The Haunted Playground

R. J. Palacio ∙ Illustrated by Brett Helquist

Hardcover

Published on Jul 21, 2026 | 50 Pages

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Ebook

Published on Jul 21, 2026 | 48 Pages

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Audiobook Download

Published on Jul 21, 2026 | 0 Hours 11 Minutes

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Grades Preschool – 3
Ages 4–8

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wonder and the illustrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events comes a spine-tingling Halloween picture book adventure!

I cast the spell that brings to life this playground of the night.
Here my phantoms come—but not to spook or fright.

They’re here because they want to laugh, to frolic and be merry.
They’re here because they need to take a break from being scary.

When all the trick-or-treating is done and children are tucked in, ghosts are drawn to one special place: the Haunted Playground! Ruled by Rex Magnificus, ghosts arrive not to haunt but to play. But will the appearance of two human children interrupt their revelry?

From two master storytellers, this Halloween story is a modern classic!

★ "A whimsically eerie, timeless Halloween tale that’s likely to captivate young readers and hold them under Magnificus’ spell for years to come." —Booklist, starred review

"This nocturnal treat seems likely to earn a regular bedtime summoning." —Publishers Weekly

"Good-natured, spine-tingling fun." —Kirkus Reviews

"This is an earnest entry into the genre of Halloween picture books for readers who don’t prefer the more frightful festivities but could do with a friendly ghost or twelve to feel invited into the spooky season’s fun." —The Bulletin

"Palacio’s humorous rhyming text would make for a pleasing Halloween read-aloud." —The Horn Book

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ISBN 9798217029280 (Hardcover)
Published on Jul 21, 2026
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages 50
Dimensions 9 x 11
Age Range 4-8 years
Grade Preschool - 3

ISBN 9798217029297 (Hardcover Library Binding)
Published on Jul 21, 2026
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages 50
Dimensions 9 x 11
Age Range 4-8 years
Grade Preschool - 3

ISBN 9798217029303 (Ebook)
Published on Jul 21, 2026
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages 48
Age Range 4-8 years
Grade Preschool - 3

ISBN 9798217337927 (Audiobook Download)
Published on Jul 21, 2026
Published by Listening Library
Age Range 4-8 years
Grade Preschool - 3

R. J. Palacio

R. J. Palacio is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder, which has sold over 16 million copies worldwide. The book’s message inspired the Choose Kind movement and has been embraced by readers around the world, with the book published in over fifty languages. Palacio’s other bestselling books include Pony, 365 Days of Wonder, Auggie & Me, the picture book We’re All Wonders, and the graphic novel White Bird. Palacio lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their dogs, Teddy and Vivian.

Brett Helquist

Brett Helquist is the illustrator of many books including A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, Guitar Genius by Kim Tomsic, and Cezanne’s Parrot by Amy Guglielmo. He is also the author of Bedtime for Bear, Grumpy Goat, and Roger the Jolly Pirate. He grew up in Utah and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and two kids. When he’s not working, he’s usually trying to play his guitar.