Spooky Scouts by Kimberly Shrack

I never know what surprises my kids any more. I recently sent my fifteen year-old this (to me, hilarious) video, and he responded with “Mom, what the fuck?!” Now, I thought you could see the end coming from a mile away, but he’d apparently never heard of the story of the Girl with the Green Ribbon, and was not ready for the jump scare at the end.

It was with that in mind that I started reading Kimberly Shrack’s Spooky Scouts. This adorable picture book tells the story of Luna, a wolf pup who is super excited to be going with the rest of her titular group on their annual camping trip. Scouting is one of her favorite activities, whether it be through earning merit badges, selling cookies or otherwise embodying the values of the Spooky Scouts pledge. The camping trip on the shores of Lake Eerie (teehee) is pretty much the highlight of her year.

But as the troop heads up to the top of Bonechill Hill to make camp, her skeleton pal Cal mentions that there’s going to be a full moon that night. Luna is immediately stricken. She’d totally forgotten what time of the month it is, and she’s scared that if the other monsters see her transform into an ick-tastic creature, they’ll think that she’s too weird to invite camping again. Will she be able to prevent her transformation, or at least successfully hide it from the other campers?

The point of this children’s book, ofc, is to not suppress the things that make you different but to be honest and brave, and to extend to others the same acceptance and grace that you’d want for yourself. It’s a very valuable lesson told in a humorous, accessible way that may also flip the script on younger readers’ expectations. I was not surprised by the twist but, just in case, got my 12 year-old reluctant reader to read and discuss this with me. He, too, saw the twist coming. Interestingly, he was less spooked by the video linked above than his oldest brother was. Maybe he’s just more soigne? Should I make my eldest read this in order to figure out how sheltered he truly is? Update: I had my eldest read the book as well and he too was unsurprised but delighted by the twist.

Ms Shrack’s cartoony and expressive illustrations are perfect for this tale. The book is packed with little Easter eggs (Calavera and Hatshepsut, anyone?) and the overall message is just extremely charming. With spooky season starting tomorrow (or well underway, depending on your personal preferences,) this is the perfect book to hand to or read with advancing readers.

Spooky Scouts by Kimberly Shrack was published August 25 2026 by Margaret K McElderry Books and is available from all good booksellers, including