Since I relish an opportunity to cover a graphic novel, and I adore Rainbow Rowell, it was an easy decision to pick up Pumpkinheads by Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks. The cover alone made me excited to more or less sit back and enjoy a fun story of two high school seniors enjoying their last shift at the local pumpkin patch. The Situation: Deja and Josiah are best friends...but only between September 1 and October 31 of every year. Once Halloween is over, the pumpkin patch closes, the corn maze is steamrolled, and both Deja and Josiah return to their respective lives as it exists without the persistent smell of kettle korn, and the required uniform of a plaid shirt and overalls. But when they are working at the Succotash Hut, they are pretty inseparable, and have gotten to know each other pretty well over the last four years. But this is senior year, which means it is their last year working together at the pumpkin patch. Deja is all about taking this opportunity to experience, and eat, everything the pumpkin patch has to offer, while Josiah is a little more somber and reflective. Almost from the beginning, this final shift will prove to be much different from any other.
The Problem: For the most part, Josiah is the reflective and over-thinking type. He almost always earns employee of the month, and he takes his duties at the pumpkin patch incredibly seriously, even if it mostly entails stirring and serving succotash. But as dutiful as he is to the job, somehow he has never been able to commit to gathering up the courage to talk to Marcy down at the Fudge Shoppe. Every year he admires her from afar, and does nothing to get to know her. But this year, Deja is determined to change that. She even has the two of them moved to work at the Pie Palace in order to be closer to the Fudge Shoppe. It seems like a full-proof plan, but things begin to go awry almost immediately. After a night of eating, dealing with kids hyped up on sugar, and getting lost in the pumpkin patch despite knowing the staff shortcut, Deja and Josiah's last shift turns into something completely different from what either of them had planned. And they both may finally realize that this friendship does not have to be seasonal.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a graphic novel set during the last night at the pumpkin patch. It's Halloween, and it's the last night for caramel apples, s'mores, apple cider slushies, Frito pie, and pumpkin bombs, and Deja is determined to eat all of them. If she is all about seizing the day and making the most of their last night, then Josiah is on the opposite end of the spectrum, and would be content with simply doing his job as he has always done it, a plan that has allowed him to nearly dominate the Employee of the Month board for as long as he has worked there. Despite how different they are, they have stuck together every season since their first one, and they would not have it any other way. But when Josiah decides to go with Deja's plan to enjoy the night, a plan where the goal is to get him to finally talk to Macy, everything takes a turn no one was prepared for, and the reader is not only taken on a colorful tour of the pumpkin patch, but is also introduced to the various staff members, and even the occasional animal.
My Verdict: So much about this story works. First is the contrast of Deja's determination to have fun and eat everything to Josiah's over thinking and insistence to pretty much do what he has always done, even if it means never talking to the girl he has been fixated on for the last few years. The two of them go well together, even though it seems like they shouldn't, at least on paper. Second is the fun atmosphere and setting of the pumpkin patch, along with the Halloween season. And then of course there are the amazing illustrations, which help to bring across the cooler weather of Autumn, the smell of kettle korn, the fear of seeing a loose goat, the sense of being lost (though not really) in the middle of a corn maize, and the feeling of something important coming to an end. The marriage between the story and the pictures comes out beautifully, and I cannot recommend this book enough.
Favorite Moment: Any moment when Buck the goat shows up, as he has gotten loose and is terrorizing the visitors of the pumpkin patch.
Favorite Character: I like both Deja and Josiah a lot. They both have their quirks, and somehow those quirks serve to balance each other out.
Recommended Reading: Rowell's Fangirl still remains my favorite of all of her books.
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