stories, it isn't just any of those things. There's always more. And there's a lot of heart and soul in this graphic novel. A lot of true things about friendship and relationships and what it means to leave people and places behind. (And quite a lot of Autumn. This is probably the most Fall book I've ever read. I could feel it wrapped around me like a light sweater, could practically smell the crisp October air. Quite the feat considering I live in Puerto Rico, and have never actually come across a proper, Midwestern Fall.) All of this is beautifully conveyed by Faith Erin Hicks's beautiful, beautiful artwork. She's drawn up a gorgeous and warm, welcoming world into which I desperately want to jump. Hicks deserves a lot of recognition in terms of the story, too. The book's back matter includes a conversation between the authors which makes note of the fact that the script Hicks received from Rowell was more screenplay-like in nature, lacking a lot of the beat-by-beat description that is usually found in most comic book scripts, and it was up to her to break down the panels and figure out the pacing of the story. A job she did marvelously — this is a brisk but fulfilling read. ("There is a lot of skill," Hicks says, "behind a 'quick read.'") Hicks ends the same conversation with the following: "In the beginning, you're trying to get to know them, who they are and how best to draw them so their personalities come through, visually. And by the time you've drawn the last page in their graphic novel, these characters are your best friends." This is, of course, in reference to the drawing process, but it also perfectly encapsulates the experience of reading the story of these characters. You pretty much like Josie and Deja from the get-go, but you love them by the end. And then you understand, quite perfectly, just why they are so loathe to say good bye to their pumpkin patch. I loved this book.

I am a diehard Rainbow Rowell fan. After reading all of her novels, I'm now starting to make my way into her graphic novel / comic book bibliography. I'll be honest, I was a little hesitant to read this book simply because I had never read a graphic novel before. I'm glad I started with Pumpkinheads - it's an adorable and highly original story that I've now reread three more times just to absorb more of the amazing art and story. The art in this book is beautiful - I ended up spending a ton of time just studying every pane, trying to catch all the small jokes, stories, and beautiful art style. There were plenty of visual gags, and separate plot lines going on if you looked close enough, though the ongoing goat drama was definitely my favorite. The art style definitely matched well with the characters and their dialogue - it was expressive and fun, and effectively showcased the character's emotions and body language. As you would expect, the writing was spectacular. Given this is a graphic novel, and as such, is very short, and has very little actual dialog, I was surprised and impressed by how well the characters were established and how invested I became in their final night working at the pumpkin patch. It's a short story, but both of the main characters grew a lot and were super fun to read about. I could definitely relate a ton to Deja and her need to taste all of the snacks. I wouldn't recommend reading this without a snack or two by your side. If you're looking to dip your toes into graphic novels, this is the book for you. It's got genuinely good humor, lots of visual jokes, and beautiful art. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Rainbow Rowell's comic books and hope she releases more long form graphic novels. 5/5

This is a fun little romp of a book. The illustrator is Faith Erin Hicks, and she has such a great way of drawing body language, that you get what Deja is thinking, even if she doesn't speak it. There is a cute goat, that is running thought the entire story, as well. Do not ignore the goat. This is basically the story of two friends who work together every year at a harvest festival, but are now going away to college. It is their last night, and Josie is trying to work up the nerve to talk to the girl he has pined for for the las three years. And so, he sets off on his quest to casually run into the Fudge Girl. And Deja goes along for the ride, so to speak. At first it feels like just a tour of a harvest festival. But as the story progresses, you get that there is more going on. It is a fun read, and I hope that Rainbow and Faith do more books together.

I was drawn to this graphic novel by its adorable cover, and I'm thrilled to say that it exceeded my expectations. The artwork is absolutely delightful, and the story is equally charming. It follows two friends who come together annually to work at a pumpkin patch, which is just perfect for the fall season. I can already picture myself revisiting this graphic novel every year as part of my Halloween tradition. It's definitely a must-read for anyone creating their fall TBR 🎃

Ich hatte "Pumpkin Heads" schon ein paar Jahre auf dem Schirm und es mir passend zur Halloween Zeit nun endlich geholt. Die Geschichte ist einfach, aber trotzdem schön und herzerwärmend. Themen wie: Freundschaft, Liebe, Erwachsenwerden, Mut und Abschied nehmen werden humorvoll und zuckersüß erzählt. Das aller, aller tollste und am besten gefallen haben mir aber die Illustration die einfach perfekt zur Halloween-/Herbstzeit passen. Von mir gibt es für diese Graphic Novell eine ganz klare Leseempfehlung.

Muy bonito y me llego antes de lo indicado..

I loved this book in general and it didn’t arrive damaged, which is a godsend because a lot of Amazon books normally arrive or are clearly damaged when sent out but this was not!

Histoire mignonne et légère en pleine saison d’Halloween. J’étais intriguée par les illustrations et l’ambiance d’Halloween. Les personnages sont attachants ! Lu d’une traite!

Essa é uma hq muito bem ilustrada e muito bem escrita. Os personagens são super cativantes e a história também. É bem adolescente, mas dá um quentinho no coração. Além disso, é uma delícia lê-la em inglês!