SOLVED. YA Gothic Dark, Horror. 2 children go live with old relative. Near house grows pumpkin like crop which will be ready in October. Sketches of growing pumpkins, like Flip Book. Cover: orange. Title: The ___ Patch? Read 2014-2016. Spoilers. [s]

[Eva]

Hello, I am hoping someone here can help me since what I am asking is rather strange. A few years ago there was a book I bought at a small book sale. (I think it was an elementary school selling extra things they had in their library.) I found this beautiful hardcover book with what I think was an orange cover and a brown spine. I do not remember the exact title, but think it might have been "The ______ Patch". The middle word might have started with an "S", it was a made up crop relevant to the book. I do not know when it was written, but it had the air of being an older book.

This book was gothic fiction with very dark and scary elements. The plot, I believe, had two children who had went to live with an old relative they didn't know. At the house there was the a crop that looked an awful lot like pumpkins. I think it is assumed by the children that they are pumpkins. (view spoiler)[It turns out they are not pumpkins, but instead some made up work I do not remember the name of (if I knew the name that would make the search much easier). (hide spoiler)]The crop matured as time want on and the children adjusted to their new lives and around October the crop was ready. (view spoiler)[The plant ended up turning into people or rather small people like monsters, that later possibly attacked the children. (hide spoiler)] I do not remember the ending of the book very clearly.

The most memorable thing about the book was the illustrations. There were sketches of a growing pumpkin, that was actually the crop,(view spoiler)[ and later turned into a person. (hide spoiler)] It was a bit like a flip book in a way, and the drawings were just line art, without colors. Of course it started out as a vine and slowly grew leaves and such, but it went along with the story. As the story progressed, as did the drawings. (view spoiler)[You didn't see the pumpkin people until you knew it was a monster in the story. (hide spoiler)] It was brilliant in my mind, almost revolutionary, and the writing was good, at least it was 5 years ago which is when I must have read it, and I would love to find it again.

After scouring the web for a few days with no results I would be convinced I made it up, but the memories I have of it are so strong. So I turn to you. I need to know someone else has read this before. If anyone remembers the title or has any inkling of where this story came from, it would be greatly appreciated if you could drop the title below. Thank you

[Kris]

Books, around what year did you read this book? A range of years is fine.

Would you call this a horror story? Does the crop mature on Halloween?

Do the black-and-white drawings appear in the upper corner of the pages, like a flip book?

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[Eva]

It should be counted somewhere in the range of light to medium horror. I read it about 5 years ago so, 2014-2016 range. The drawings were either in the bottom right hand corner, on only the right page, or in the bottom corners farthest from the spine on both pages.

[Kris]

What's the cover image? Was the word "harvest" used a lot?

[Becca]

The Squampkin Patch: A Nasselrogt Adventure by J.T. Petty?

[Jon]

Looks like the book - right down to the flip action.

[Eva]

Becca wrote: "The Squampkin Patch: A Nasselrogt Adventure by J.T. Petty?"
Yes, that is exactly it! I don't know how or why this book re-entered my mind, but ever since it did, this question has been gnawing in the back of my mind and keeping me up at night. It is such a relief to finally put this question to rest. Thank you so much.