As an orphan stuck in a horrible institution, Evelyn only dreams of escape. She makes good on that dream on Halloween night. Almost as soon as she does, the dogs are loosed, and the hunters are in pursuit … However, she lucks upon a stranger during her flight. And what a strange stranger he is, a humanoid creature with a dark suit, pumpkin head, and jack-o-lantern face. One sight of him sends the dogs racing home. He is a domineering presence, but when he misspeaks, Evelyn stands ready to correct him. Respectfully, of course, but firmly. And from that initial meeting, that show of spine and cheek, Evelyn finds herself offered something she could only dream about: a home with a new family. She is to be the Pumpkin King’s daughter, a Pumpkin Princess for the mysterious realm of Hallowell.

She accepts, of course, and he spirits her away. The Pumpkin King’s home is a fantastic farm, a place where the plants feel, move, and respond. The king’s servants are all animated scarecrows. The nearby town of Hallowell Station is peopled with the undead and monsters, but they are not frightful things, they are all just trying to get along.

Of course, many of them are reluctant to accept one of the living into their ranks, so Evelyn is met with raised eyebrows, concerns, and occasional scorn. In fact, the haughty vampire Baroness La’Ment has even called for her banishment. However, Evelyn will have some chances to win the town over before a vote settles her fate.

But that is not the biggest dose of drama to strike the land. During the Harvest Festival, Evelyn and her new friends, the inventive vampire Vlad Jr. the 12th Jr. Jr. and the witch-in-training Lyla Creswick, overhear a plot to take the reins of power. And when a mysterious ritual chains the moon in place, preventing it from setting and the sun from rising to end another night and allow the locals to rest and the plants to soak up sunshine, the whole valley is threatened. Can Evelyn and her allies figure out who is responsible and undo the damage before Hallowell falls? Steven Banbury pens a charming coming of age story with a spooky theme in the dark (but cheery) middle grade fantasy novel, The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night.

One of the joys to be found in fantasy is seeing characters who assumed they were outcasts and utterly without options discovering that they are not as alone as they first assumed themselves to be. This is Evelyn’s journey in the pages of Banbury’s fiction. She starts out without anyone and soon discovers she has place, and then a purpose, and finally actual power. Not that she will abuse these things. Her roots are strongly in the helping others category, and her mind is very much directed toward the community that she finds herself a part of.

Sadly, the journey to acceptance is not an easy one. It never is, is it? Sure, there are some who like her on sight, but there are just as many to dislike her for nothing she has done, no reasons apart from the way she came into their world. Instead of schisms based on skin color, sexual orientation, or gender identity, she is the lone living girl in a world of the undead. And everyone who cannot see it can certainly smell it (there’s a whole running gag about the creatures of Hallowell sniffing around her). A few of the dyed in the wool traditionalists cannot look past this—it’s really no wonder that the leader of this brat pack of mean girls is a pale and backstabbing bloodsucker of unknown age who’s probably ancient—but there are enough who can, thus keeping Evelyn’s spirits up.

Among this number are a witch coven’s matriarch, a skeleton seamstress and her bony hubby, the aiming-to-please scarecrow workers, the grumbly but good-natured Pumpkin King himself, and a host of others. In the same week, this protagonist gets a new home, a new family (though accepting the Pumpkin King as “dad” will take some time, no matter how many times he introduces her as his daughter), and new friends. It’s a heartwarming book, that way. Even when things turn serious and the future of Hallowell is threatened as is Eve’s continued life in it, the book never loses sight of its heart, its kindness, and its clever approach to the stuff of community.

Banbury’s talents are on best display in the creative turns applied to the setting. The characters are endearing or hiss worthy as we expect, but the surprises are found in the way the world is laid out and works. Like Halloweentown from the famed Disney production of The Nightmare Before Christmas, this is an area where the different spooky creatures can kick up their heels and coexist in peace for the most part. Instead of a mad place, as one might expect from Alice in Wonderland, which has rules no sensible person could hope to understand or abide by, Hallowell is based around a thriving, diverse community. The Pumpkin King feeds everyone and could very well take over completely, but he chooses to be part of a board peopled by spokes-creatures from five of the largest groups. The town of Hallowell Station itself is the domain of a nebbishing goblin mayor. It has its arguments and problems, but at the end of the day, these creatures generally get along. They’ve known each other quite possibly (and possibly literally) forever. But into every utopia a little disturbance must fall, if a book is to have drama.

Banbury’s writing can be a little too meticulous from time to time. There’s a love for language on display that sometimes calls attention to itself and calls our attention as well. Language lovers will enjoy this, but it can slow the reading process some as we smirk at the cleverness in turns of phrase and whatnot. Those who have come for the story may find themselves skimming along in search of the next twist or quotation mark.

That said, the dialogue mannerisms Banbury assigns to the scarecrows is littered with some questionable elements. One gets a sense of the characters as a group of Jar-Jar Binks’ cousins. For certain age groups, the cadence and wording will be utterly without baggage. Readers who come to this material sensitized such things may well be unsettled for all the wrong reasons.

The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night is a charming fantasy book overflowing with wit and creativity. The protagonist is a clever and capable young woman, who also is not afraid to acknowledge her vulnerabilities. While the book has a solid beginning, middle, and end, it could also serve as the launch for a series of books for the younger set. Fans of Bradbury’s Family stories (e.g., To the Dust Returned), Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, or The Nightmare Before Christmas will find plenty to enjoy here. And while the scarecrows’ dialogue set my teeth to grinding, it does not seem to be intended in any particularly harmful way. It’s an affectation that sadly carries baggage it seems unaware of. Overall, the book is a story about a young woman discovering a new family, new friends, and the courage to defend these both against the sinister machinations of a few bad apples. It’s a story that indulges an obvious love for spooky season themes and elements, and it resolves its conflicts without even a single bout of violence.

And therein lies the magic of this particular tale. Some of the characters are rude as all get out, some of them are vicious, and some of them cannot help but look upon the main character as a snack, but The Pumpkin Princess uses her wits and alliances to make her way through trouble instead of a left hook. Banbury has made quite the world to play in, and I hope to see another trip into its borders.

Thank you so much for the ARC copy of The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night! My 6 yo son is a huge fan of Halloween and all things spooky and even though this is intended for middle schoolers, it ended up being a perfect story for him. It took us a while to finish it since we mainly read at night before bed, but it was a fantastic story with a great moral. We are both really hoping it turns into a series.

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I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and read it with my 6 yo son, who is obsessed with Halloween and all things spooky. While meant for middle schoolers, it was great for my son! He loved the book and looked forward to reading it before bed each night. Witches, vampires, werewolves, magic - it had all of his favorite things but wasn’t graphic or overly scary for his tastes, though he did get really concerned for the main characters at the height of the conflict. I actually found myself reading ahead a few times because I wanted to know what happened and did not want to wait 25 hours to find out.

We highly recommend this and hope there are more Pumpkin Princess books to come!!!

When a young orphan girl runs away, the last thing she expects is to be adopted by the Pumpkin King and move to a whole new magical place. All Eve has ever wanted was to have a family of her own but after so many rejections because of er night terrors, she's given up and just wants to escape the orphanage. Yet on Halloween during her latest escape attempt she runs into a talking Pumpkin man, the fabled Pumpkin King himself. When he offers to adopt Eve as his own daughter and make her the pumpkin princess, Eve has nothing to lose and accepts. Soon she find herself whisked away to Hallowell Valley, home to witches, vampires ghosts, and ghouls and all sorts of paranormal creatures. Yet not all of them are happy to have her there and if she wants to stay she'll have to convince them that she is meant to be part of the community. With sinister plots against her and her new father, Eve also finds friendship and family for the first time in her life. Can she protect them or will she lose them all? This was such a sweet and adorable read and I absolutely loved the quirky world that was built. The father daughter relationship in this book was so charming and I found myself smiling over how heartwarming this book was. It's the perfect mixture of found family, spooky season, and friendship. It's a wonderful read for fans of the Addams Family and Nevermoor!!

Release Date: September 3, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Arc Copy...It was really a coozy fall read with spookiness and Halloween fun with out the AHHHH terror gore AHHHH. The true horror/fear of this magical place for Eve is not the monster residents per say but rather...something more within her. Like drinking warm fall spice cocoa and love to have the Pumpkin King as a dad who encourages (paraphrasing)..."no my daughter the Pumpkin princess will not wear dresses like any old dainty princess."

A fantastic debut novel. This book has so much Halloween-inspired fun. It is very reminiscent of The Nightmare Before Christmas both in tone and quirkiness. Fully developed characters that led to a tear-jerker of an ending.

There was also some important and moving subtext in this book. I loved the “inventions gone mad” scene, which proves that sometimes our weaknesses can be our strengths. And the overarching message in this book is that no matter how different we are from the people around around us, it is our actions, not our differences that define us.

This book is a true celebration of friendship and community (and Halloween)!

There is nothing better than a book that gives you all the warm fuzzies. This book does just that. I love our headstrong protagonist, Eve, who tackles challenges head-on, and isn’t afraid of the things you think would make someone afraid. But she is also fighting a deep seated fear of continued abandonment-so sure she cannot be truly loved. And then there’s the Pumpkin King-a gruff, hardworking, and fair being who has chosen Eve as his daughter. He is strong in all the typical ways but so tender with Eve. And as their relationship blossoms, Eve learns the meaning of unconditional love, and what it means to allow yourself to believe you are worthy of love.

I also love her best friends, Vlad and Lyla, who have quirks of their own and love Eve just as she is. But my favorite character, hands down, is Scrags. He’s a sweet and lovable side character whose devotion to Eve is so endearing.

I loved this story, and the heart that it brings. Found families, new friends, good vs evil, and pure love make this book a treasure.

This book was the perfect spooky read—Halloweentown meets The Nightmare Before Christmas—and I had so much fun reading it!

Eve is an orphan who is running away; she hates her orphanage and wants nothing more than to escape. Just as she is in the middle of the forest trying to flee, she meets the Pumpkin King. He is immediately in awe of Eve because she doesn’t seem to be scared of him. He decides to adopt her and bring her to his world, where night is day and witches, vampires, and scarecrows are all its inhabitants.

The relationship between the Pumpkin King and Eve is so adorable. They were both very lonely before meeting each other, and it was truly delightful to read about this found family. The story was very beautifully written.

I hope this becomes a series because, honestly, I finished the book wanting more about this world and its characters.

Thanks Netgalley and Little Brown Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

I received a free copy of, The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night, by Steven Banbury, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Its Halloween and Eve has escaped from her orphanage when she meets the pumpkin king, and he takes her to his world. This book is a great autumn read. I really enjoyed the pictures in this Halloween cozy, enjoyable adventure.

This book just quickly became one of my favorites for the year. This is a lusciously set story and tale of adventure and finding one’s place in a world not so much their own. If you are a lover of Halloweentown, you are going to LOVE this!!! Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books. I cannot wait to see what else this author writes, because I will be reading every single one.

Also, PLEASE tell me this will become a series, because I NEED MORE!!!

The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night felt like a new Halloweentown for middle grade readers! I liked how the book explored themes of found family, friendship, confronting prejudice, and feeling self-confident. Eve and the Pumpkin King were enjoyable main characters, and I loved how Eve was able to form strong friendships in her new community. I definitely didn't predict the big bad, so that was a surprising plot twist. I think it would've been fun to explore a little more of Hallowell and maybe have included more characters or more time with secondary characters. I think this is a book for middle grade readers to enjoy during Spooky Season, or any time of the year!

I mean, I know I would love this from the cover alone. Highly recommend reading this in the fall or any time you are just wanting to escape to feeling like fall. Wonderful story, super cute and cozy!

This is one of the most autumnal, Halloween-y, cozy books I've ever read. Like, it is up there with Ray Bradbury's The October Country as being alllll about the F A L L. In capital letters, yes.

Young Eve is an orphan in an undisclosed time period and location (which feels turn of the century New England at times, but there turn of the century England at other times). She is adopted by The Pumpkin King pretty quickly and the story kicks off with Eve's introduction to Hallowell valley and it's various undead inhabitants. This introduction reminded me heavily of the Diagon Alley chapter in the first Harry Potter, with that sense of magical awe and unique setting and unique background characters.

Banbury does great with his world-building. It's familiar but unfamiliar, and it makes sense for its inhabitants. All of the side characters are somehow distinct and interesting in their own right as well, which is another point for Banbury - the main character of Eve, her best friends Lyla and Vlad, and of course The Pumpkin King and Scrags the scarecrow are all the most fleshed out of course, but I am impressed that we get to know the smaller side characters as well. It really makes this world feel robust and real.

I cannot WAIT to read this to my niece and nephew this October. They will be obsessed. I am obsessed. I am hoping this is the start of a Halloween-y series because I want to go back to this world so badly. This would absolutely have been one of my favorite books if I'd read it as a 10 year old!

Reminds me of: The October Country, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Halloween Tree, The Last Unicorn, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

By the way, the whole time I was reading this I was picturing done in animation, in a style somewhere between Howl's Moving Castle and The Last Unicorn, both of which I was strongly reminded of vibes-wise while reading The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night.

Now, I'm off to build The Pumpkin King's farm in The Sims 4 lol look for it on the gallery soon, I guess! I'll hashtag the lot with the book title #thepumpkinprincessandtheforevernight. I'm excited to share this with everyone and cannot recommend it enough.

Just such a cozy, warm, nice read.

A cute Halloween-themed chapter book! Full of monsters (witches, werewolves, ghosts, etc.) but nothing that would have creeped out my kids. (10 yrs, 7 yrs)

An absolutely delightful spooky middle age novel that teaches kids the importance of empathy, friendship, and that family can mean many things (including vampires, witches, and a giant Pumpkin Man!).