Pumpkin Pie First Helping

Recognized for excellence in the 2025 North Street Book Prize, placing in the Top 20% of over 1,700 global submissions.

Take a break from the ordinary and treat yourself to a fresh helping of Pumpkin Pie—a deliciously witty collection of single-panel comics by Taylor Johnson, served with a side of wordplay, clever puns, and pure joy.
Since 2019, Pumpkin Pie has delighted fans with its witty, good-natured humor, offering a daily escape from the chaos of the world. Rooted in clever language play and a love of the absurd, this comic series became a bright spot for readers during the pandemic, and it continues to serve up smiles today.

Now, for the first time, Pumpkin Pie: First Helping gathers over 400 of Taylor's most beloved cartoons into one delicious volume, carefully divided into eight pun-packed chapters:
Eat Your Words – A feast of food and drink puns
Furnished with Laughs – Technology, home life, and everyday hilarity
Humerus-ly Tailored – Fashion, anatomy, and personal care humor
Are We There Yet? – Travel and transportation laughs
The Punny Farm – Animals and nature take center stage
Signs of the Times – Literal interpretations and language fun
Festive Shenanigans – Holiday hijinks and seasonal silliness
Knight School – A medieval adventure in wordplay

With a lighthearted, family-friendly style, Pumpkin Pie is perfect for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted pun, a clever cartoon, or simply a good laugh. Whether you're a longtime fan of The Far Side and Calvin & Hobbes, someone who loves humor that doesn't take themselves too seriously, or just looking for a reason to smile, this book belongs on your shelf (or better yet, in your hands).

So go ahead—grab a slice of Pumpkin Pie, and let the laughter begin!

Taylor Johnson has been drawing since childhood. His passion for cartooning took root in the summers he spent at his grandparents' cottage in Vermilion, Ohio, on Lake Erie. There, amidst the sounds of lapping waves and the occasional errant golf ball, he first started doodling single-panel cartoons.
Fast forward a few decades (and a few thousand doodles), and Pumpkin Pie was born. The first-ever Pumpkin Pie cartoon—an insightful meditation on the deep philosophical implications of orange juice from concentrate—was sketched in October 2019 as part of a month-long prompted drawing challenge. The name Pumpkin Pie wasn't just a nod to the October challenge, but also to Taylor's Halloween birthday, which means he has spent his entire life being gifted candy and remains deeply, spiritually connected to that black-and-orange season.
Taylor holds a fine arts degree from James Madison University, and his career has included graphic design, web development, and now Agile coaching, where he applies humor and a people-first approach to helping teams function at their best (whether they asked for a cartoon with their Agile guidance or not). Taylor's artistic influences include B.C., Calvin & Hobbes, and Doonesbury (his bamboo-drawing style is a direct tribute). When he's not drawing Pumpkin Pie in pen and ink, occasionally adding color with markers, Taylor dabbles in acrylics. Watercolors are also acceptable. Oils? Too messy. He has been told that his drawing style suggests he should have been a sculptor, but alas, clay is even messier than oil paint.
He lives with his amazing wife Libby and their emotionally needy, Halloween-ready black cat, Porter. He has a large, entertaining family, including two children, David and Molly. Onyx, his nibling, gave him the final push he needed to publish this book, proving that sometimes, family peer pressure is a beautiful thing.