Percy was a perfectly plump pumpkin, the pride of Farmer Giles’ patch. He wasn’t the biggest, or the roundest, but he had the brightest orange glow. Every day, Percy loved watching the children visit the pumpkin patch, choosing their perfect pumpkins for Halloween. He dreamed of being chosen too, of lighting up a porch with his cheerful face.
But one afternoon, a big gust of wind swept through the patch! It wasn’t a mean wind, just a playful one, but it tumbled Percy right off his vine! He didn’t roll far, but when he stopped, *crack!* A large piece of his side broke off. Percy felt a wobble in his stem and a little bit of his glow dimmed. He was no longer perfect.
He hid behind a large sunflower, worried no one would want a broken pumpkin. He overheard two little girls, Lily and Rose, talking. “Oh, look at that one!” said Lily, pointing to a very large pumpkin. “It’s the biggest!” Rose agreed, but then she spotted Percy hiding. “Oh no, poor pumpkin! He’s broken.”
Lily and Rose carefully lifted Percy. “He’s still a good pumpkin,” said Rose. “He just needs a little help.” They ran to Farmer Giles, who smiled kindly. “Well now, Percy *is* a bit chipped, but that doesn’t mean he can’t shine. We can fix him!”
Farmer Giles didn’t have another piece of pumpkin to replace the broken part. Instead, he brought out a basket filled with colorful leaves, shiny pebbles, and bits of smooth, weathered wood. “We’ll make a patchwork pumpkin!” he declared. Lily and Rose helped, carefully gluing the leaves and pebbles onto the broken part of Percy.
It wasn’t a perfect repair. The patchwork was bumpy and colorful, not smooth and orange. But it was beautiful! Percy felt his glow return, brighter than ever. He wasn’t perfect anymore, but he was special. He was *unique*.
That evening, a family came to the patch. A little boy named Leo saw Percy and his patchwork side. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “He’s the coolest pumpkin ever! I want *him*!” Leo’s family carefully carried Percy home and placed him on their porch.
Percy lit up the porch with his cheerful glow, and the colorful patchwork sparkled in the moonlight. He learned that even when things fall apart, a little kindness, a little help, and a lot of teamwork can make everything better. Being different wasn’t a bad thing at all – it made him special. And as he sat there, shining brightly, Percy knew this was the best Halloween ever.
He listened to Leo and his family tell stories and laugh, and drifted off to sleep, a happy, patchwork pumpkin, dreaming of all the joy he would bring.