The Pumpkin Seed

By Author / Illustrator

Poppy O'Neill, illus Brizida Magro

Genre

LBGTQ+

Age range(s)

Publisher

Nosy Crow

ISBN

9781805134183

Format

Paperback

Published

10-09-2026

Synopsis

An honest and uplifting story about how love can grow in a blended family. A mother and daughter love watching their tiny pumpkin plant grow. Then Mum's new partner Sam moves in with all her stuff . . . and everything changes. The child doesn't want to share her space - or her mum. But Sam turns out to be great at gardening and making up games. As the pumpkin plant grows, so does the love in this new family.

This reassuring yet real portrayal of introducing a new partner will help children cope with change and navigate their emotions as their family grows. Featuring a same-sex couple and from an own voice LGTBQ+ author, this sensitively told story celebrates the ups and downs of building a blended family after divorce and separation.

For more uplifting picture books about coping with change, check out: My Big Fantastic Family; What Made You Smile Today?; I Remember A Horse Called Now. Includes a FREE Nosy Crow Stories Aloud® audiobook! Scan the code, hear the story.

Download Extract

Reviews

Sue

A mother and her daughter plant a pumpkin seed and watch as it starts to grow. But then Sam, mum's new partner, moves in, and everything seems to change. Although Sam is good at gardening and making paper planes, the little girl is not completely happy with the new situation. However, as time passes, love and acceptance, like her pumpkins, grow!

The Pumpkin Seed is a story about blended families and navigating change as new people are introduced to a family. The little girl and her mother obviously have a very warm, loving relationship, beautifully captured by the warm illustrations which show them sharing time tending the pumpkin seed.

Introducing another person is sure to lead to some uncertainty and anxiety and the little girl is understandably somewhat wary of Sam with her suitcases, boxes of books and huge cactus plant. However, unlike the spiky plant, Sam is kind and patient, keen to spend time with the little girl and share her love of, and expertise in, gardening with her.

The Pumpkin Seed is perfect for sparking conversations about emotional honesty and developing understanding. Using gardening as a metaphor for the patience needed to nurture the happy growth of a blended family - just as you would a plant from a seed - offers a very positive image to enable children (and adults!) to understand the effort needed to make new relationships flourish!

Although the family here shows a same sex couple, the story is just as relevant to any family dynamic. Here, planting of pumpkins becomes a new family tradition, the reward for all the love and care taken over establishing new relationships.

The illustrations are delightful and clearly show the little girl's emotions, offering plenty to chances to pause and discuss how she is feeling, how she might act and how Sam and her mother might support her with the changes she is facing. A delightful story!

Picture book / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher