by Barbara Park
First published 2005
Junie B. Jones stares at Halloween with pure terror. Witches and monsters might actually exist. Pumpkins could have razor sharp teeth that chomp on feet. And then there's the whole candy corn situation that makes everything worse. How can any first grader enjoy such a frightening holiday? Junie B. wants to skip trick-or-treating entirely. But a friend steps in with encouragement. Together they brainstorm a costume idea that will outdo every scary creature on the block. Junie B. realizes she can be the one doing the scaring instead of being scared. Halloween transforms from a night of dread into something she can actually handle. The holiday might even become fun.
Genres: fiction, humor, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, whimsical
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
86 pages · Paperback · Random House Books for Young Readers