Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own.


One of the most exciting things about the Holidays are learning the history behind them. I love learning about why we celebrate different Holidays, where they began and how they were celebrated before and comparing them to what we do today. To be honest, I had absolutely no idea how today began. I didn’t know the history of Halloween. I had heard a few things here and there, but never really a full story.

Growing up we celebrated Halloween when I was a child. When my mom became a Christian, it was a touchy subject for awhile and our family didn’t celebrate it after that. My husband and I have taken a different approach to it and believe it can be really fun for our family. We love the opportunity to dress our children up, go out with friends and family, meet new neighbors, and leave some treats for the kids in the neighborhood. We leave the scary out of it, but keep the fun!

We believe there are teachable moments in life that we will face with our children, and Halloween is one of them. We know at some point one of our kids will ask us what Halloween is all about, and we will need to tell them. It’s Not About You, Mr. Pumpkin written by Soraya Diase Coffelt is a great book to help explain to your child what Halloween is all about.

It’s Not About You, Mr. Pumpkin was written as a letter from a child. The child is telling the pumpkin what they have learned about the true meaning of Halloween. The book explains the history of where Halloween began and why certain traditions accompany Halloween. These books are recommended for ages 4-10 and I would definitely say to stick with that age range for this story. There are some elements to Halloween that can be scary, and I don’t think that would be something you would want to introduce into the minds of toddlers.

The book has the ability to draw in the curious mind of a child as it is written from the perspective of a child. The child will relate to the book as if they were sitting with a friend sharing the same stories. Children are curious and they love to ask questions, and this is a great kid friendly way to answer some of the questions your child may have about the Holiday.

The beginnings of Halloween aren’t that great in the mind of a Christian, but that doesn’t have to be how we celebrate it. Some choose not to celebrate Halloween, while others find ways to celebrate it differently. This book is open ended allowing you to choose what you want for your family, while still giving the Holiday a twist to view differently. I think it was the perfect ending to relate to any family and still give the true meaning behind the holiday.

Soraya has a series of books called “The Love Letters” which are all about the true meaning behind some big Holidays. Be on the lookout for reviews from the rest of her books the next two months. You can read more about Soraya’s heart here. And if you are looking for a great way to share the true meaning of Halloween with your kids, this is a great place to look!