Welcome to another edition of Shelf Awareness Extra!, which are special issues that focus on a particular subject and appear once a month. This edition focuses on Halloween, many people's favorite holiday--for booksellers and publishers, too. For a lot more about spooky titles, keep reading!
Shelf Awareness here offers a list of selected Halloween titles. Pub dates are noted for titles that appeared earlier this year or in the near future.
AdventureKEEN
Beyond Delicious Cookbook: Recipes & Stories from the Original Ghost Whisperer by Mary Ann Winkowski and David Powers (Clerisy Press, $22, 9781578604296) features more than 100 recipes passed to the author (a spiritual medium) from beyond the grave.
Witches of New England: Stories About the Accused, the Trials, and the Fear That Swept the Region by Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler ($9.95, 9781647556518, 8/11/26) contains 27 true stories originating in the 17th century in New England.
America's Haunted Roadtrip series, whose new editions are Ghost Hunting Colorado ($18.95, 9781578604364, 9/15/26) and Ghost Hunting Oregon ($18.95, 9781578604531, 9/15/26).
Albatross Books
Let's Get Spooky by Štěpánka Sekaninová, illus. by Lukáš Figel ($16.95, 9788000074498) is a Halloween seek-and-find book that takes young readers on a journey through six haunted locations, including Dracula's castle, a misty haunted forest, and creepy graveyards.
Superstitions: Mirrors, Ladders, Black Cats, Rabbits' Feet, and More by Štěpánka Sekaninová, illus. by Lukáš Figel ($19.95, 9788000078403, 8/4/26) delves into superstitions that have shaped cultures for centuries. Includes quirky facts, global traditions, and a dash of mystery.
Peekaboo, Spooky Crew! by Mariessa Shein ($9.99, 9788000078908, 8/11/26) is a playful lift-the-flap board book with characters that include a vampire bat with a sweet tooth and a wise owl with a ghost toy.
Deluxe Sticker Book: The Spooky Halloween Book by Jana Sedláčková, illus. by Anuki López ($8.99, 9788000076164) has more than 440 stickers that will keep little ghosts and goblins entertained for hours.
Ghosts and Ghouls by Ondrej Navartil, illus. by Martin Sojdr ($12.95, 9788000076218) is board book that takes young readers on a guided tour through a haunted forest, an eerie castle, and even... their very own bedroom.
Andrews McMeel and Quirk
Fangs by Sarah Andersen ($16.99, 9781524860677) is an adult graphic novel/cozy supernatural romance featuring a 300-year-old vampire who finally finds love when she meets a werewolf.
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires: A Novel by Grady Hendrix ($18.99, 9781683692515) is a horror novel about a women's book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small Southern town.
The Unmothers: A Novel by Leslie J. Anderson ($18.99, 9781683694298) is a raw and lyrical folk horror novel about a journalist sent to a small town who begins to unravel a dark secret that the women of the town have been keeping for generations.
Crafting for Sinners: A Novel by Jenny Kiefer ($18.99, 9781683694700) features a queer woman who must fight her way out of a craft store run by a megachurch.
Cat's First Halloween by Natalie Nelson ($9.99, 9781683694502) is a board book in which Cat and Baby celebrate a new holiday season, Halloween.
Ashland Creek Press
The Lithia trilogy, including Out of Breath ($21.50, 9780979647574), The Ghost Runner ($21.50, 9781618220172), and The Last Mile ($21.50, 9781618220264), a paranormal, environmental trilogy celebrating its 15th anniversary, about vegan vampires, competitive running, Shakespeare, and how to protect the planet we call home.
Astra Books for Young Readers
The Very Unusual Pumpkin by Marilyn Singer, Illus. by Maya Shleifer ($18.99, 9781662641015, 9/15/26) is a picture book in which Lulu teaches Grandma how to be a better storyteller.
A Not-So-Scary Story by Barney Saltzberg ($18.99, 9781662640858, 9/1/26) stars two mice from A Delicious Story who explore the thrills and chills of a scary story.
The new middle grade Shiver Point series that starts with A Tap at the Window (9781662621437) and It Came from the Woods (9781662621413) both by Gabriel Dylan, $9.99, 9/29/26. Each book in the series begins with a chilling new mystery.
The Forest of Lost Souls by Jérôme Pélissier, illus. by Carine Hinder ($12.99, 9781662641268, 5/5/26) is volume 2 in the Brume graphic novel series about an aspiring witch, Brume, who in this book embarks on a quest to discover the epic mystery behind the origin of her spell book. For ages 7-11.
Blackstone Publishing
Sometimes I Scare Myself by Jeneva Rose ($29.99, 9798212182881, 9/22/26) consists of three horror stories, set at a dinner party, a quiet house, and a roadside stop, each of which begins innocently, then turns deadly.
Marla by Jonathan Janz ($29.99, 9798228741591, 8/18/26). When a string of gruesome deaths rocks King's Branch, Indiana, suspicion falls on Marla Gorman, a mysterious recluse watching the town from her decaying Gothic home (nearly a character in itself). Featuring a compelling detective investigation and richly drawn characters grappling with grief, trauma, and obsession, Marla is a supernatural mystery with shocking twists, creeping dread, and a haunting story.
The Night Pool by Lauren Lee Smith ($29.99, 9798228350274, 8/25/26) is a gruesome yet esoteric addition to the literary canon of feminist horror in the age of injustice, set in the Gold Rush town of Coloma, California. A group of women form a covenant, dedicated to bringing the evil haunting their town to an end.
The Cult of Dr. Black by E.B. Hudspeth ($32.99, 9798228364455, 9/8/26) features a scientist scorned, who takes shape through journal entries of Dr. Black's son, Alphonse; stunning and elaborate illustrations of the cryptids Black believe once walked among humans; newspaper clippings and advertisements of the time; and the texts of the cult incited by the doctor's incendiary beliefs.
Something of a Calling by Zoje Stage ($26.99, 9798228496903, 9/15/26) is an eco-horror thriller-mashup, a supernatural detective tale in which the animals take center stage. A week before her retirement, Andy Cooper, a lonely, grieving small-down detective, discovers a dead body adorned with bizarre bite marks. Then, more bodies begin turning up. As Andy embarks on what she imagines is one final homicide investigation, she instead uncovers an ecological reckoning so vast it threatens to turn her life--and the fate of humanity--upside down.
Bloomsbury Children's
I Got the Spooky Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illus. by Frank Morrison ($18.99, 9781547606993) celebrates Halloween and is part of the I Got series.
Zombie and Brain Are Friends by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic, illus. by Laan Cham ($18.99, 9781547613625), for ages 5-7, is a story about a young zombie who must decide: are brains friends... or food?
Greta Grimsdark and the Normal New Neighbor by Haley Neil, illus. by Anna Daviscourt ($17.99, 9781547617357, 9/1/26) features Greta Grimsdark, who lives in a haunted castle at the edge of a dreary forest with dragons for parents, three brothers (a zombie, a vampire, and a ghost, respectively). Greta is the most terrifying of them all... a human child!
Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist by Justine Pucella Winans ($20.99, 9781547618811, 9/1/26), for ages 12 and up, is a horror-comedy about an evil spirit looking for a second chance at love and life.
Tell the Ghosts I'm Gone by Kalynn Bayron ($20.99, 9781547615896, 9/1/26), for ages 12 and up, is a horror novel about a group of teens with unique--and potentially deadly--gifts.
Candlewick/Holiday House/Peachtree
The Princess in Black and the Trick-or-Treating Trouble by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illus. by LeUyen Pham (Candlewick, $16.99, 9781536234107, 7/7/26), for ages 5-8, is the 12th book in the Princess in Black series. This one offers a case of hilarious costume confusion leading some neighborhood trick-or-treaters to discover their inner heroes thanks to the power of a good disguise.
Where's Waldo? Spooky Spot the Difference by Martin Handford (Candlewick, $18.99, 9781536251975, 7/7/26), for ages 5-9, invites readers to join Waldo on a pumpkin hunt for Halloween, with hundreds of spot-the-differences to find among zombies, ghosts, vampires, monsters, and more.
Monsters Play... Trick or Treat! by Flavia Z. Drago (Candlewick, $8.99, 9781536252255, 7/14/26), for ages 0-3, is a lift-the-flap book from the creator of Gustavo, the Shy Ghost.
Pumpkin and Beetle: Super Secret Garden by Jannie Ho (Holiday House, $12.99, 9780823459636, 9/8/26) is a graphic novel that features two vampire cat best friends plus a mysterious treasure.
C&T Publishing
Quilt Panel Magic: 15 Projects with a Creative Twist by Cyndi McChesney ($29.95, 9781644036402, 6/30/26) takes panel quilts to the next level.
Sew a Modern Halloween: Make 15 Spooky Projects for Your Home by Riel Nason ($17.95, 9781617454820) features decorations for the home for Halloween.
Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins ($7.99, 9781464756542) offers tip on carving pumpkins.
DIY for Witches: Make 22 Objects for Daily Magical Practice by Flora Denis and Marine Nina Denis ($21.95, 9781644032794) provides guidance on how to make magical objects for ritual, divination, at home, and on the go.
Cato Institute
The Grim Old Days: An Introduction to the Preindustrial Past by Chelsea Follett ($25.95, 9781969284120, 10/20/26) aims to dispel dewy-eyed fantasies of preindustrial life that are now strangely popular, spurred by anxieties about our own digital era, all under a spooky, Halloween-like cover.
Choose Your Own Adventure (Chooseco)
Fairy House Halloween by James Preller, illus. by Norm Grock. ($8.99, 9781937133221, 7/7/26). In this title, bored on the day before Halloween, you build a fairy house--which summons Beezle, an apprentice fairy tasked with saving Halloween. His magic sometimes gets mixed up, but maybe he can be helped.
Cryptid Chronicles: Chupacabra by Cristin Bishara, illustrated by Sofia Cavallari ($9.99, 9781937133207, 7/21/26). You're in Puerto Rico, visiting a cousin, just as an unexpected hurricane hits and creates havoc--and it turns out the legendary chupacabra is terrifyingly real.
The Mystery of Chimney Rock by Edward Packard, illus. by Paul Granger ($8.99, 9781937133054). Your are on vacation in Connecticut and notice a huge, empty stone house at the top of a hill. Cousins call it "Chimney Rock," and say no one who goes inside is ever seen again, but you're curious, and so you venture inside its crumbling walls. Will you break the curse on Chimney Rock and come back out again a hero?
Dungeon Crawl at the Haunted Mall by Jendia Gammon, illus. by Elena Dall'Aglio ($9.99, 9781937133108, 4/21/26). In the late '80s, a toxic spill rendered your local mall too hazardous to occupy--or at least, that's what your parents told you. In reality, the spill was the work of Vaaldrant, a warlock from another dimension who's been transforming mall employees into horrifying supernatural creatures ever since. You and your friends decide to film a video for your vlog channel, but when you meet up at the entrance, you find that your friend Drea is missing. Will you delve into the depths of the mall to rescue Drea from Vaaldrant? Or will his team of mutant mall workers get you first?
The Haunted House by R.A. Montgomery, illus. by Keith Newton ($8.99, 9781933390512). Your dog--and best friend--Homer has run into a spooky haunted house. You call Homer's name, but he doesn't come back! Following him begins a mysterious journey filled with dark tunnels, a hidden movie theater, and magical animals--even a crying crocodile! Do you trust the unicorn to fly you over the moon?
Chronicle Books
The Secrets of the Séance Society: Illustrated True Stories of Talking to the Dead by Lisa Perrin ($27.95, 9781797235622, 9/26) is a spooky compendium of famous (and infamous) spiritual mediums from around the world and over the centuries who have claimed to communicate with the dead, with an emphasis on the Spiritualism craze of the late 19th and early 20th century.
The Goth Atlas: A Guide to the World's 500 Most Spooky and Macabre Places by Malorie Mackey ($30, 9781797239941, 9/26) includes sites like Caerphilly Castle in Wales and Himeji Castle in Japan, both famously populated by spirits; Philadelphia's fortress-like Eastern State Penitentiary; the Museum of Anthropology's Room of 10,000 Ancient Skulls in Lima, Peru; Mexico City's Island of the Dolls; as well as alternative music festivals, clubs, shopping districts, witch markets, and more.
Emily the Strange, 25th Anniversary Edition by Rob Reger ($15.95, 9781797245003, 9/26) features a new afterword, 16 pages of new content, and all the secret messages and signature snark of the original book that started it all. Chronicle is also publishing an Emily the Strange Sticker Book and Postcard Collection.
Pocket Book of Witches: Myth, Magic, and Meaning by Rob Reger ($16.95, 9781797241722, 9/26) is a compact guide to the world of witchcraft, with historical artwork, folklore, and traditions.
Construction Site Gets a Fright!: A Halloween Lift-the-Flap Book by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by AG Ford ($12.99, 9781797204321, 8/22) features trucks at a construction site on Halloween.
Common Notions Press
Stepford Daughters: Weapons for Feminists in Contemporary Horror by Johanna Isaacson ($20, 9781942173694) explores an emerging wave of horror films that show why class horror and gender horror must be understood together.
Del Rey
World War Z: Deluxe Edition by Max Brooks ($35, 9798217299355, 7/21/26) is a deluxe slipcase edition that features more than 350 annotations and a new introduction, personal anecdotes about the author's family and the impact on his writing, the real-world events that inspired the book's famous scenes, and the painstaking research that brought the undead to life.
Doubleday
Spoiled Milk: A Novel by Avery Curran ($28, 9780385551595, 3/10/26). The untimely death of a student at a girls' boarding school marks the first in a haunting series of escalating supernatural events, and uncovers buried truths of teenage repression, queer desire, and the everyday horror of coming of age.
The Mesmerist: A Novel by Caroline Woods (Vintage, $18, 9780593685860). Before hypnotism, there was Mesmerism. In 1894 Minneapolis, spiritualism of every stripe is all the rage, and women are dying under mysterious circumstances. When a new guest arrives at the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers, refusing to speak, the stories of unexplained deaths seem unconnected--until Faith's suspicious reticence sets the house abuzz with whispers of dark magic.
Bad Cree: A Novel by Jessica Johns (Vintage, $18, 9780593467947). In this gripping, horror-laced debut, a young Cree woman's dreams lead her on a perilous journey of self-discovery that ultimately forces her to confront the toll of a legacy of violence on her family, her community, and the land they call home.
Nightbitch: A Novel by Rachel Yoder (Vintage, $17, 9780593312148). In this debut novel, an artist turned stay-at-home mom becomes convinced she's turning into a dog. Now a major motion picture starring Amy Adams.
The Garden: A Novel by Clare Beams (Vintage, $18, 9780593466544). In 1948, Irene Willard, who's had five miscarriages trying to give her beloved husband the child he desperately desires, is now pregnant again. She comes to an isolated house-cum-hospital in the Berkshires, run by a husband-and-wife team of doctors who are pioneering a cure for her condition. Warily, she enlists herself in the efforts of the Doctors Hall to "rectify the maternal environment," both physical and psychological. In the meantime, she also discovers a long-forgotten walled garden on the spacious grounds, a place imbued with its own powers and pulls.
The Experiment
My Big Wimmelbook--Happy Halloween! ($14.95, 9798893031447, 7/7/26) is the latest book translated into English from the My Big Wimmelbook series that originated in Germany and is geared for readers ages 2-5.
The Feminist Press at CUNY
It Came From the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror edited by Joe Vallese ($25.95, 9781952177798) features queer and trans writers who consider the films that deepened, amplified, and illuminated their own experiences.
Absolute Pleasure: Queer Perspectives on Rocky Horror edited by Margot Atwell ($25.95, 9781558613508) features queer writers reflecting on the complicated legacy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Floris Books
Mr Crump, the Heartless Grump by Pog, illus. by Stéphanie Léon ($18.99, 9781782509523, 8/18/26) features a curmudgeon who secretly loves teddy bears, a fact accidentally discovered by some trick-or-treaters.
The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs by Mamiko Shiotani, trans. by Polly Lawson ($18.99, 9781782509264) centers on a little ghost who happily lives alone in the attic of a big house--until a curious girl disturbs his peace and quiet.
The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole by Cecilia Heikkilä, trans. by Polly Lawson ($19.99, 9781782509530) is a picture book about how the reading of a spooky story together is part of a series of events that lead Fox and Mole to become angry and upset with each other.
Gibbs Smith
Dracula: A BabyLit Counting Primer by Jennifer Adams, illus. by Alison Oliver ($11.99, 9781423624806) is a board book featuring two friends and five heroes who try to save them from Count Dracula.
B Is for Boo: A Halloween Alphabet by Greg Paprocki ($12.99, 9781423647805) is a primer focused on Halloween.
Halloween Pumpkin Jiggie Puzzle 55 Piece ($13, 9781423667704).
Halloween by Hanna Karlzon ($17.99, 9781423669708, 7/7/26) is a hardcover adult coloring book featuring high-quality paper, from the Swedish coloring book author.
A Coven of Witches: Spellbinding Tales of Magic and Myth by Alexis Powell, illus. by Matt Rockefeller ($24.99, 9781423669784, 7/14/26) is a collection of 20 original spooky tales for readers ages 8 to 12.
Great Plains Press
Ghosts of Gastown by Jessica Renwick ($16.95, 9781773371269) features 12-year-old Hope Graves, who can see the dead. In her new home in the Gastown area of Vancouver, there are ghosts and she learns soon that something is hunting the souls of Gastown, and it's closing in on its next victim.
Harper Perennial
Witch Trial: A Novel by Harriet Tyce ($19.99, 9780063492936, 9/29/26) is a courtroom thriller that blends legal drama with occult menace. When teenager Christian Shaw is found murdered in an Edinburgh park, her two friends are charged with the killing--and a reluctant juror, respected heart surgeon Matthew Phillips, is drawn into a case where the defense's argument turns out to be as unsettling as it is unexpected, and Matthew begins seeing things that shouldn't be real.
Night of the Mallrats: A Novel by Nicolina Torres ($19.99, 9780063472976, 10/6/26) features five friends who travel back to the 1990s to solve the brutal murder and disappearance of two of their high school peers, making for a murderous, nightmarish romp that is nostalgic, terrifying, and impossible to put down. (By the way, Torres was a bookseller for 15 years.)
Igloo
Disney Halloween Countdown Library ($24.99, 9781837952465) is a coffin-shaped title containing 13 books featuring Disney characters and glow-in-the-dark stickers.
Nature Stories: Little Pumpkin ($9.99, 9781803684406) follows the lifecycle of a pumpkin from seed to fruit and is part of the Little Nature Stories series.
Dino's First Halloween ($14.99, 9781839036996) features Spike the Dinosaur as he experiences his first Halloween and includes 11 sound buttons.
Trick or Treat Slider ($9.99, 9781837715381) celebrates the holiday with ghosts, werewolves and more.
Sticker Therapy: Cozy Creepy Creations ($12.99, 9781805854791) includes six creepy scenes to color and decorate with more than 150 stickers.
Ingram Spark
A Necromancer's Guide to Grave Mistakes by Melissa Wright (Melissa Wright, $16.99, 9781950958634, 4/7/26) features a young woman who's a necromancer and a prince who fears betrayal by some of his retinue.
The Lone Wolf Paradox by M.J. Etkind (Izzi House Books, $19, 9798990719156, 3/17/26) centers on two single werewolfs living on the same property who struggle with their feelings for each other.
In the Midnight Hour by Darcy Burke (Oliver-Heber Books, $19.99, 9798900431024, 9/8/26) is a Regency crime novel featuring a viscount and widow who reluctantly join forces to investigate a London murder.
Ctrl+Alt+Orc by M.A. Wardell (M.A. Wardell, $14.99, 9781964146201, 7/21/26) is the second book in the Love at Labyrinth Solutions series featuring a grumpy human/sunshine orc, lots of workplace humor, and plenty of spice.
I Accidentally Locked Down a Witch by Jessica Cage (Caged Fantasies Publications, $25.99, 9781958295809, 5/26/26) is a magical romcom for anyone who believes strength comes in all sizes. And that love might just be the strongest magic of all.
Inner Traditions
The Emerald Path Grimoire: A Bruja's Guide for Working with Plant Spirit Wisdom by Vrylak Faemana (Destiny Books, $19.99, 9798888503522, 10/6/26). Real-life Bruja Vrylak Faemana draws on animist principles and Latin American folk traditions to present a structured and practical approach to plant magic. Her grimoire outlines 10 foundational laws that will guide readers in ethical harvesting and help build protocols for honoring plant spirits and expressing clear intentions.
Grimoire of Magical Inks: Recipes for Hexes, Hoodoo, and High Magic by Noémie Myara (Destiny Books, $16.99, 9798888505236, 9/15/26) explores ink--a potent energy conductor that can capture, store, charge, transport, and amplify energy--as a valuable ally for witches and other magical practitioners. Myara includes recipes for creating magical inks in five important colors--black, red, brown, purple, and blue.
The Poison Path Oracle Deck: A 36-Card Deck and Guidebook by Coby Michael (Destiny Books, $19.99, 9798888504437, 9/1/26) enables readers to access the power and wisdom of 23 poisonous plants, including nightshade, henbane, datura, foxglove, mistletoe, and hemlock. Each card contains plant lore, a description of the plant's poisonous and medicinal qualities, and a plant spirit glyph that can be employed in meditation and spellwork. 13 of the cards represent famous women--the venefica--from history and mythology who have wielded poison in empowering ways, including Circe, Hekate, and Lucrezia Borgia.
Kensington
Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan (Kensington Cozies, $17.95, 9781496746146) is the first in the Halloween Bookshop Mystery series. In it, Bailey Biggs takes over her grandfather's bookshop, Lazy Bones Books, and accidentally discovers her Oregon Halloween-themed town's secret dark side.
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice by Kate Angell, Jennifer Dawson, and Sharla Lovelace (Kensington, $15.95, 9781496722157) is the second in the Moonbright, Maine Mystery series, a heartwarming tale set in a picturesque Maine town, where Bellaluna's Bakeshop uses traditional recipes and, legend has it, offers some spellbinding, heart-melting treats.
Portrait of a Witch Undone by KS Shay (Erewhon Books, $28, 9781645662273, 8/25/26), in which a contemporary New England coven hides the mysteries that lurk in the marshes north of Boston and how they are connected to the largest unsolved art heist in modern history--the 1990 theft of 13 priceless works of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
The Man of Wind and Moss by Alex Gonzalez (Erewhon Books, $18.95, 9781645661603, 9/29/26) is a gruesome, mythology-inspired storm of witchcraft, demon curses, and millennial-age angst all wrapped in a folk horror tale about six college friends who go on a weekend getaway in the woods--and the supernatural deals they make to survive.
The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear by Nat Segaloff (Citadel Press, $18.95, 9780806541954) marks the 50th anniversary of The Exorcist, the first horror film to win an Academy Award. The author was a publicist on the film, and the book celebrates the horror classic's cultural and religious significance and dives into the subsequent spin-offs.
Mountaineers Books
For the Love of Bats: Exploring Nature at Night with the West's Flying Mammals by Niki Desautels ($24.95, 9781680517361, 10/1/26) celebrates the diversity of bats, revealing their unusual behaviors, habitats, and physiology while making a compelling case for stewardship and conservation. Desautels shares a vivid, place-based exploration of the West's only flying mammals, blending natural history with in-the-field experiences.
NorthSouth
The Night by Mariachiara Di Giorgio ($21.95, 9780735846289, 9/15/26) is a wordless picture book that follows two children in a romp in the dark of night that at first scares them. A modern-day fairy tale.
Norton Young Readers
Pumpkin Smash! by Michelle Schaub, illus. by Rilla Alexander ($18.99, 9781324083085, 8/25/26), for ages 4-8, is a bright, exuberant read-aloud title about Halloween and preparing rotting pumpkins for compost.
Link + Hud: Creatures from the Cul-de-Sac by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey ($16.99, 9781324082026, 9/1/26) is a hybrid prose and graphic novel for middle grade readers about mischievous brothers Lind and Hud as they go trick or treating for the first time with their parents.
Nosy Crow
Halloween Street: A Fold-Out, Lift the Flap ABC Book! by Jonathan Emmett, illus. by Ingela P. Arrhenius ($18.99, 9798887772677, 7/21/26), for ages 2-5, is an accordion-style A-Z book, with a rhyming text and flaps to lift. Unfold the accordion format to see all the ghoulish shops--from Amazing Broomsticks to Ogre's Potions--then open the flaps to read the alphabetical rhyming text. Includes a free "Stories Aloud" audiobook accessible via QR code.
Kevin the Vampire: A Most Mysterious Monster by Matt Brown, illus. by Flavia Sorrentino ($7.99, 9798887771502, 7/7/26) is an illustrated chapter book featuring 11-year-old Kevin, who is just like every other kid--except he's a vampire, lives in a traveling circus, and his best friend is a dragon.
How to Scare a Mouse and Bear by Ross Collins ($18.99, 9798887771731, 7/21/26) is a picture book featuring Mouse and Bear, who are back in a follow-up to Ross Collins' beloved There's a Bear on My Chair. It's Halloween night and Bear is determined to scare Mouse. Mouse, however, isn't fooled by Bear's attempts. But what if that's not Bear knocking on the door?
Five Little Ghosts, illus. by Alex Barrow ($9.99, 9798887772578, 7/21/26) is based on the nursery rhyme Five Little Ducks and has an interactive slider on every page and bright colors throughout.
Orca Book Publishers
My Great Great Grandmother by Joaquín Camp, trans. by Lawrence Schimel ($21.95, 9781459843912, 9/15/26), for ages 3-5, centers on a boy who digs for secret treasure in the garden and discovers his great-great-grandmother's skeleton. The two then have some fun until she returns to her resting place.
Werewolves Don't Keep Diaries by Suzanne Sutherland, illus. by Dharmali Patel ($9.95, 9781459842663, 3/17/26), for ages 6-8, is about a boy who feels like a misfit--until he grows hair on his feet and sprouts claws.
Owlkids Books
Mummy and Me by Danesh Mohiuddin ($18.95, 9781771475952), for ages 3-6, is a picture book about Mummy and Wee Wolf, a little monster who tries to be a good monster, sometimes successfully.
Hugo's Haunted Handbook by Dave Whamond ($18.95, 9781771475877). This graphic novel for young readers is a guide to getting rid of a ghost by a little boy who has failed to banish his own specter.
Revenge of the Raccoons by Vivek Shraya, illus. by Juliana Neufeld ($18.95, 9781771474382) features raccoons who take over a city, insisting they aren't pests and that the real invaders are humans.
The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole by Mark David Smith, illus. by Kari Rust ($16.95, 9781771474566) is the first entry in the Weird Sisters Detective Agency series.
Pajama Press
Broom for Two by Jennifer Maruno, illus. by Scot Ritchie ($18.95, 9781772783209) is for readers ages 3-7 and follows a little witch as she learns to ride a broom.
Pantheon
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski ($32, 9780375703768). This is a remastered, full-color edition of the cult classic.
A Land So Wide: A Novel by Erin A. Craig (Vintage, $20, 9780593686812, 8/4/26). In this blend of dark fairytale and romantic fantasy, the town of Mistaken has a secret--and it's up to one woman to uncover the truth, confront her past, and save the man she loves.
Black Hole by Charles Burns ($26, 9780375714726) is a graphic novel that tells the story of a strange plague devastating the lives of teenagers in mid-1970s suburban Seattle, revealing the horrifying nature of high school alienation--the savagery, the cruelty, the relentless anxiety, and the ennui.
Final Cut by Charles Burns ($34, 9780593701706) is a graphic novel that tells the haunting and visually arresting story of an artist's obsessions, and the value and cost of pushing the boundaries of creativity.
The Ghost Variations by Kevin Brockmeier ($28, 9781524748838). In 100 ghost stories that are scary, funny, philosophic, and touching, the author taps into our most primal emotions and confronts the timeless question: What comes after death? There are a multitude of answers here.
Penguin Publishing Group
Practical Magic: Deluxe Edition by Alice Hoffman ($22, 9798217192298, 7/21/26) is a deluxe edition of the bewitching novel that inspired the cult-classic film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, nicely timed for the upcoming Practical Magic 2 adaptation.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches: Deluxe Edition by Sangu Mandanna ($22, 9798217192281, 7/28/26) is a deluxe edition of the warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life.
In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace ($19, 9780593956373) is a Tik Tok sensation and book 1 of An Evenfall Witches B&B Mystery, in which a young witch investigates to help clear her aunt's name after a death in the aunt's B&B.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson ($18, 9780143129370) is the classic tale that is one of the six titles in the Penguin Horror series, curated by filmmaker and lifelong horror literature reader Guillermo del Toro.
Phaidon and Monacelli
Lots of Dots by Yayoi Kusama ($59.95, 9781837294039, 11/26) offers a first step into the art world, wrapped in the irresistible shape of Kusama's pumpkin--perfect for seasonal and Halloween displays, as well as year round.
Small Monster, Big Monster: A Seriously Silly Book of Opposites by Allan Sanders ($79.95, 9781837292110, 9/26) offers an entertaining monster world, where everyday situations turn into lessons in opposites.
Spooky Celebrations Around the World by Matt Ralphs, illus. by Veronika Kotyk ($19.95, 9781838669102) is a spooky, fun book of celebrations from across the globe.
Rufus: The Bat Who Loved Colors by Tomi Ungerer ($16.95, 9780714870496) is a classic tale about a bat who learns to embrace his differences through friendship.
The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death by Corinne May Botz (The Monacelli Press, $50, 9781580931458) offers readers an extraordinary glimpse into the mind of a master criminal investigator.
Phoenix International Publications' PI Kids
World of Eric Carle: Hoot & Howl Halloween Sound Book ($15.99, 9798384603573, 8/4/26) investigates who is howling and hooting on Halloween night. Seven buttons bring the story to life.
Bluey: Spooky Stuff Sound Book ($9.99, 9798384603498, 7/14/26) features sound buttons that help Bluey prepare young readers "for Heelerween."
Disney Baby: If You're Spooky and You Know It! Sound Book by Jerrod Maruyama and the Disney Storybook Art Team ($9.99, 9798384603665, 8/4/26) lets readers celebrate Halloween with Lilo and Stitch. The star-shaped button offers a fun version of "If You're Happy and You Know It."
Disney Junior Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends: Halloween Heroes Glow in the Dark Look and Find by Jason Fruchter ($12.99, 9798384600961) features Team Spidey who needs help searching for hidden things in seven scenes. Every page glows in the dark.
Podium Publishing
Eternal Glow by Heather Gay ($19.99, 9798347034291, 10/6/26) features a Mormon wife who undergoes a new beauty procedure, but the cost of perfection proves too high. Blending campy body horror with satire and a unexpected twist, this chilling thriller is by the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star.
The Nudge by Joseph Fink ($24.99, 9798347042159, 9/1/26) is a horror novella from the creator of Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn't Dead featuring original illustrations from Night Vale series artist Jessica Hayworth.
The Whispering by L.A. Detwiler ($17.99, 9798347029037, 11/3/26) is a tale in which the walls start to talk, leading the façade of Cadie's perfect life--including the man who swore to protect her--to begin to crumble.
Old Ham by Seraphina Nova Glass ($17.99, 9798347023417, 11/13/26) focuses on Junie Oldham: everyone knows she's more than a little strange, but is she actually dangerous?
Ghost Me, Maybe by Manda Collins ($17.99, 9798347031283, 9/29/26) features a pretty librarian who inherits a library and falls for the sexy architect who believes he should be the rightful owner in this enemies-to-lovers romcom.
Portage & Main Press
The Moth Dreamer by Amy Lynn Farrell ($13.95, 9781774921616, 4/7/26) is a chilling young adult supernatural tale where Anishinaabe cultural traditions, psychological suspense, and ancient entities collide.
Post Wave
Something in the Darkness by John Dougherty, illus. by Matt Schu ($18.99, 9798895090947, 9/8/26) is a tale for ages 5-7 with eerie suspense and a powerful message: sometimes what frightens us most in the dark is less fearsome in the light.
A Guide to Plants for Little Witchlings: 15 Spells, Charms and Crafts by Jennifer Lane, illus. by Adelina Lirius ($18.99, 9798895090657, 7/14/26) is a guide for ages 5-7 that teaches kids to find symbolic meaning in everyday plants--daisy chains for friendship, chants and crafts for well-wishing--paired with gentle lessons in respecting nature.
Slide and Peek Witch: A Push-and-Pull Halloween Book by Hector Dexet ($12.99, 9798895091029, 9/1/26) is a board book in which a witch has conjured gifts for her animal friends--but not all is as it seems. With every pull of the tab, little hands reveal a magical surprise turning into something spooky-sweet.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Sarah Finan ($8.99, 9798895090961, 8/25/26) is a board book in the Yum, Yum, Yum! series focusing on the Halloween gourd.
Princeton University Press
Graveyards: A History of Living with the Dead by Roger Luckhurst ($39.95, 9780691278377) is an illustrated history of graves and graveyards, from the earliest known burial sites to today's green burials, from the author of Gothic.
Monstrous Bitch: A History of Terrifying Women by Eleanor Johnson ($29.95, 9780691291666, 10/6/26) explains how an ancient myth about a sexually voracious, baby-slaying, loudmouthed demoness became the defining misogynistic archetype of Western civilization.
Killing the Dead: Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World by John Blair ($35, 9780691224794) is a history of vampire panics across cultures and down through the millennia.
Arachnomania: Spiders and the Cultural Work They Do for Us by Maria Tatar ($24.95, 9780691281025, 5/19/26) praises spiders for all their inspirational glory.
Random House Books for Young Readers
The Haunted Playground by R.J. Palacio, illus. by Brett Helquist ($19.99, 9798217029280, 7/21/26), for readers ages 4-8, features ghosts who like to gather on Halloween at midnight in a playground--to play.
Red Wheel Weiser
The World's Most Haunted Places by Jeff Belanger (New Page Books, $22.95, 9781637480243, 9/7/26) discusses the ghostly legends that abound wherever history has made its mark, including battlefields, prisons, asylums, national monuments.
Witches: A Compendium by Judika Illes (Weiser Books, $16.95, 9781578638574) explores what a witch is and the different ways to be one, presenting the history, mysteries, and diverse natures of witches from around the world.
Entering Hekate's Cauldron: Spells, Spirits, Rites, and Rituals by Cyndi Brannen (Weiser Books, $24.95, 9781578638819) is about doing witchcraft, specifically witchery centered on the goddess Hekate, with her etheric cauldron as the source. For anyone interested in deepening their spiritual journey as a witch.
Evil Archeology: Demons, Possessions, and Sinister Relics by Dr. Heather Lynn (Disinformation Books, $19.95, 9781938875199) is an investigation into the historical and archaeological evidence of demons, curses, and possession featuring some of the most gruesome artifacts and sites ever discovered.
A Cauldron of Spells: A Witch's Guide to Magick, Rituals, Potions & Candles by Eileen Holland (Weiser Books, $18.95, 9781578639045, 8/3/26) explains how to prepare and cast spells--87 in all--including what materials are needed and which incantations will ensure the best results.
Running Press
Exhumed: Unearthing the History of the American Vampire by Aaron Mahnke ($30, 9798894141817, 8/4/26) is an engrossing and macabre exploration of the folklore and early medical practices that led to the New England Vampire Panic in the 1890s.
We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures, edited by Rob Costello ($12.99, 9780762483204, 9/1/26) is a cross-genre YA anthology that explores what it means to be a monster, exclusively highlighting trans and queer authors who offer new tales and perspectives on classic monster stories and tropes.
The Monster Manual: The Ultimate Guide to Werewolves, Goblins, and Other Wicked Creatures by Sarah Glenn Marsh, illus. by Justine Wollman ($17.99, 9798894142555, 7/7/26) serves as a guide to the history of monsters, including vampires, goblins, witches, and werewolves, and offers information on how and where to find them, as well as descriptions and tales of human contact with them.
Hello Kitty and Friends Trick-or-Treat by Merrill Hagan and Kristen Tafoya Humphrey ($12.99, 9798894142937, 7/21/26) is about Halloween, one of Hello Kitty's favorite holidays.
Severn House
Where There's Smoke... by E.J. Copperman ($39.99, 9781448320448, 8/4/26) is another installment in the Haunted Paint Store cozy mystery series. In this one, paint store owner Laura Meehan must prove her amateur sleuthing skills when her small town's public library starts burning.
All Spooked Up by E.J. Copperman ($18.99, 9781448318711) is also part of the Haunted Paint Store series. In All Spooked Up, Laura Meehan realizes her late father's ghost is haunting the paint store.
Tails from the Crypt by Sarah Fox ($16.99, 9781448315451, 3/24/26). In this installment of the Magical Menagerie Mystery series, Georgie Johansen aims to save the town of Twilight Cove from a Halloween horror show.
The Magician's Deception by Carol Miller ($16.99, 9781448318551, 2/26/26) is part of the Fortune Telling Mysteries series. Here the Bailey sisters prepare for their annual Halloween bash, but a tarot reading featuring the Magician spells doom.
Murder in the Grotto by Amy Myers ($18.99, 9781448318131). In this British Stately Home Mystery, café-owner and divorcee Cara Shelley gets caught up in a deadly ghost hunt.
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
The Underwearwolf by Gideon Sterer, illus. by Charles Santoso (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9781665955584, 5/12/26) follows a rule-breaking kid who discovers that wearing a suspicious pair of underwear under a full moon can turn you into an underwearwolf.
Jazzy the Witch in Friend Fiasco by Jessixa Bagley (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $14.99, 9781665922357, 7/14/26), for ages 8-12, is about a young witch who struggles to find where she fits in best.
Halloween, Baby! by Karen Katz (Little Simon, $9.99, 9798347111947, 7/14/26) is a lift-the-flap board book with foil, costumes, and a trick-or-treat finale that will enchant babies, toddlers, and parents alike.
Little Monsters by Máire Roche (Aladdin, $17.99, 9781665988643, 8/18/26) reimagines Little Women, with the March sister foster kids with a monstrous secret.
Have You Ever Seen a Ghost? by Daniel Kwan and Julia Potts, illus. by Sean Lewis (Atheneum, $19.99, 9781665956925, 8/25/26) is a picture book by one of the creators of Everything Everywhere All at Once and the creator of Summer Camp Island in which a shy ghost tries to overcome its anxiety in time to attend a party.
Sleeping Bear Press
Ghost Town in the Mountains by Lynn Becker, illus. by Roland Garrigue ($18.99, 9781534113428, 6/15/26) is a spooky tale of two kids who visit a ghost town.
Little Ghost House Hunts by Lucy Branam, illus. by Natalie Hoopes ($18.99, 9781534113138) features Little Ghost, who lives in a crowded attic and seeks a quiet place to read and practice his boos. But then he begins to feel lonely.
Mother Ghost: Nursery Rhymes for Little Monsters by Rachel Kolar, illus. by Roland Garrigue ($16.99, 9781585363926) consists of 13 adaptations of Mother Goose tales.
Schnitzel: A Cautionary Tale for Lazy Louts by Stephanie Shaw, illus. by Kevin Berry ($17.99, 9781585369577) is a retelling of The Sorcerer's Apprentice featuring lazy young Schnitzel, who is apprenticed to a famous wizard and buys an unusual vacuum cleaner from a salesman.
Ghost Cat by Eve Bunting, illus. by Kevin Berry ($16.99, 9781585369935) is a charming, ghostly tale of a lighthouse keeper and her faithful cat.
Sourcebooks
The Pumpkin Thief by Alice Hemming, illus. by Nicola Slater (Jabberwocky, $18.99, 9781464268076, 7/28/26) is a playful Halloween picture book that combines humor and mystery with seasonal fun and information about Halloween traditions.
How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace, illus. by Andy Elkerton (Wonderland) is a picture book in which a brave young ninja decides it's finally time to face the monster hiding in his closet, a monster who might not be as frightening as he imagined.
50 True Stories that Will Scare You to Death: True Crime, Hauntings, Aliens, and More by Sebastian Krahl (Callisto, $17.99, 9798886087178, 7/28/26) is a collection of chilling real-life accounts involving true crime, paranormal activity, disappearances, and unexplained mysteries. The stories range from hauntings and disturbing murders to kidnappings, alien encounters, and other strange events.
Her Creation by Jeneane O'Riley (Bloom Books, $19.99, 9781464250286, 8/25/26) is a gothic reimagining of Frankenstein set in 1795, following Victoria Frankenstein, a brilliant young woman forbidden from pursuing science openly. When her surgeon father becomes gravely ill, Victoria defies the boundaries of life and death by creating and resurrecting a man. Her creation's intense devotion to her develops into a dark, obsessive romance that explores love, ambition, power, and the consequences of creation.
Bone of My Bone by Johanna Van Veen (Poisoned Pen Press, $19.99, 9781464239809, 5/26/26) is a historical gothic horror novel set during the Thirty Years' War. It follows two women from opposing religious backgrounds who are brought together by violence and loss and embark on a dangerous journey involving a mysterious holy relic.
Tiger Tales
Frankenkitty by Maudie Powell-Tuck, illus. by Mini Grey ($18.99, 9781664300972, 7/7/26) features Frankenkitty, a stitched-together kitten with a haunted castle for a home and a reputation that seems to terrify everyone, including his own inventor! Only Olive, the inventor's brave young daughter, sees the sweet side of this misunderstood kitty.
Here a Creak, There a Shriek! by Kelly Conroy, illus. by Nikolas Ilic ($18.99, 9781664300965, 7/7/26) offers a spooky farm and cackling witches, howling beasts, and floating ghosts in an "Old MacDonald Had a Farm"-inspired rhyme.
Ghost Goes Boo! by Becky Davies, illus. by Mitch Miller ($9.99, 9781664352384, 7/7/26) is a Halloween sound book featuring five Halloween characters: a friendly ghost, black cat, owl, witch, and bat.
Grumpkin by Nicola Edwards, illus. by Siân Roberts ($9.99, 9781664352001) is a board book featuring Grumpkin, a grumpy pumpkin who dislikes fall and Halloween.
Stop That Witch! by Alastair Heim, illus. by Migy Blanco ($10.99, 9781664300699) is part of the new Stop That! series. In this one, it's Halloween, and Cluehound and Sergeant Squirrel are enjoying their candy after a night of trick-or-treating. But when they turn their backs for a moment, a cackling someone swoops in and steals their bucket of treats.
Tommy Nelson
Buster and the Race Car Graveyard by Dale Earnhardt Jr., illus. by Ela Smietanka ($18.99, 9781400250363) is by the NASCAR racer and is part of his Buster the Race Car series. In this one, for ages 4-8, the Punchy Motorsports team takes a ride through a graveyard where ghosts might be.
Cocoa's Cranky Halloween, illus. by Beth Hughes ($9.99, 9781400251223) is part of the Cocoa Is Cranky series and features a dog who is not thrilled about Halloween; readers, ages 2-6, can help Cocoa get treats and avoid tricks.
Pumpkin Day at the Zoo by Susan Meissner, illus. by Pablo Pino ($17.99, 9781400243389) is for ages 4-8 and features zoo animals playing with and feasting on pumpkins.
Hoo's There by Kristi Valiant ($11.99, 9781400248391) is a board book that reassures toddlers and preschoolers that the bumps in the night they hear at bedtime are not monsters but everyday objects, people, and animals going about their evenings.
Night Night, Pumpkin by Amy Parker, illus. by Virginia Allyn ($9.99, 9781400212811) is part of the Night Night line of storybooks. This one follows a puppy in a pumpkin costume as he says goodnight to the things he encounters on a full day.
Tor Nightfire
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw ($16.99, 9781250879516) is a creepy haunted house story, steeped in Japanese folklore and rife with devastating twists.
Slewfoot by Brom ($19.99, 9781250621993) is a tale of magic, mystery, triumph, and terror set in Colonial New England.
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede ($17.99, 9781250857866) is a blood-soaked letter to Los Angeles and a gleeful send-up to iconic horror villains, a leading example of femgore and "good for her" horror that has erupted in recent years.
Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm ($27.99, 9781250434661, 9/22/26) is a lyrical debut and a powerful Palestinian haunted house story, featuring three generations of women who revisit their ancestral home but find it irrevocably changed.
It Looks Like You in the Dark by Mathilda Zeller ($27.99, 9781250402035, 10/13/26) blends Alaskan Native folklore and supernatural frights into a fast-paced terror of the monsters that emerge when we turn our backs on the land and each other.
Type Eighteen Books
A Bad Deal in Mormon Land by T.I.M. Wirkus ($19.99, 9798993351926, 10/1/26) features a trans spirit medium and ex-vaudevillian who accepts a mysterious job in Salt Lake City and gets caught in a web of church politics, competing interests, and vengeance. Originally published in 1908.
The Dark Road by Kathleen Rhodes ($14.99, 9798990803015) features a psychologically fragile wife is trapped between life and death, where she must confront the child ghost that has haunted her for decades--and a fellow survivor of abuse whose own reckoning could seal both of their fates.
The Vigil by Peter J. Dellolio ($14.99, 9798990803077) centers on a grieving lighthouse keeper who refuses to abandon hope about his daughter who vanished into the Atlantic. He uncovers hidden truths about her life--and his own--as memory, myth, and the sea converge in a haunting search for closure.
The Swan Harp by Elizabeth Creith ($22.99, 9798987830963) focuses on Princess Kiar, born into a royal family of swan shapeshifters but denied their magic, who must overcome her deepest insecurities to unite humans and swanfolk against an ambitious rival king and an ancient darkness before both kingdoms are lost.
Ulysses Press
Cozy Horror Nights: A Parody Coloring Book ($15.99, 9781646049141) offers a world where favorite horror movie villains, monsters, and killers enjoy cozy routines, relaxing hobbies, and fun activities in 50 creepy, cute, and creative scenes. For example, the Creature from the Black Lagoon plays in a kiddie pool with floaties, Dracula hosts a tea party, and Frankenstein's Monster enjoys a summer's day.
University of Chicago Press (distributor)
Book Curses by Eleanor Baker (Bodleian Library, $25, 9781851246304) is a compendium of spells, threats, and prayers that book owners through the ages have used to prevent damage and theft of their precious libraries.
Ghosts, Trolls, and the Hidden People: An Anthology of Icelandic Folk Legends by Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir and Jack Zipes (Reaktion Books, $20, 9781836392569, 9/14/26) is a collection that brings the world of Icelandic folk tales to non-Icelandic speakers for the first time.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (Bodleian Library, $30, 9781851246663) is the classic American gothic tale, with illustrations by Arthur Rackham.
Thirteen Terrifying Tales (Bodleian Library, $25, 9781851246816, 10/20/26) is an anthology that brings together tales by classic horror masters like H.P. Lovecraft, Bram Stoker, and Edith Wharton that show that our fear of the unknown is not modern.
University of Notre Dame Press
Theology of Horror: The Hidden Depths of Popular Films: The Hidden Depths of Popular Films by Ryan G. Duns, SJ ($30, 9780268208561, 8/26) explores the dark reaches of popular horror films, bringing to light their implicit theological and philosophical themes and unexpected flashes of orthodox Christian belief.
The University Press of Kentucky
Haint Country: Dark Folktales from the Hills and Hollers, edited by Matthew R. Sparks and Olivia Sizemore, illus. by Olivia Sizemore ($24.95, 9781985900974) is a collection of eerie, hair-raising, and creepy folktales shared for generations in eastern Kentucky, recorded and documented for the first time.
Paranormal Kentucky: An Uncommon Wealth of Close Encounters with Aliens, Ghosts, and Cryptids by Marie Mitchell and Mason Smith ($24.95, 9781985903142) delves into more than 20 cases--some famous, some more obscure--of the supernatural in Kentucky. The authors approach each case with nuance and offer in-depth details from multiple perspectives, providing rational explanations alongside the "true believer" claims and mysteries that remain.
Real-Life X Files: Investigating the Paranormal by Joe Nickell ($30, 9780813122106) is an investigation of some of the most well-known and mysterious phenomena around the world--spontaneous human combustion, UFO visitations, auras, electronic poltergeists, and many more--by a former private investigator and forensic writer.
Haunted Holidays: Twelve Months of Kentucky Ghosts by Roberta Simpson Brown and Lonnie E. Brown ($19.95, 9780813165554) includes tales of benevolent and malicious specters, terrifying monsters, and unexplained phenomena associated not just with Halloween but other holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Memorial Day.
The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales by Ruth Ann Musick ($19.95, 9780813101361) is a compendium of ghost tales from West Virginia.
Walker Books Australia
My Dad Thinks He's a Scream by Katrina Germein, illus. by Tom Jellett ($18.99, 9781761601606) is a Halloween adventure featuring a trick or treating family and many groan-worthy dad jokes.
Wave Books
The Shining by Dorothea Lasky ($18, 9781950268856) is a book of poems whose subject is the book and movie of the same name. Lasky guides readers through the familiar rooms of the Overlook Hotel, both realized and imagined, inhabiting characters and spaces that have been somewhat flattened in Stephen King's novel or Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation. Ultimately, the poems show ways in which language is always haunted--by past selves, poetic ancestors, and paradoxical histories.
Welbeck (dist. by Hachette)
Making Monsters: Inside Stories from the Creators of Hollywood's Most Iconic Creatures by Howard Berger and Marshall Julius ($49.95, 9781802798456) is an oral history of what makes a great movie monster that includes interviews with more than 75 luminaries in the film industry, from legendary directors John Carpenter and Wes Craven and iconic horror film actress Barbara Crampton to dozens of make-up and digital effects notables, composers, and writers. With an introduction by Freddie Krueger actor Robert England, the book also includes dozens of never-before-published images.
The Evolution of Horror: A Terrifying Guide to Horror Movie History by Mike Muncer ($29.95, 9781035427918, 7/21/26) is an illustrated exploration of the history of cinema's darkest genre that dissects eight key horror sub-genres, including vampires, slashers, zombies and ghost stories. Each chapter includes reviews of major movies and cult classics, from Psycho to Sinners. Muncer is producer, editor and creator and host of the Evolution of Horror podcast.
White Star Publishing
Classic Scary Tales, illus. by Victor Medina ($16.99, 9788854421622) includes 10 scary stories adapted from frightening classics such as Dracula and Frankenstein.
Search & Find Monsters, illus. by Jessica Antonini ($12.99, 9788854421677) is a search-and-find board book that features 10 Halloween-themed scenes packed with creatures and monsters.
Mad for Math: Spooky Problems, illus. by Agnese Baruzzi ($9.95, 9788854417489) teaches basic mathematical principles through storytelling and entertaining activities.
My Little Box of Monsters by Anna Lang ($17.99, 9788854422094, 7/14/26) contains more than 20 games, including puzzles, memory games, and storyboards, in one travel box.
Gothic Witchcraft by Cecilia Lattari, illus. by Marta Orlowska ($17.99, 9788854422100, 7/14/26) is an illustrated guide to the life and rituals of the Gothic Witch.
