Beware the Jacks

Coming Soon

Contributors

By Laura Lavoie

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Jul 21, 2026
Page Count
256 pages
Publisher
Union Square Kids
ISBN-13
9781454958185

Price

$8.99

Price

$11.99 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. ebook $8.99 $11.99 CAD
  2. Trade Paperback $9.99 $12.99 CAD

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

  • "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

Laura Lavoie

About the Author

Laura Lavoie loves all things spooky and mysterious. As a kid, she devoured Nancy Drew mysteries and the Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine. In addition to her middle grade novels Beware the Jacks and The Thirteens Doors of Black House, Laura is a picture book author whose titles include the just-a-little-bit-spooky Vampire Vacation and Monster Baker. When she isn’t reading or writing, Laura enjoys sipping tea, rainy days, and taking walks in the woods. She lives in upstate New York with her husband, daughters, two persnickety cats, and one goofy golden retriever.

Learn more about this author