Children’s Publishers Celebrate Halloween 2026
Publishing houses across the US hosted costume events featuring iconic children's book characters.
1Industry-Wide Halloween Festivities
Children’s book publishers and literary organizations across the United States celebrated Halloween 2026 with themed office parties. Staff members from major houses, including Scholastic, Penguin Workshop, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, participated by donning costumes inspired by both classic literature and contemporary picture books released throughout the current year.
2Scholastic and Penguin Highlights
At Scholastic, the trade publicity team represented titles like Captain Underpants and The Gravewood. Meanwhile, Penguin Workshop’s Elizabeth Lee dressed as Home in a Lunchbox, a 2024 Caldecott Honor book. These creative displays demonstrate the deep connection between publishing staff and the specific literary properties they manage within their respective portfolios.
3Atlanta and New York Contests
Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree organized joint costume contests across their Atlanta and New York offices. Employees showcased characters from diverse titles such as Pumpkin and Beetle: Super Secret Garden and Pizza Mouse. These events foster internal company culture by blending professional environments with the whimsical nature of children's literature.
4Museum and Independent Participation
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art staff brought iconic characters to life, featuring figures from Caps for Sale and Madeline. Simultaneously, the team at Levine Querido focused their costumes on the fall 2026 release Vampire Girl Conquers the Night, highlighting recent acquisitions and upcoming titles within their current publishing catalog.
5Random House and Chronicle Teams
Random House Children’s Books employees Sarah Pierre and Meredith Wagner participated by dressing as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and Junie B. Jones, respectively. In San Francisco, the Chronicle team coordinated their costumes to represent the ants from the new picture book Seven Curious Ants, authored by JooHee Yoon.
6Little, Brown Judging Panel
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers hosted a formal costume contest judged by executives including Alvina Ling and Mary-Kate Gaudet. The individual prize was awarded to associate editor Milena Blue Spruce, who appeared as the ghost of LBYR past, marking a creative tribute to the company’s own history and internal legacy.
7Literary Character Diversity
The range of costumes spanned from classic figures like The Princess Diaries' Mia Thermopolis to modern characters like those found in The Ballad of X-Ray and Koko. This variety reflects the broad spectrum of genres currently dominating the children's publishing market, from humorous picture books to more complex, character-driven narrative series.
8Cultural Impact of Events
These celebrations serve as a morale-boosting tradition within the publishing industry, reinforcing team identity through shared creative expression. By embodying the characters they publish, staff members strengthen their engagement with the content. Such events highlight the playful, collaborative nature of the publishing sector beyond the standard demands of editorial production.
Original article: Publishers Weekly — Children’s Publishers Celebrate Halloween 2026