Review: Pumpkin and Beetle

By Jannie Ho

New York: Holiday House, 2025. Comics. 70 pages.

Pumpkin and Beetle are vampire cats and very best friends, and they desperately want the latest issue of their favorite comic book. But they don't have any money! The intrepid feline friends start out on various money making ventures --with varying degrees of success. Right before despair, an offer to barter comes from an unlikely source!

This graphic novel is perfectly for emerging readers. Cartoons in a Halloween-y color palette are big and easy to read with lots of different sized panels to keep readers engaged. The text is printed in an easy-to-read font without too many extra words. And, while Pumpkin and Beetle's village is populated by various ghouls and goblins, their barely scary appearance makes for a fright free adventure. For young readers wanting a Halloween story they won't be scared of --look no further!

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