Beware the Jacks

A lot of things have changed in twelve-year-old Dahlia Reid’s life. Her best friend moved away, her mom got remarried, and now Dahlia has a stepbrother, Levi, who isn’t very nice. The one thing she can count on staying the same is Harvest Festival—the big scary event held every Autumn Equinox in the town of Wilcott Head. But when a new family arrives and grows a massive pumpkin patch, some people in town think it’s bad news, even saying the pumpkin farm is cursed. Dahlia, on the other hand, thinks it’s great. She even befriends the new girl, Penelope. After all, they’re both being bullied by the same boy, Julian, at school.

But on the evening of the equinox, the famous jack-o’-lanterns that line the path to the bonfire begin to disappear, and then people begin to disappear too. Dahlia thinks the pumpkins might be cursed after all . . . especially when they come to life. Dahlia, Penelope, and Levi band together to fight the jacks, undo the curse, and save the town before it’s too late.

Laura Lavoie, author of The Thirteen Doors of Black House, tells an action-packed story full of adventure, thrills, and chills in Beware the Jacks, perfect for fans of Katherine Arden and Lora Senf.

“This novel is lots of shivery fun, comparable to R.L. Stine’s books. . . . A rollicking, spooky tale perfect for young Halloween fans.” —School Library Journal