“Pip. Pip. Are you awake?” Softly calls a familiar voice.

Pip, the deer mouse, peeks out the entrance of her hollow in the big cypress tree, “Good morning, Mia. Come in.”

Mia, the blue jay, hops into Pip’s hollow, “Morning, Pip. Ready for another adventure in the community garden?”

“Absolutely!” Pip is eager this morning, “I hear the pumpkins are getting big. I can’t wait to see them.”

“Let’s go!” Mia urges Pip.

Along the Watercolor Woods trail to the community garden, Pip wonders aloud, “How big do you think they are?”

“I imagine they are as big as watermelons,” Mia gestures the size with her wings.

“Really!” Pip exclaims. “Maybe we can find a pumpkin to carve for the Harvest Festival next month.”

Mia nods, “That is a great idea. Let’s find the biggest pumpkin in the patch.”

“There’s the garden,” Pip points ahead. “I’ll beat you there!” she hollers as she runs as fast as she can.

Making her way through the garden, Pip spots the pumpkin patch. “Wow! They are huge!”

Mia smiles, looking at the orange pumpkins, scattered throughout the patch, “Let’s start hunting. Keep your eyes peeled for the biggest one.”

“Good morning, Pip!” Good morning, Mia!” Oliver, the bullfrog greets from atop a pumpkin. Isn’t this one a beauty?”

“Hi, Oliver!” Pip waves, “Yes, it is. The pumpkin patch is thriving this year.”

“Everyone has worked hard to make sure the pumpkins are enormous this year,” Oliver says.

“What’s that?” Pip hears a rustling sound behind them.

Mia turns and giggles, “Look! It’s Juniper, the chipmunk. She is digging up her acorn stashes for the winter.”

Pip waves, “Hi, Juniper. How’s the acorn harvest going?”

Juniper looks up, her cheeks stuffed with acorns, “Very well. I found most of my stashes. What are you two up to today?”

“We are hunting for the biggest pumpkin in the patch,” Pip explains.

“That sounds like fun!” Juniper replies, digging for more acorns.

Continuing their hunt, Mia spots something, “Look at this one! It is perfectly round!”

Pip scurries over, “It is huge, but let’s keep looking.”

“Pip! Mia! Over here,” they hear a voice calling.

“Hey. It’s Rosemary, the rabbit,” Pip points in her direction. “And she is standing next to a tall, oval pumpkin.”

“Wow!” Mia says. “That’s a tall pumpkin!”

Rosemary grins, “I think it might be the biggest pumpkin.”

“Let me see,” Pip measures the height of the pumpkin with her paws. “What do you think, Mia?”

Mia uses her wings to wrap around the pumpkin and measure how wide it is, “It is the tallest. I think we should look a little longer.”

“Ok. Let’s go this way,” Pip says. “I see Moonbeam, the skunk, over there.”

“Hello, Moonbeam.” They say in unison.

“I hear you two are looking for the biggest pumpkin! I think I know which one you want,” Moonbeam says and leads them to another section of the pumpkin patch.

“What is this?” Pip’s whiskers twitch. “They look different… covered in warts!”

“These are the Knucklehead pumpkins. They look a little different, but they make great carving pumpkins.”

Mia tilts her head to the side, getting a better look, “They are unique and even a little ghoulish. And, look! I believe that one there is the biggest pumpkin in the patch!”

“I do believe it is!” Moonbeam smiles.

“Uh-oh!” Pip frowns. “How will we get it to the center of the garden? That’s where the Harvest Festival will be next month?”

“Hmmm. We are going to need help,” Mia says looking around.

“I see Henry, the groundhog! He’s working on the irrigation system for the garden. Maybe he will help,” Rosemary suggests.

Pip calls out, “Henry, can you help us?”

Henry waddles over to them, “Sure, Pip. What do you need?”

“We found the biggest pumpkin in the patch for the Harvest Festival. Can you help us move it to the center of the garden?” Pip asks.

Henry nods, “If we turn it on its side, we can roll it to there.”

“I will take the middle and push with Henry, Juniper, and Moonbeam,” Rosemary says.

“Pip and Mia, can you clear the path as we roll the pumpkin? Move all the twigs and pebbles out of the way?” Henry asks.

“Sure,” Pip and Mia begin clearing the path to the center of the garden.

“Push,” Henry instructs the others, and the pumpkin begins to roll.

“Perfect!” Henry calls out as they position the pumpkin in the garden's center.

“This is the biggest pumpkin I have ever seen,” Juniper exclaims.

Pip smiles, “Thank you, everyone! It will make the perfect jack-o-lantern. I can’t wait for the Harvest Festival next month.”