The Halloween Moon

Written by Joseph Fink

Narrated by Kevin R. Free

From New York Times bestselling adult author Joseph Fink comes a wickedly fun middle grade novel about a Halloween-obsessed girl named Esther Gold, who goes out trick-or-treating for one last year, only to find her town under the thrall of a mysterious presence.

Esther Gold loves Halloween more than anything in the world. So she is determined to go trick-or-treating again this year despite the fact that her parents think she is officially too old. Esther has it all planned out, from her costume to her candy-collecting strategy. But when the night rolls around, something feels . . . off.

No one is answering their door. The moon is an unnatural shade of orange. Strange children wander the streets, wearing creepy costumes that might not be costumes at all. And it seems like the only people besides Esther who are awake to see it all are her best friend, her school bully, and her grown-up next-door neighbor.

Together, this unlikely crew must find a way to lift the curse that has been placed upon their small town before it’s too late. Because someone is out to make sure Halloween never comes to an end. And even Esther doesn’t want to be trapped in this night forever.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jul 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063021006

Joseph Fink

Joseph Fink is the creator of the Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn't Dead podcasts, and the New York Times bestselling author of Welcome to Night Vale, It Devours!, and The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home (all written with Jeffrey Cranor), and Alice Isn’t Dead. He is also the author of the middle-grade novel, The Halloween Moon. He and his wife, Meg Bashwiner, have written the memoir The First Ten Years. They live together in the Hudson River Valley.

Reviews for The Halloween Moon

[zoe smith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was an interesting Halloween story. And even though it was about a teenager, it still made me laugh sometimes.

[Vickie Spain · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great story about Halloween as seen through the eyes of a teenager. I’m in my 50’s, but I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. Makes me wonder what’s really going on while us adults are sleeping on Halloween night. ? The narrator was fantastic!! I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book. This book is a must read for anyone looking for a spooky Halloween book! Perfect for that holiday!

[Renee Delcourt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's definitely unique and creepy, but it's kind of a fever dream which is definitely on purpose. If you like all questions answered.... You might get annoyed with the end. I think the writing is really good and I enjoyed that this is a middle grade that has an adult that's experiencing everything with the kids (even if he's a bit useless as an adult).

[Edward Gracey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so beautiful, I'm in my 20s and the ending had me misty eyed. An amazing story about growing up and change. Also Halloween ?

[mrsmommybooknerd7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

#FirstLine - The Bennington Museum of the Unusual and Rare was not an attraction that received many visitors. This was a great Halloween story, but one that could be enjoyed year round. I loved the characters and it was such a blast to watch the story unfold. It was really fun and a book the whole family will love!

[leamoore · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Halloween Moon is an excellent book about our main character, Esther who loves Halloween. However, when an evil witch tries to make Halloween last forever, it's up to Esther to stop her. I think this book is excellent in getting your students into reading by piquing their interest in the horror genre. This book can also help your students identify the parts of a story as this book goes through many twists and turns to keep the reader in suspense.