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speech and language teaching concepts for Stumpkin in speech therapy
Frequent Speech Sounds:

/l/ initial and medial
/st/ initial
/p/ initial
/j/ initial “jack o’lantern”

Themes:

acceptance
Halloween

Book Details:
Diverse Characters: N/A
Age Recommendation: Early Childhood, Elementary, Late Elementary

Stumpkin

By Lucy Ruth Cummins

Stumpkin is the most handsome pumpkin on the block. He’s perfectly orange and round. He’s the perfect choice for a Halloween jack-o-lantern. There’s just one problem—Stumpkin has a stump, not a stem. And no one seems to want a stemless jack-o-lantern for their window. As Halloween night approaches, more and more of his fellow pumpkins leave, but poor Stumpkin remains. Read this story to find out if Stumpkin is finally chosen.

Stumpkin is such a sweet Halloween book that can be used to address social/emotional issues like acceptance. It is also great for noticing character expressions and for targeting comparing and contrasting as well as for describing! Discover more of the speech and language teaching concepts for using Stumpkin in speech therapy below:

Key Teaching Concepts

Narrative Structure:

complete episode

Narrative Concepts:

vocabulary
theme/message
character analysis
illustration study
inferencing
social/emotional
predicting
adjectives
verbs (mental state)
text features

Sequencing:

sequence of events leading up to Stumpkin being turned into a jack o’lantern

Vocabulary:

ruined, stump, plenty, thrilled, shopkeeper, worried

Character Analysis:

Stumpkin wants to be someone’s jack o’lantern, but is worried that no one will choose him because he is missing his stump.

Social/Emotional:

facial expressions
concern/worry
feeling discouraged
acceptance
hope

Grammar:

adjectives
verbs (mental state)
prepositional phrases

Text Features:

ellipsis
italics
exclamation points

Inferencing:

Why do think the pumpkins are worried about their friend?
Why do you think they are excited about being a jack o’lantern?
Why do you think Stumpkin feels like he will not be wanted? What’s wrong with not having a stem?
Why did the baby change his mind?
Why do you think Stumpkin questions the gourd being chosen over him?

Predicting:

Where do think the girl is taking the pumpkin?
How do you think the pumpkins feel after seeing their friend in the window?
What do you think on of the pumpkins realizes is wrong?
Do you think someone will choose Stumpkin?
Where do you think the shopkeeper is taking Stumpkin?
What’s that triangle?
Where do you think Stumpkin is?

If you are interested in using Stumpkin in speech therapy, then check out the book companion with the full lesson plans and activities.

If you are interested in seeing other Halloween books to use in therapy, then check out the Seasonal Teaching Points Book List for a printable copy.