A review by librarymouse
The Halloween Moon by Joseph Fink

funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed reading this. It reminded me of a combination of the Scary Godmother movies and The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury, with some added flair of a heist novel. There's a quirk to middle grade that goes away in YA and adult fiction, where there are fun and interesting work arounds to avoid killing off characters. I liked having a reprieve from character death. This book also does a good job addressing bullying and anger issues without becoming a PSA. Esther is a fun character, and I was very much like her as a Halloween-obsessed youth (minus the scary movies. I do not like visual gore). Fink weaves a really fun and pleasantly spooky narrative about growing up and learning to face your fears, and I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a middle grade fantasy novel for a middle grader or otherwise! My only critique is that thirteen is most definitely not too old to be trick or treating.
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