pumpkin book report project ideas

Pumpkin Book Report Ideas

By: Author ABC's of Literacy

Posted on Last updated: September 15, 2021

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Charmaine Powell

Thursday 20th of August 2020

L~O~V~E this idea!!! Thank you for sharing.

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Pumpkin Book Report Project: The Best Ideas for Teachers in 2024

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to motivate your students in the month of October? When you add a bit of Halloween fun to literacy activities, even your most reluctant readers become enthusiastic about books. This post will explain how I use pumpkin book report projects each year to get my students excited about reading while giving them a chance to express their creativity. These projects are so much fun for the kids and even after over a decade of doing this annual activity, I never cease to be amazed by their creativity each year.

Much like my popular Haunted House for Sale writing project , pumpkin book projects are an annual favorite in my classroom. As I mentioned, I have been having my students create character pumpkins for the past ten years and it is always a big hit. Because I have taught kindergarten, first, second and third grade, I have needed to modify it often. For this reason, the Pumpkin Book Project Packet includes differentiated activities for each of those grades as well as the upper intermediate grades too.

This post will address the following regarding pumpkin book report projects:

• What are pumpkin book report projects?
• How do I implement pumpkin book report projects in my classroom?

5 Tips for Teaching Summarizing using Pumpkin Book Reports

5 tips for teaching character traits using pumpkin book reports.

• What do classroom teachers who’ve done this project have to say about it?

What are Pumpkin Book Report Projects?

This pumpkin character book report project is perfect for the month of October. It includes both digital and printable book report templates and resources. There are a bunch of fun and engaging reading and writing student activities included in this resource. This allows you to pick and choose which ones work best for your time frame and group of students.

Part of the project is to decorate a pumpkin. Because not all students have the support for home projects and also because I knew many teachers wanted to complete the activities in class with their students, I have added a printable pumpkin option in the packet that can be done in class or at home with limited supplies and will look amazing displayed on a bulletin board with the completed printables.

What Does This Pumpkin Book Report Project Include?

This pumpkin book report project includes the following:

• project overview that suggests how to use the included resources in your classroom
• book project cover so you can create a keepsake that students can refer back to throughout the year and remember the fun activity they did as a class
• student directions and pacing guide that are ready to be sent home to families
• printable reading activities (reading logs, story maps, and character traits activities) that are copy and go, which saves you lots of time prepping
• summary drafting and publishing pages that come in multiple formats so you can differentiate based on your students’ needs
• pumpkin project planning page to help students plan and organize their ideas for how they will decorate their pumpkin
• tags for displaying the projects that will help you keep track of whose is whose
• printable pumpkin alternative if you choose not to use real pumpkins
• rubric that make expectations clear to students and grading quick and easy for you
• pumpkin viewing invitation that is ready to be sent home to families
• photos of completed projects to help your students come up with ideas of how they want to decorate their pumpkin
• digital resources so your students can complete this activity at school or for remote learning

How to Implement Pumpkin Book Projects in Your Classroom

Check out the steps for implementing this resource in your classroom below!

1. Select the activities you would like to use.

I recommend starting by looking through the pages. You’ll need to decide which ones would be most appropriate for your students and which ones fit your time frame. Some teachers use everything that is included and others pick one or two. You can decide what works best for you. In addition, you will need to decide if you are going to use the digital resources or printable resources. You may have decide to let students choose which one they prefer.

2. Determine the type of pumpkin students will be decorating.

Decide if you are going to have students decorate a real pumpkin, foam pumpkin from your local craft store, or simply decorate a paper template. I recently did a complete makeover of this project with all new pages and clipart and even added some bonus printables. Included you’ll now find paper versions of the pumpkins. These were added for teachers whose students may not have the home support needed for the original project or for those teachers who want to do it at school. Simply print the paper pumpkins and put out supplies for the students to use to decorate them to complement the activities in this packet. They’ll look great displayed together on a bulletin board.

3. Select a date and determine if you are going to use the calendar pacing guide template.

Next, consider creating a calendar of due dates for your students if you are including several steps to be completed. It is helpful for your students and their families to have a pacing guide. This helps students practice time management skills as well. You may want to provide the blank calendar and let them fill it in themselves. You can decide what works best for you and your students.

4. Decide if you are going to invite students’ families for a pumpkin viewing event.

I always set aside an afternoon and invite the families to come into the classroom to view the completed pumpkins as well as our other October projects and activities. If this is something you would like to do as well, then you can send home the pumpkin viewing template included in this resource.

5. Model how to complete a pumpkin book project.

One of my favorite books for teaching about character traits is The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. It provides clear examples which allow students to draw conclusions about the characters’ traits and emotions. I have my students do their own independent 3D Pumpkin Book Report at home with a book of their choice, I find it is helpful to model the project together in class and that book is perfect. I even have my students create a 2D version of the book project. Although it is not necessary because the project does include comprehensive print and go instructions (they are editable if you want to tweak them), parents do appreciate having a sample to reference.

6. Prep and send home the materials with your students.

Print out the teacher note, book project cover, student directions and calendar, reading logs, activity pages, writing templates, pumpkin tags, rubric, invitations, and any other materials from the packet that you would like to use. Send the materials home with your students so they can get started.

7. Collect the finished products as students complete them.

As students complete their pumpkin book report projects, encourage them to bring them into your classroom so you can display them. They make fun festive decorations.

8. Host a pumpkin viewing event. (Optional)

Even if you decided not to invite parents to a pumpkin viewing event, consider inviting your administration, students’ specialist teachers, other grade level classes, and reading buddies to view the pumpkins and listen to your students’ presentations. Your students have worked hard on these projects so it’s a great opportunity to celebrate.

When students are presenting their finished products, take pictures of each of them with their pumpkins and book reports. This is a great keepsake that you can hang in your classroom, send home to their families afterwards, and use in an end of the school year powerpoint presentation.

9. Display and assess students’ final projects.

Display students’ final products on a bulletin board or somewhere in the classroom. Students will love seeing each others pumpkins and they serve as great decorations for the Fall. Use the rubric included in the resource to assess your students’ work.

10. Send home your students’ final projects.

Send home the pumpkins and book reports with your students before the pumpkins begin to decay.

Summarizing a story helps children understand how to recognize the most important details in a text. It trains them to ignore information that is not relevant to the store. Most importantly it greatly improves reading comprehension.

• Providing students with a framework for summarizing is helpful. I have found success using a story map format. Younger learners can use illustrations and older learners can record the details in writing. Story maps are great graphic organizers for summarizing both verbally and when composing more detailed accounts.
• Teaching students to summarize is an ongoing task. As they begin to read higher level texts, the process of summarizing what they have read become more complex.
• Invite students to practice summarizing at home with their families after reading a book or chapter.
• Use summarizing teaching tools . These help students visualize and make sense of summarizing.
• Read aloud a variety of picture books that lend themselves to lessons on teaching summarizing. Some of my favorite picture books for teaching summarizing are The Paper Bag Princess, Cloudette, Hair Love, Alexander who used to be Rich Last Sunday, and Planting Stories . Check out these Starts With a Story resources for teaching summarizing .

Learning how to identify a character’s actions, thoughts, and motivations is an important reading skill because it increases comprehension and inferencing skills. It also helps students improve their writing by reinforcing the concept of “showing, not telling” when drafting stories.

• When teaching your learners about character traits it is important to be clear about the fact that character traits come from the inside and are part of a character’s personality. They are determined based on dialogue and actions.
• It is helpful to provide your students with a list of character traits. This will guide their thinking and improve their vocabulary. If you are using my Pumpkin Book Project Packet you will find an included list of traits. I suggest printing a copy for each student. You can also make an anchor chart to display in the classroom for students to reference throughout the year when they are asked to identify traits and also when they are writing.
• While identifying a character trait is an important skill, being able to support the claim by citing evidence from the text is key. Teach your students to refer to events from the book when discussing the traits. Get them in the habit of saying things like, “I think Charlotte is giving because she continued to spin the web to help Wilbur even when she was not feeling well.” Each claim should be followed by evidence.
• When working on identifying character traits, I find it is best to have the kids respond verbally until they become more proficient. By taking the act of recording in writing out of the equation, the children will be more willing to share lengthier responses. Once they demonstrate an understanding of the skill, you can begin to have them cite their text-based evidence in writing. More advanced learners can take the information from the book and elaborate further by explaining how the characters words and actions contribute to the events of the story.
• Read aloud a variety of picture books that lend themselves to lessons on teaching character traits. Some of my favorite picture books for teaching character traits are The Recess Queen, Gaston, Jabari Jumps , Not Norman, and Amazing Grace . Check out these Starts With a Story resources for teaching character traits . In addition, take a peek at these character traits teaching tools .

5 Reasons Teachers Love Our Pumpkin Book Report Project

Here are 5 reasons why teachers love this pumpkin book report project:

• The printable resources are quick and easy to prep. You just need to print and go!
• The resources make it easy to differentiate so you can meet the needs of all your students.
• Your principal, colleagues, and school librarian will be impressed by the creative book projects and your students will be proud to show off their projects.
• The scoring rubric makes it easy for parents and students to understand the expectations.
• This resource includes a digital Google Slides version so your students can access it at home or in school. This digital option lends itself well for Google Classroom.

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Pumpkin book reports.

My students were assigned their pumpkin book reports two weeks ago. I must say, I am AMAZED at how they turned out. Every single student did theirs, and they worked SO hard!

We used Hope King’s product for  Trick or Treating book reports!

Here is a huge photo collection of all the pumpkins, and some from the other classrooms!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

View from the Hallway

And here are a couple of glances down our first grade hallway!! 110 pumpkins on display! Can you imagine how exciting this entire project was for the whole school? Everyone enjoying each other’s craftsmanship and so much many familiar favorites to talk about with each other.

That’s it, 110 Pumpkin Book Reports!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the results of this project as much as I did and appreciate all the hard work these students put in on their reading and creativity! For more Halloween-themed content like this, check out this  post  featuring my 10 Favorite Halloween Read Alouds!

• Read more about: Classroom Organization , Fall Season , Halloween , Seasonal Holiday Blog Posts , Uncategorized

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Reading & Literacy School Specialty • Oct 6, 2015 • Last Modified: Sep 8, 2023

Create a Pumpkin Book Report Project this Fall

Whether you are looking for a way to incorporate the pumpkins you picked up at the pumpkin patch into an activity or simply want to create a seasonal project for the classroom, a pumpkin book report puts a fun spin on this classroom classic. Pumpkins are portable enough to carry, so basing the report on a favorite or important literary character makes the decorating a snap!

How to Create a Pumpkin Book Report Activity

Send information home outlining the project. This should include types of books that can be used and the rubric you’ll use for grading. Parent buy-in is a must for this project since many of the components will be completed at home.

Include not only the ideal size of the pumpkin (easy enough for the student to carry) but also some appropriate decorating guidelines for kids to follow. Things to consider when planning your project include:

• Will you allow carving, or is this a strictly surface design project?
• What genre or types of books will you allow?
• How should the pumpkin be decorated, and how many materials should be used?
• What is the written component requirement?
• How will the pumpkins be displayed or presented to the class?

Include directions for completing both the pumpkin decorating and the written report. Ask kids to choose a book from a list you’ve provided or an appropriate genre. Have them choose a character representing the book and decorate the pumpkin. Include a written component that poses a few of the following questions:

• How would you describe your character/pumpkin?
• What does this character do in the story?
• Do you like this character? Why or why not?
• My favorite part of this book was?

Modify the questions to meet your particular classroom needs. Use this project with almost any age group. Early elementary kids can decorate a pumpkin following illustrations in a favorite book, while older kids can create a visual interpretation of a character they have read about but not seen. Complete this project by displaying the finished pieces in a central location in the classroom or school to show them off.

For some character ideas, check out this awesome board on Pinterest!

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Pumpkin Projects

Pumpkin book report projects.

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Create a pumpkin patch of readers this fall with a book report project that works just "vine!" After each student has finished her book, give her a paper plate-sized circle cut from orange construction paper. At a central location provide craft materials, such as markers, glue, and pipe cleaners. Direct each student to create a pumpkin based on her book's main character, such as a spider pumpkin for Charlotte's Web or a beagle pumpkin for Shiloh. Have each student share her pumpkin character with the class, along with a brief summary and review of her book. Then hold a class vote to see who designed the most unique pumpkin!

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Book Character Pumpkins: Not-So-Scary Book Reports

Yay, we get to do a book report!!!  said no kid ever. But we’re willing to bet that if you asked them to do a Book Character Pumpkin book report, you might just get that reaction!

The idea is simple: get kids to read a book, and then decorate a pumpkin at home to either resemble one of the book’s characters or go with the book’s theme. The kids then get to bring their masterpieces to school and present both their pumpkins and book reports at the same time. Looking for a cute themed template for the reports? Try these ones we found here!

If your students’ parents are anything like we are, they just might get a sinking feeling in their stomachs at the thought of having to gut and carve pumpkins with their littles. Oh the mess….. We therefore recommend setting some ‘no-carve’ rules, and maybe even giving the kids some simple ideas to get started with. Less can be more people! Parents – you’re welcome.

If you take on this book character pumpkin project, you will be in good company! Here are some cute ideas we found, and we’re not gonna lie: we’re dying to try some of these at home ourselves.

Pete The Cat Book Character Pumpkin

( Photo source )

Charlotte’s Web Book Character Pumpkin

The Tin Man Book Character Pumpkin

Junie B. Jones Book Character Pumpkin

Clifford the Dog Book Character Pumpkin

Scaredy Squirrel Book Character Pumpkin

Cat in the Hat Book Character Pumpkin

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Book Character Pumpkin

Fly Guy Book Character Pumpkin

Captain Underpants Book Character Pumpkin

Wonder Book Character Pumpkin

Pinkalicious Book Character Pumpkin

Olivia Book Character Pumpkin

Hedwig Book Character Pumpkin

If you try book character pumpkins and reports with your students, we really hope you’ll share with us in the comments, or better yet, send us some photos. Combining the fun of Halloween with the magic of books, what could be better?

Happy Reading, and Happy Halloween!

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• Book Activities , Halloween

I just love this time of year!  And Halloween is one of my favorite holidays!  But many schools are not allowed to celebrate Halloween… here’s your solution…

Students will select a book with their parents and then complete one of the following pumpkin book reports .  Then they will create a small pie size pumpkin into their favorite character!

Sample pictures in full color are provided as well!  I would also suggest making yours on a foam pumpkin from a craft store so you can use yours year after year!

Linking up with 2nd Grade Pad for some freebie fun! And with TBA for Freebie Friday! And Laura Candler’s Corkboard Connections for her list of non-Halloween October Freebies!

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Easy Book Character Pumpkins (Clever and Fun!)

Book character pumpkins are a fun way to let students get creative with their favorite book characters and design a pumpkin version. Learn how to decorate a pumpkin like a book character. Get a variety of clever and fun book character pumpkin ideas right here. Whether you are decorating character pumpkins for school or as part of a fun pumpkin party , there are plenty of unique book character pumpkins to inspire you.

When we hosted a painted pumpkin decorating contest in the library, I took scads of photos. If you are looking for some terrific easy pumpkin decorating contest ideas for a pumpkin-themed party , you’re in the right place.  These book character pumpkin ideas will have you smiling and saying to yourself, “Yes! That is a simple idea we can use!” As a school librarian, I like to keep things organized, so I’ve sorted the easy pumpkin book characters into sections grouped by story or character. Ready to get inspired by some amazing storybook character pumpkins? Let’s get started so you can learn how to make a book character pumpkin of your own.

Table of Contents

What is a Book Character Pumpkin?

A “book character pumpkin” refers to a pumpkin that has been decorated or carved to depict a character from a book, usually in celebration of Halloween or a literary event. This creative activity involves taking inspiration from a favorite book and using the pumpkin as a canvas to bring the character to life.

For example, if a child loves a particular book and its characters, they might choose to decorate their pumpkin to resemble that character. It’s a fun way to combine the joy of reading with the Halloween spirit or other related events. The character could be from a classic children’s book, a popular novel, a comic, or any other form of literature.

Creating a book character pumpkin allows kids (or adults) to showcase their love for books and characters in a unique and artistic way, while also participating in traditional pumpkin-related activities. Storybook pumpkin decorating is easy and fun. Read on for some fabulous storybook pumpkin ideas.

The Book Character Pumpkin Contest: Helpful Tips

For years, I had wanted to try having a book character pumpkin contest in the library, but wasn’t sure of the logistics. A brave colleague took the plunge and shared her success. It really is an easy contest to run. The kids really wanted to have a winner, but it was too tough for me to judge. I ended up having students vote using a Google form. I gave each pumpkin a number, then just had each student submit the number of their favorite.

On the advice of my colleague, I had a rule that the pumpkins needed to be decorated without carving . That way, I avoided having any rotting pumpkins on my hands. I took lots of pictures, then gave out a certificate to the winner. The hand painted pumpkins the students brought in to the library for the contest were pretty amazing. I know, I know, many of them had help at home, but what a fun project for a family to do together. I put every single pumpkin out on display. I sent out the initial announcement at the beginning of October, with a final deadline about ten days before Halloween. Students had to put their name and teacher’s name in Sharpie on the bottom of their creation. After the contest was over, before Halloween, the students claimed their pumpkins and took them home to use as Halloween decor.

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Supplies Needed for Painting Pumpkins

Tempera paint is best when kids are painting pumpkins. You could use acrylic paints, but when acrylic paint dries, it’s permanent, especially on clothing.***Pro tip: To keep the paint from flaking off, mix the paint with school glue in a 1 to 1 ratio. The paint will stick much better and the contest host will thank you.***

Here are a few basic supplies for kids to use when hand painting pumpkins:

Tempera paint (the colors will depend on the book character you are painting)

Brushes in various sizes

You might need additional accessories and art supplies you can customize to fit the book character pumpkin you are designing. For example, you might need construction paper for ears, snouts, hats, or other decor.

You might also need tape of various kinds. Glue might be needed. There are many miscellaneous supplies you might find useful, such as pipe cleaners , googly eyes , or yarn for hair. Have fun and use what you can find around your home, or find inexpensive supplies at Dollar Tree.

Finally, you need to choose a pumpkin . I did have a few students turn in painted pumpkins that were artificial. Maybe they wanted to keep their creations forever. If that’s the case, here’s a good option if you choose to go the artificial route . Whatever you choose, it’s best if it’s not too huge. Your child should be able to carry the pumpkin, if possible. Now, let’s get to those literary pumpkin ideas.

Captain Underpants Pumpkin

This cute Captain Underpants book character pumpkin won the student choice award. As you can see from looking at the photo, the pumpkin has a hand painted pumpkin face (use any of the books as your guide). The student added a red cape and tied it around the pumpkin, along with placing some white underwear around the base of the pumpkin. Finally, the student stuffed four panty hose legs with cotton balls. He used two of the stuffed appendages for arms and two for legs. To attach these arms and legs to the pumpkin, you could use duct tape. Although you might be tempted to use thumbtacks to attach the appendages, I would discourage this. You do not want the pumpkin to leak or stain the library shelves. Not familiar with the series? It’s pretty hilarious.

Charlotte’s Web Pumpkins

Here we have some very cute pumpkin storybook characters. It’s Wilbur and Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web . You can see that the pig, Wilbur, has a simple, hand-painted face with construction paper ears. Charlotte, the spider, has googly eyes with pipe cleaner legs. What makes this display stand out is the addition of a wooden crate and a fake spider web with letters glued on to form the words “Some Pig”. Very clever Charlotte’s Web pumpkin decorating!

Clifford Pumpkin

If you are embarking (Ha ha! No pun intended!) upon a Clifford pumpkin decorating project, you are in good company. Clifford the big red dog pumpkin was a popular choice. You can see that the entire dog was painted on one pumpkin, while the other student chose to use the pumpkin as the head. The ears could be made out of felt or construction paper. I love the additional touch of the doghouse made out of a cardboard box. The doghouse was painted yellow, and had Clifford’s name prominently displayed. Very creative!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book Character Pumpkin

Diary of a Wimpy Kid , which is quite a popular series, did have a couple of entries. It was difficult to depict on a pumpkin, because the character is a black and white drawing. You could paint a pumpkin white, then paint a black line for an outline of a head. It would be helpful to look closely at the book when adding features, but it can be done, just as in this example.

Disney Character Pumpkins

Olaf from the Disney movie Frozen inspired a few book character pumpkins. There are many books that have been inspired by the movie as well. For this pumpkin, a printout of Olaf’s head was attached to the pumpkin stem with tape, then the pumpkin was painted white with black buttons down the front.

Here we have another example of Olaf, below, with a white painted head and an orange construction paper nose. 

With a few simple sewing or craft supplies , a clever depiction of a character from the Disney series Descendants can be made. Add some paint and a crown, then you are set to display your book character pumpkin.

The book version of the Maleficent movie is quite popular at a couple of the schools where I work. Here is a cute and clever depiction of the main character with black electrical tape used to cover paper and tape horns. Add some white paint to the face and paint some distinctive green eyes, then no one will miss guessing who your book character is.

Classic Disney characters make excellent book character pumpkins as they are featured in many books . Here is a simple Minnie Mouse design with pink, white, and black paint. With some construction paper ears and a pink polka-dotted bow, your Minnie Mouse pumpkin book character is ready to go.

Dog Man and Cat Kid Pumpkins

From the popular book Dog Man and Cat Kid , as well as other books in the Dog Man series , here are some Dog Man pumpkin ideas. Here’s how to make a Dog Man pumpkin the easy way. These Dog Man pumpkins were painted tan with black accents. The outfit was painted on a couple of the Dog Man pumpkins. The snout may be made out of either construction paper or a cup, painted to match the face. Construction paper or a cup may be used for Dog Man’s hat. Both examples of Cat Kid are painted with construction paper accents.

Fancy Nancy Pumpkin

Here is one of the most sparkly pumpkin character ideas. What fun to decorate a pumpkin book character like Fancy Nancy . This pumpkin was dressed to the nines with sunglasses, a tiara, and even a pink feather boa . The entire pumpkin was painted, then a Sharpie marker was used to add accents. Finally, as a finishing touch, orange pipe cleaner corkscrew curls were gently poked into the top of the pumpkin. If you want to avoid poking holes into the pumpkin, you could try using a hot glue gun. That would definitely require adult supervision. 

Fly Guy Pumpkin Ideas

Here’s how to make a Fly Guy pumpkin. The above example of a Fly Guy book character pumpkin has a painted-on smile on top of a brown painted head, two styrofoam balls for eyes, and white sheet foam cut out and drawn on to resemble wings. The wings are folded back at the bottom and attached with glue. You could also use tape, like a clear packing tape. Glue or tape may be used to attach the styrofoam balls for the eyes as well.

In the picture below, Frankenfly is painted green and has construction paper accents. The Fly Guy book character pumpkin on the right has cups for eyes and pipe cleaners for arms, antennae and wings. Both are excellent examples of the book characters they represent.

Harry Potter Pumpkins

Of course, there were a variety of Harry Potter book character pumpkin entries. The most popular book character pumpkins for 4th grade were from this series of books. The Harry Potter book character pumpkin could either be a painted head all by itself, or placed on a pedestal with a tie and robe. The pedestal was made out of a coffee can (no lid so the pumpkin could rest on it securely). The real glasses were purchased at a second hand store, as was the tie. The robe was just a rectangle of black cloth draped around the coffee can, shaped to resemble a robe. The pumpkin was topped by a wig. One other decorative touch was the golden snitch you can see in the lower photo. It was a gold painted foam ball with to feathers stuck into it.

For the Hermione book character pumpkin, I had entries turned in where the whole character of Hermione was painted on the pumpkin. In the example in the photo above, the Hermione pumpkin was just a painted head with construction paper hair crimped to be bushy. Note the Gryffindor scarf draped artfully around the base. Nice touch!

Junie B. Jones Pumpkin

This very cute book character pumpkin depicts Junie B. Jones in the book Toothless Wonder . In addition to the painted pumpkin head with glasses and a yarn wig, there is also a cardboard cutout of a shirt with buttons colored on the front and a construction paper collar. The floral pattern on the shirt is done in marker, as well as the pattern on the construction paper sleeves, which are attached behind the cardboard with glue. Junie B. has ears made of construction paper, and a little tooth necklace hanging around her neck for holding her tooth, which is hanging down below the visible area in the photo. If you decide to use this Junie B Jones pumpkin book character idea, you probably don’t want 144 tooth necklaces. My school secretary gives them out whenever someone loses a tooth at school. If your child’s school does the same, maybe you could ask to borrow one.

Owl Diaries Pumpkin

Next we have this sweet little owl pumpkin representing the Owl Diaries series. I love the little construction paper feet sticking out from under the pumpkin. Colorful feathers glued onto cardboard form the wings, and the little felt witch hat adds a Halloween touch.

Pete the Cat Pumpkins

Grab an old skateboard and decorate a pumpkin to resemble fan favorite book character Pete the Cat . No skateboard? No problem! The one in the photo below is made out of cardboard covered with construction paper. In both photos, Pete is painted blue. You can use construction paper for the rest of the head features, or use pipe cleaners for the whiskers. In the top photo, Pete is perched on a coffee can covered with construction paper to resemble a shirt. In the bottom photo, Pete is riding on his signature skateboard with his stuffed blue pantyhose legs dangling down. Pete has a stuffed tail as well, divided into sections with rubber bands. You could also use hair ties to section the stuffed legs and tail. Use cotton, paper towels, or toilet paper to stuff the appendages, or whatever else you have on hand. The little plastic fish bowl provides a nice finishing touch. Also, notice the placement of the pupils in Pete’s eyes in the bottom photo. That captures his expression so well!

Pigeon, Elephant and Piggie Pumpkins

Kids just can’t get enough of books by Mo Willems. Whether it’s the pigeon who wants to drive the bus or the lovable characters of Gerald the elephant and Piggie the pig , primary-aged children want to read about their adventures. I had many pigeon, Gerald, and Piggie book character pumpkins turned in. As you can see, some of the pumpkins had the entire character depicted on the surface, while others had just the head. In one case, just the eye! It can be as simple as that. A few used construction paper accents for beaks, wings, ears, and even speech bubbles. One creative pigeon head was a construction paper cylinder perched on a long neck made of an empty paper towel roll. Other neck ideas shown include a little painted bowl or a short cylinder made of poster board. There are many possibilities, and it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Pokemon and Sonic Pumpkins

Here we have some examples of book characters from the world of Pokemon video games. Since they have books with these characters in them as well, I am happy to have these book/movie characters in the contest. After painting these pumpkins to look like the characters, just add the accents. The ears can be made of construction paper, and in the case of Pokemon, pencils covered with construction paper were used. A yellow plastic lei with a piece of wire pushed through it formed Pokemon’s tail. 

Here’s how to make a Sonic pumpkin. First, make some ears out of paper and tape them onto the pumpkin. Coat the pumpkin in blue paint and let it dry. Paint on the eyes and add details to the face and ears. A Sonic pumpkin is born!

Princess in Black Pumpkin

Hey, it’s the Princess in Black ! Here she is, complete with a crown and mask made of felt. She’s even sporting her trademark flower, also made of felt. Add some yarn hair and you’re all set to have her join in with the other book character library Halloween pumpkins.

SpongeBob Pumpkins

Yes, it’s SpongeBob with his sidekicks Patrick and Plankton. As with the Pokemon characters, even though these famous pumpkin characters did not originate in a book, there have been books written since their debut on television. I was happy to include these book character decorated pumpkins as well. You can see that they each just needed a simple paint job to be transformed into the chosen character. Plankton has a couple of brown painted pencils attached to complete the look.

Star Wars Book Character Pumpkins

Yes, even though Star Wars began as a movie, there are now many book series based on or inspired by the characters. Here are a couple of examples of painted book character pumpkins from the book series Jedi Academy .

There were many students who were inspired by the Mandalorian series on the Disney Channel, and a number of books have been inspired by the series as well. This is just one example of a Din Grogu (Baby Yoda) book character pumpkin that was turned in. In this case, doll arms were painted green to match the head, and burlap was used as a robe.

Wizard of Oz Pumpkins

I was thrilled to get a couple of very wicked-looking storybook character pumpkins from the Wizard of Oz . Who can forget the wicked witch’s striped tights and red shoes sticking out from under the house in the famous movie version of the story? The top pumpkin uses the pumpkin stem as the nose for a great effect, topped off with a messy wig and little hat. The wicked witch in the bottom photo was set on top of a painted black box draped with a fake black gauzy spider web.The sparkly shoes were supposed to go under the pumpkin’s box, but I could not get it all to fit on the shelf properly. A little broom made of scraps of crinkle-cut paper made the ensemble complete.

Fairy Tale and Nursery Rhyme Pumpkins

This Cinderella carriage pumpkin even has silhouettes of the fairy tale characters painted in. Little pearl beads were glued onto the mini pumpkin “wheels”, and the carriage itself was perched on a clear bowl. The effect was enchanting. Humpty Dumpty, below, came complete with his own red brick poster board “wall” which I taped onto the bookshelf below him. Add a red ribbon tie and a mini top hat headband to the painted pumpkin for a Mother Goose masterpiece.

Other Famous Literary Book Character Pumpkins

Here is a very creative depiction of the Very Hungry Caterpillar made with mini pumpkins. It was thoughtful to include the aluminum tray so the pumpkins had a better chance of remaining attached to each other. They were held together with glue. It was a very unique entry.

Other Book Character Pumpkins

Minions are fun to paint as book characters. Yes, there are books about minions . Look at an illustration of a minion for inspiration, then paint on your favorite minion features. Add a few accessories to make your creation unique.

Wings of Fire is a popular series about dragons. Use paper or cardboard for the wings, head, and tail. Decorate as you wish, using your favorite dragon from the series as inspiration.

If you are a fan of The Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings series , this clever book character pumpkin idea is for you. Use the pumpkin as a hobbit house, then use it as part of a miniature fairy garden with the character somewhere in the scene. In this case, a tree is sprouting from the pumpkin stem. Very fun!

Paint a pumpkin black, then add some ears, a tail, and whiskers to make Bad Kitty . This popular book character inspired many pumpkin entries. This example was made using a cat ear headband with a crooked black pipe cleaner for a tail.

For fans of the Laura Numeroff book about giving a mouse a cookie, here we have some excellent examples of creativity. In both cases, the cookies and milk were included as part of the design. Paint, paper or cardboard, and plastic cups are all you need to create your book character pumpkin masterpiece.

There were other book character decorated pumpkins depicting Curious George , the Cat in the Hat , and the rabbit from El Deafo . Whatever your favorite book is, you can probably find a way to make a book character pumpkin out of one of the characters in it.

What Are Your Favorite Book Character Pumpkins?

There you go. That’s how to turn a pumpkin into a book character. Do you have a some favorite children’s book character pumpkins you have seen or made? I’d love to know about them. If you have never joined in a book character pumpkin decorating project before,I hope that you now realize how easy book character pumpkins can be. Yes, you can make them complicated as well, but they don’t have to be. For more book character pumpkins inspiration, check out my creative Pinterest book character pumpkins pinned in my Pinterest account. If you are looking for other fall or pumpkin inspiration, check out a list of pumpkin books for kids , funny Halloween books or excellent Thanksgiving books . Hosting a pumpkin-themed party? Try making these no-bake mini pumpkin pies . They are a yummy dessert and party activity rolled into one!

Running Your Own Book Character Pumpkin Contest

How do you win the pumpkin decorating contest? In the school libraries where I work, I had the students vote for their favorite. It helps if a lot of students are familiar with the book the character is from. If you decide to run your own book character pumpkin decorating contest, I’ve made things easy for you. Get a free book character pumpkin certificate and promotional flyer right here. These templates are customizable, downloadable, printable, and FREE!

Get my free book character pumpkin contest kit!

Get a handy book character pumpkin ebook.

Would you like to have many of the ideas in this post all in one easy-to-reference location? Get the 33-page interactive eBook version of this comprehensive guide, then flip right to the page you need to see. Many of the book character pumpkins detailed in this comprehensive article are included. You will have access to a downloadable, printable version of the ebook as well.

Get my interactive essential guide to book character pumpkins!  

For other pumpkin-related ideas, check out a guide to the best companion plants for pumpkins . You could also learn how to make no-bake mini pumpkin pie for parties  and easy white chocolate chip pumpkin cookies . Have a wonderful week, and may all of your book character pumpkin endeavors meet with great success!

Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to grow fruit, vegetables, flowers on her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. To learn more about what this website has to offer gardeners, click on over to the Garden  page.

Like what you read here? Please give it a share!

2 thoughts on “Easy Book Character Pumpkins (Clever and Fun!)”

Such a terrific idea to incorporate reading into the fall season and Halloween holiday. All of the book character pumpkins are great – but the Clifford and Harry Potter ones are my two favorites. Thanks for sharing!

You are welcome! It was amazing to see the pumpkin book characters the kids made.

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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade..

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