Pumpkin Soup: questions to ask and activities to try
Cat, Squirrel and Duck make the best pumpkin soup, until Duck wants a turn at stirring. Pumpkin Soup is a cosy classic about sharing, falling out and finding your way back to friends.
What age is it for? Pumpkin Soup is best for ages 3–7. Good for: Sharing jobs, falling out and making up with friends.
Pumpkin Soup (Helen Cooper)
- Age
- 3-7
- Best for
- Sharing jobs, falling out and making up with friends
Read it on an autumn evening, ideally with some real soup nearby. Pause at the squabble and ask how each friend feels. The best part to talk about is the end: what changed so they could all be happy again?
Why I like this one
Pumpkin Soup is honest about friendship in a way I really like. The friends have a routine, one of them wants a turn at something new, and it all falls apart. Nobody is the villain.
It's a good one for a child who has fallen out with a friend over whose turn it is. I'd ask, “What could they have done when Duck wanted to stir?” before reading the ending. Children often find a fairer idea than the characters did.
Apoorva, Growing Wise
What it helps with
- Taking turns with a job everyone wants
- Falling out with friends, and making up
- Missing someone after an argument
- Seeing a problem from each friend's side
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “What job did each friend do?”
- “Why did Duck want to stir the soup?”
- “How did Cat and Squirrel feel when Duck left?”
- “How did Duck feel?”
- “How did they make up at the end?”
- “What could you do if a friend wanted your turn?”
5-minute activities to try together
Turns in the kitchen
Make something simple together and give everyone a turn at each job, even the fun ones. Talk about how it felt to wait for your turn.
Making up
Talk about a time you fell out with someone. What did you each say or do to make up? Practise a sorry and a “let's try again” together.
Free printables: Pumpkin Soup worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
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If your child liked this, try
Room on the Broom (Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler)
- Best for
- Making room for others, and friends who stick together
- Age
- 3-6
Fair Shares (Pippa Goodhart and Anna Doherty)
- Best for
- What's fair, and why fair isn't always the same
- Age
- 3-6
The Highway Rat (Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler)
- Best for
- Taking what isn't yours, greed and learning to share
- Age
- 3-6
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.