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SPOOPS

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Who changes the leaves? Summons the autumn winds? Wakes ghosts and spirits to haunt houses and chill the air? Why, SPOOPS of course! They come from the smallest gourds in your local pumpkin patch at the start of every Autumn; tending to your town to ensure everything is just right for Halloween. Each Spoop has their own task, personality, and bit of lore . . .

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 5, 2023

3 people are currently reading
281 people want to read

About the author

A.J. LoCascio

1 book6 followers

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5 stars
256 (60%)
4 stars
121 (28%)
3 stars
43 (10%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
Profile Image for Alina ♡.
237 reviews133 followers
July 29, 2025
☆☆☆☆☆

Thanks to Netgalley and IDW Publishing | Top Shelf Productions for this ARC.

Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween is a charming celebration of all things autumn and Halloween. A.J. LoCascio and Laurie A. Conley bring the season to life with adorable characters and beautifully atmospheric artwork that feels like stepping into a crisp October evening. From falling leaves to flickering jack - o’-lanterns, every page is filled with cozy, spooky magic. Perfect for anyone who looks forward to Halloween all year long!
Profile Image for Dee.
464 reviews150 followers
August 10, 2025
This book was just the cutest read for a special Halloween treat!
This has set me up to get excited for the change of season and to look forward to all the Halloween decorations and sweets!
The story was lovely and the illustrations were gorgeous. They really brought the story to life! beautiful colours and detail that just had you imagining that Halloween was already here.
A fab read.

Many thanks to the Author,Illustrator and publisher through Netgalley for the ARC.
I enjoyed every minute of reading this book🎃
Profile Image for Rachel Aranda.
988 reviews2,290 followers
July 8, 2025
5 stars

I adored this Halloween themed book. It has magic, character growth, fun, family bonds and just enough spooky spirits to make a reader excited to continue reading and for Halloween to come. I loved the illustrations as they harken back to the classic looking illustrations of the early to mid 1900s. Loved the use of rhyming in this book too as it’s a great introduction to a form of poetry. So glad I was able to get an ebook copy to review as I can see myself rereading this book whenever I miss Autumn or need cheering up.
Profile Image for Sheila.
3,137 reviews127 followers
June 19, 2025
I received a free copy of, Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween, by A.J. Locascio, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Holly Howell loves Halloween, her parents not so much. Spoops are Halloween spirits, Holly's wish to celebrate Halloween is sent to the spoops. This is such a sweet Halloween story, I loved the illustrations in this book, Halloween and autumn are a great time of the year.
Profile Image for Francis Dominic.
283 reviews79 followers
June 8, 2025
I had the utmost insane privilege of reading this book and WOW! What a book I wish came out when I was young so I had SPOOPS to grow up with.

I love Halloween so much and this ignites the feeling of the wonders and magic Halloween can bring without it being scary.

I was telling AJ how I NEED for this to be in Libraries and School everywhere so people can fall in love and love Halloween wholeheartedly.

What a treat this was. 10/10
Profile Image for Natalie  all_books_great_and_small .
3,151 reviews173 followers
July 20, 2025
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Spoops is an absolutely adorable rhyming picture book for children about a little girl called Holly who loves all things spooky and is getting all geared up for Halloween.
Unfortunately for Holly, her parents are both dentists, and they dislike Halloween and won't allow Holly to trick or treat, dress up, or celebrate in any shape or form. When her parents go to a convention on Halloween night, Holly makes a wish and the little Spoops ( adorable little spirits of Halloween) hear her and come to help.
This book is just adorable. Told in rhyming format and using a black, white, and orange palet of colours, this is the perfect Halloween story for any child.
Profile Image for greta.
452 reviews438 followers
June 14, 2025
i saw this cute little graphic novel on netgalley and thought i'd give this a try and honestly i liked it!

the fmc and the spoops were actually adorable. i didn't really care for the parents thingy going on but the way they talked about halloween was cute.

the illustrations of people and the story itself weren't my favourite but the way the spoops were done was pretty good and were my favourite part of the book!

honestly if you want a seasonal read about halloween, this could be for you. a quick read about something you love is always nice!
389 reviews3 followers
August 19, 2025
This book was such a joy to read!! the spoops are so cute. The illustrations and rhyming story made this feel like an old nostalgic halloween tale. This is a story that I am sure people will be reading for generations to come. Get a cup of apple cider and snuggle up with this enchanting read you will not be dissapointed. thank you to netgalley for the ARC copy.
Profile Image for andrea.
1,040 reviews168 followers
June 23, 2025
thank you to IDW Publishing for the advanced digital copy!

this one is out August 12th, 2025.

--

i was always the kid who couldn’t sleep the night before halloween and felt more like me in spooky season than at any other time of year. it's hard when the people around you don't really get the obsession. that's what makes spoops so special.

this book feels like it was written for kids like i was, and for the grown-up versions of us who still feel a little left out when halloween is treated like an afterthought. holly's story captures that yearning so well. she's not after sugar, she's after magic. and with the help of the spoops, she gets it.

the rhyming verse is clever and warm, full of that classic read-aloud rhythm that makes it perfect for cozy october nights. the illustrations are gorgeous in a nostalgic, vintage-y way - black, white, and orange like an old halloween postcard brought to life. it feels like a book that could've existed decades ago, in the best possible sense.

this is a love letter to halloween, imagination, and all the kids (and adults) who feel most alive when things get a little spooky. i adored it.
Profile Image for nina.
91 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2025
My first Netgalley ARC. I’m really thankful to the publisher for giving me the chance to read this early. This is a cozy mid grade story about a girl whose parents disapprove of her love for spooky, weird things. She’s not allowed to take part in the celebration, but one night silly little spirits called Spoops come to the rescue.

This book really captures the magic of Halloween perfectly and brings out the soul of autumn.
The artwork is wonderful, I love the color combination too. It’s minimalistic yet rich in detail.

This said, i do think some of the rhymes were a bit off, and a few of the words might be complicated for young readers.

If you are looking for a short, fun and easy read that describes the spirit of Halloween perfectly, this one is for you.
Profile Image for Ivonne Rovira.
2,555 reviews253 followers
June 17, 2025
Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween resembles a children’s book from the first half of 20th century, but it’s actually a brand-new work by A.J. Locascio and Laurie A. Conley. A pair of married dentists bemoan Halloween as an assault on children’s teeth, but their 9-year-old daughter Holly Hollowell loves Halloween and everything spooky. Holly longs to go trick-or-treating like everyone else. When some tiny magical beings intervene, young readers will thoroughly enjoy those cute Spoops! And their solution is right out of the box.

This delightful throwback is destined to become a children’s classic, bound to be enjoyed by generations of children and their grownups, too.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, IDW Publishing and Top Shelf Productions in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Annie.
191 reviews30 followers
June 14, 2025
As someone who loves Halloween but lives in a country where it’s not celebrated, Spoops felt like a sweet, spooky hug. Following Holly, a Halloween-loving protagonist, made me feel seen and understood—and honestly, I needed that.

The story is charming and heartwarming, with a message that really sticks with you in the best way., The illustrations are absolutely beautiful too. Spoops feel like the rhyming picture books I cherished as a kid. There’s a magic in the pages that reminds me of childhood, when stories felt like little worlds you could live in.

This book deserves a spot in every library. It’s cute, meaningful, and perfect for readers of all ages who want a bit of spooky joy in their lives.
Profile Image for Erica.
9 reviews
June 8, 2025
Dr. Seuss for Halloween!!
I would have killed for this book as a kid but I’m lucky to have it now 🧡🎃
Holly’s story is sure to bring on heart warming cozy fall feelings for any and all readers.
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,407 reviews284 followers
July 13, 2025
A dull mash-up of The Cat in the Hat and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Holly Hollowell loves Halloween but isn't allowed to celebrate it because her parents -- both dentists -- hate that it fosters poor oral hygiene. But they leave her alone on the critical night so they can attend a dental tech convention. One wish over a magic pumpkin later and Holly is swarmed by little magical spirits -- the Spoops of the title -- who are decorating the whole house and creating a slew of jack-o-lanterns to give out to trick-or-treaters.

The reader is expected to be on the edge of their seat wondering if Holly will be caught or if the parents' hearts will grow two sizes that eve, but the rhymes are so flat and the story goes on so long -- a 74-page picture book? -- that even cute little Spoops can't keep it lively.

The art is nice, but its stiff, precise, retro vibe just sort of emphasizes the stolid, plodding nature of the rhymes and the predictability of the story.


Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Profile Image for Kara.
Author 1 book65 followers
September 23, 2025
I've been a longtime fan of Laurie Conley's art, and Spoops was every bit as fun and whimsical as I'd hoped it would be. The bold, clean black ink illustrations and limited color palate hearken back to children's books of the past. The story, about a little girl whose love of Halloween is simply misunderstood by her parents, is highly relatable for those of us who were the weird child that was extra obsessed with all things spooky and creepy. I adore everything about this book!
Profile Image for Becca Packer.
370 reviews34 followers
June 14, 2025
The cutest Halloween book!
Laurie Conley is one of my favourite ghostie/ grim reaper artists and this book did not disappoint with all the little spoops.
The story was adorable, giving Grinch vibes but Halloween!

thanks for the review copy. Can't wait to force everyone to buy this in September..🎃
Profile Image for Stay Fetters.
2,526 reviews198 followers
July 5, 2025
”It’s the only time of year when spooky people can feel free! No judgement! No more hiding! Just be who you want to be!”

It’s no secret that Halloween is and will forever be my favorite holiday. Some people claim that the unofficial start of Halloween is the 5th of July. Pfft! I say Halloween is a lifestyle not a day.

This story was super cute. It’s about being who you are and enjoying things that you love. Not everyone is going to understand or like what you do but it’s great to encourage people to be themselves. Embrace your weird side!!
Profile Image for Tracy Wood.
1,274 reviews29 followers
June 14, 2025
Holly Hollowell loves Halloween. Ever since she was a baby, it's been her favourite time of year. Unfortunately, her mom and dad are both dentists, and to them, the holiday means candy and candy, which means cavities and dentists don't like cavities! All these things mean that for Holly, Halloween is banned! This year however, her parents are going out for the evening and Holly is determined to have a good time but even she couldn't have imagined, when she made a wish which the Sp.oops heard, just how her all hallows eve was going to go!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers IDW Publishing/Top Shelf Productions, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a beautiful book that could easily become both a classic Halloween title and a beloved family must read for autumn. The narrative bounces along. It's easy to read, scans well, and mentions all the things that children love about this slightly spooky holiday. The illustrations could not be better. They fit the words perfectly, and I, for one, would love there to be an accompanying colouring book. This comes highly recommended, and my copy is on pre-order.
Profile Image for Tabitha.
388 reviews39 followers
June 23, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the advanced copy.

Holly Hollowell loves Halloween but unfortunately she has two dentists for parents - two dentists staunchly against everything Halloween.

LoCascio has put together a fun little rhyming story about a little girl who loves Halloween more than anything and just wants to share that love with everyone, especially her parents. She just wants them to accept her for who she is: a spoopy little girl with spoopy interests. It's a simple but sweet story about loving people for who they are, even if the things they like are different from the things you like, because that's ok.

The poetry gets a little try-hard at time with rhymes stretching here and there but it's overall an incredibly cute read. The art is where the story truly shines though, with the illustrations resembling those of the children's books from the past. It's mainly black and white with gorgeous pops of orange, and I just LOVED it.

I'm absolutely buying this for my shelves, to share with my niblings who are the perfect age to love this book.
Profile Image for Tanner Maloney.
26 reviews
June 22, 2025
Oh sweet Holly, your love for Halloween is going to make so many children feel seen.
This was such a lovely story about a girl who wasn’t allowed to celebrate Halloween due to her dentist parents, but thanks to the help of Halloween magic and the Spoops things turn around for the better. I can see a lot of parents reading this with their kids to get a change of heart for the greatest holiday of the year. Much like Holly, I also love Halloween more than anything.
This story was whimsically Halloweeny as to be expected as well as very heartwarming. I thought the illustrations were stunning too. I can see hanging up prints from this story in my home (year round of course).
The Halloweeny people are going to love this as much as I did!

Thank you netgalley for the arc!!!
Profile Image for Peace Love Plan & Reads.
333 reviews30 followers
June 29, 2025
4.5 stars

Holly loves Halloween but her parents are dentists and just can't get behind a holiday that promotes eating so much candy. When they leave for a dental convention on Halloween, Holly makes a wish on a carved pumpkin that she can celebrate this year. Little does she know, the Halloween spoops are listening and are determined to make her wish come true!

What an absolutely adorable graphic novel!! The art is STUNNING - such a beautiful "old school" children's book style in a gorgeous orange, black & white colour palette. The spoops are adorable and there is so much whimsy.

This is all told in rhyme so perfect for children. I think this does really feel like a Halloween version of the Grinch and is a perfect story for that time of year.

Reading this as an e-ARC wasn't totally ideal on my reader as I couldn't get the sense of the full scale of the beauty of the 2 page spreads so I will be picking up a physical copy when it's out for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Jules Inman.
253 reviews55 followers
August 7, 2025
This was such a cute Halloween story. We're following Holly who loves everything about Halloween, but her parents are dentists, and they don't like Halloween and won't let her trick or treat. One Halloween night her parents are gone to attend a dental conference, so she decides she is going to celebrate by herself. She gets a pumpkin and carves it and puts a candle in it and sits it on the window and makes a wish that she could celebrate Halloween like all the other children. Then the Spoops appear and make her wish come true. They use their magic and give her the best Halloween ever and they also help her parents see that Halloween isn't just about eating candy. I love the message behind the story and the artwork has a retro 80s vibe and was so nostalgic for me. Super cute book!

Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. #SpoopsTheLittleSpiritsofHalloween #NetGalley
Profile Image for Sarah Luna.
28 reviews1 follower
June 14, 2025
CUTEST BOOK IN ALL THE LAND!

For reals though, I don’t think I could love a children’s book more. If I hadn’t been a kiddo with parents who fully embraced Halloween growing up, I probably would’ve wept a little at how validating this story felt. At the heart of it, the message is universal - embrace your own strange self, believe in a little magic and kindness will always prevail.

I dare say I love the artwork more than the story itself but the rhyming, whimsical dance of words made for a perfect pairing. Every kid I know is getting a copy of this from me come October.
Profile Image for Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf.
880 reviews43 followers
July 16, 2025
I will be buying a copy of this for my girls this Fall… big Halloween fans in our house much like young Holly Hollowell! I loved Hollys love for such a fun day, the illustrations made the story come to life with a classic feel that reminded me of reading books I would find at my grandparents house when I was little. I’m already coming up with craft activities to make our own Spoops this Halloween season!

Thank you IDW Publishing for the gifted copy.

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
Profile Image for Chip (C.A.) Printup.
197 reviews
June 16, 2025
“Spoops : The Little Spirits of Halloween” is a perfect Halloween storybook. It’s a nice mix of “Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” A great book for librarians to use during the spooky season with students making Spoops or having a Spoop competition.

Disclaimer: Received an advanced reader’s copy on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Kaitlyn.
14 reviews
August 28, 2025
Laurie Conley is one of my absolute favorite artists. I have several of her work tattooed (with permission of course) and immediately preordered this book when it was announced. It has met all expectations of an adorable Halloween read with stunning illustrations. I cannot wait to get some spoops added to my tattoo collection!
Profile Image for Caylie Ratzlaff.
847 reviews33 followers
September 17, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ADORABLE Halloween read. This was just super cute, and the artwork was so good. I also liked how it was rhyming and sounded like a Dr. Seuss book with the verses. It's also just SO cute with the Spoops and the message it has about Halloween.
Profile Image for Casey Halvorsen.
530 reviews6 followers
June 11, 2025
Thank you NetGalley, IDW Publishing, and Top Shelf Productions for this arc!

5/5 stars!

This was a fantastic children's book, with a good story and beautiful illustrations! I love the limited colour scheme, and how the illustrations are reminiscent of more vintage drawings; they really added an extra layer to this cute story. Where can I find some spoops to be friends with because DANG THEY'RE CUTE!! A perfect book for Hallowe'en lovers of any age!
Profile Image for Lex Bright.
74 reviews1 follower
October 25, 2025
A young girl who dreams of being able to join in on Halloween fun (despite her dentist parents' objections) gets help from the Spoops, utterly adorable spirits of Halloween summoned by her wish. This book is so great. The writing is incredibly well done with excellent rhymes and puns on nearly every page. The illustrations are so fabulous. The style is nostalgic and warm while the Spoops themselves are some of the cutest things I've ever seen. Please, please read this. I beseech you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews

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