The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night
A spooky yet heartwarming adventure about one girl’s journey into the land of the undead, and the unexpected family she finds along the way. Perfect for fans of Nevermoor and the hit series Wednesday.
On Halloween, it is always wise to expect the unexpected, but no amount of planning could have prepared Eve for that particular night. Fleeing an unpleasant orphanage, she’s saved by someone who she never believed was real…the fabled Pumpkin King himself.
Throwing caution aside, Eve accepts the offer to become his daughter and is whisked away to the misty Hallowell Valley—home to witches and vampires, ghosts and goblins, and all that go bump in the night. But just when she believes she’s found her place among the undead, a sinister scheme unearths itself, threatening to take everything from Eve unless she can stop it.
From debut author Steven Banbury comes a cozy, magical adventure sure to delight anyone who loves the tricks of Halloween as much as the treats of autumn.
On Halloween, it is always wise to expect the unexpected, but no amount of planning could have prepared Eve for that particular night. Fleeing an unpleasant orphanage, she’s saved by someone who she never believed was real…the fabled Pumpkin King himself.
Throwing caution aside, Eve accepts the offer to become his daughter and is whisked away to the misty Hallowell Valley—home to witches and vampires, ghosts and goblins, and all that go bump in the night. But just when she believes she’s found her place among the undead, a sinister scheme unearths itself, threatening to take everything from Eve unless she can stop it.
From debut author Steven Banbury comes a cozy, magical adventure sure to delight anyone who loves the tricks of Halloween as much as the treats of autumn.
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Praise
"There aren't enough proper Halloween stories, but Steven Banbury fixes that right up with The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night. This is an adventure that is both spooky and sweet, and will absolutely make you wish that Halloween was every day."
—Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of Dust and Grim
"A fantastical delight! The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night is imaginative and full of fun, like a perfect Halloween night filled with treats—and definitely a few surprising tricks!"
—Julie Abe, author of the Eva Evergreen and Tessa Miyata series
"Whimsical, charming, and heartwarming, The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night reads like a love letter to Halloween. The atmosphere is perfectly spooky, with a brave heroine you can't help but root for, the triumph of friendship, and a sprinkling of classic middle grade humor. An absolute must-read for fall!"
—Alexandria Rogers, author of The Witch, The Sword, and the Cursed Knights
*"Banbury weaves a cozy tale in this thoroughly delightful debut reminiscent of The Graveyard Book and The Nightmare Before Christmas."
—Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
"This spooky, autumnal take on the classic human-in-a-magical-world scenario is a delightful blend of eerie and heartwarming…A timeless tale of found family, full of Halloween charm."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Humor, adventure, and pluck make this an enjoyable read…a splendid read-aloud at Halloween."
—School Library Journal
“If Tim Burton wrote middle-grade fantasy, this would be the book! Halloween-themed fun that can be read any time of the year.”
—Katie Pionk, McLean & Eakin Booksellers (Petoskey, MI)
“If you read only one middle-grade book this year, it has to be The PumpkinPrincess and the Forever Night. This sweet and spooky story asks: Once you find a family, what will you do to protect them?”
—Sally Sue Lavigne, The Storybook Shoppe (Bluffton, SC)
“A fantastic debut that will delight readers with its cozy atmosphere and found family aspects. It's perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman!”
—Lily Taliaferro, Eagle Harbor Book Co. (Bainbridge Island, WA)
This spooky middle-grade audiobook has all the cozy comforts of autumn, and Golden Voice Alyssa Bresnahan sets the tone perfectly. When Eve runs away from the orphanage, she's unexpectedly rescued and then adopted by the Pumpkin King. Bresnahan's Pumpkin King sounds delightfully gruff and grumbly, but he's caring and protective, and he just wants to be a good father and give Eve a welcoming home. He takes her to Hallowell Valley, where she discovers that she's the only living human among a bustling populace of scarecrows, witches, vampires, werewolves, skeletons, and other mysterious entities. Bresnahan communicates Eve's confusion, curiosity, and determination, especially once she makes friends in Hallowell and sets out to solve some mysteries and confront her own deep-seated fears. An old-fashioned listening pleasure. J.M.D. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2024]
—AudioFile Earphones Award Winner