In a bumpy, leaf-strewn pumpkin patch at the edge of town, every pumpkin was buzzing with excitement for Halloween.
They wiggled on their vines, rustled the golden leaves, and got down to the most important job of all:
practicing their spookiest "BOO!"
Patch flung his stem in the air.
"BOO!"
Big Max's deep voice rumbled through the rows.
"BOOOOO!"
Rosie threw back her curling vine and cackled,
"Boo-hoo-hoo!"
Then it was little Pip's turn.
He took a deep breath.
His orange cheeks puffed up like two tiny balloons.
He opened his mouth wide...
"MOO!"
Every pumpkin froze.
Pip's stem drooped.
"Oops. That wasn't right."
"Try again!" said Rosie.
Pip took another breath.
"AAAAA—
CHOO!"
A leaf flew off his stem and bounced away.
The pumpkins tumbled into giggles.
"I can do this," Pip grumbled.
He tried again.
"WOO-HOO!"
Then—
"COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!"
And then, with a mighty blast—
"BANANA!"
Big Max nearly rolled over laughing.
"Banana isn't even a scary sound!"
"I know," Pip sighed.
All week long, the pumpkins practiced.
"BOO!"
"BOOOOO!"
"BOO-HOO-HOO!"
But Pip only managed—
"MOO!"
"TOOT-TOOT!"
"YEE-HAW!"
And once, for absolutely no reason at all—
"POTATO!"
By the end of the week, Pip drooped sadly on his vine.
"I'm the worst Halloween pumpkin ever."
Then Halloween night arrived.
Families wandered through the patch, searching for the perfect pumpkin.
One by one, Pip's friends were carried away.
Patch.
Big Max.
Even Rosie.
Soon, only Pip sat alone in the moonlit field.
That's when a little girl in a red-and-black ladybug costume came into the patch holding her dad's hand.
Her name was Lucy.
And even though her antennae bounced when she walked,
Lucy didn't look very happy.
A skeleton popped up behind a hay bale.
"BOO!"
Lucy squeaked.
A crooked witch decoration cackled.
Lucy hid behind her dad.
A giant furry spider dangled from a tree.
Lucy covered her eyes.
"I don't like scary Halloween."
Pip's heart gave a little thump.
He knew exactly how that felt.
Lucy wandered between the pumpkins until she spotted him sitting all alone.
She touched his stubby stem.
"You're little," she whispered.
"And you don't look scary."
Pip smiled.
Lucy smiled back.
Her dad picked him up.
"How about this one?"
Lucy nodded so hard her antennae jiggled.
At home, Lucy's dad carved Pip a new face.
Not a wicked face.
Not a scary face.
A huge, goofy grin.
That night, they set Pip on the porch, lit his candle, and waited.
Ghosts floated past.
Green monsters stomped by.
Witches cackled.
And one enormous chicken strutted up the walkway.
Lucy stayed close beside Pip.
Then a boy in a vampire cape leaned toward him.
"Can your pumpkin say boo?"
Pip gulped.
His stem trembled.
This was it.
His big Halloween moment.
He took the deepest breath he had ever taken.
His cheeks puffed out.
"BBBBBBBBB—"
Every kid leaned closer.
"BOO!"
Pip roared.
Lucy gasped.
The trick-or-treaters gasped.
Pip gasped.
He had done it!
He had finally said—
BOO!
Lucy started laughing.
Pip grinned proudly.
Then his nose twitched.
"Oh no."
"AAAAA—
CHOO!"
His candle flickered.
Everyone burst into giggles.
Lucy wrapped her arms around him.
"You're the best Halloween pumpkin ever."
Pip beamed.
Maybe Halloween didn't need another scary pumpkin.
Maybe it needed a silly one.
Later that night, when the porch was quiet,
Lucy peeked out the window.
"Goodnight, Pip."
Pip took one more deep breath.
"BOO!"
Lucy jumped.
Pip grinned.
"Just kidding."
He puffed out his cheeks.
"MOO."
The End