Children’s publishers hosted a number of Halloween parties last week, and creative staffers donned costumes based on favorite characters and books—both classic and contemporary. We’ve gathered a selection of photos from the festivities.
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group’s publicity and school & library teams recreated the cover of There’s No Such Thing as Vegetables by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi: (clockwise from l.) Corn, Mary Van Akin; Pepper, Elysse Villalobos; Tomato, Kelsey Marrujo; Boy, Stephen Erickson; Avocado, Grace Tyler; Eggplant, Molly Ellis; Carrot, Morgan Rath; Pumpkin, Morgan Kane; Brussels Sprouts, Chantal Gersch.
Candlewick Press held a Halloween costume contest for its partygoers. Second place went to April Li as Amelia Bedelia.
And first place was won by Jackie Shepherd as Otilla from Jon Klassen’s The Skull.
For the festivities at Random House Children’s Books, Emily Shapiro went as Junie B. Jones.
The publicity team dressed up as Little Golden Book Biographies: (top row, from l.) Madison Furr as Taylor Swift, Sarah Lawrenson as Julia Child, Cynthia Lliguichuzhca as Selena, Constance Inglima as Elton John, Elena Meuse as Bruce Springsteen, and Josh Redlich as Steven Spielberg; (bottom row, from l.) Alessandra Scarpaci and Lena Reilly as Dwane “The Rock” Johnson.
“Can you say... costume?” Makena Cioni came as Ms. Rachel.
Sticklers go “stick or treating”: Maria Correa (l.) and Claire Rivkin as Lane Smith’s Sticklers books.
The RHCB managing editorial department won Halloween with its spooky reminders about deadlines.
At Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, Jon Anderson (l.) and Richard Ackoon got into a time machine and jumped into the future for Jessie Sima’s Cookie Time.
Trey Glickman as the coconut tree in Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
The S&S children’s sales team blasting off as William Joyce’s Rocket Puppies.
HarperCollins Children’s Books staffers showcased a variety of costumes. Members of the publicity and school and library teams answered the mysterious invitation from Lian Cho’s Pig Town Party (from l., Jenny Lu, Kelly Haberstroh, Anna Ravenelle, Christina Carpino, Elise Damasco, and Abby Dommert).
What happens when Wednesday Addams, SpongeBob, and Carrie walk into a bar? Just ask (from l.) Megan Ilnitzki, Sean Fodera and Alyssa Miele.
Emerald City comes to New York! Mimi Rankin (l.) and Blake Hudson defy gravity as Glinda and Elphaba from Wicked.
The Clarion Books team posing as Wolfgang, Hubert, and the ghosts from Lenny Wen’s Wolfgang in the Meadow (in back, Lynne Polvino; front row, Gabri LaFratta, Monique Lowe and Erin Clarke).
The Cure’s Robert Smith poses with a fan (Rich Thomas and Nancy Inteli).
At Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Megan McLaughlin dressed as a character from The Snips: A Bad Buzz Day.
The LBYR costume contest winner was Ann Dwyer, who came as The 13 Days of Swiftness: A Christmas Celebration for Fans.
Scholastic’s trade publicity team represented a variety of books: (from l.): Tessa Meischeid (Millie from Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden), Duua Ali (Arthur), Victoria Velez (Goat from G.O.A.T.), Abigail Jordon (Brian from Pig in Jeans), and Mandy Earles (in spooky sweater).
Millie Fleur also starred in her own group costume: (from l.) Anjali Bisaria (Sneezing Stickyweed), Nelson Gomez (Millie), Mona Tavangar (Fanged Fairy Moss), and Lora Wanta (Frog).
Patti Ann Harris as Liv Wan’s board book I Lava You.
How many of the costumes created by staffers at Little Bee Books can you ID?
The Halloween contest winner at Brown Books Publishing: Mary Winzer, as Arturo Toscanini from This Was Toscanini: The Maestro, My Father, and Me by Lucy Antek.
The title selection and merchandising teams at First Book dressed as the characters from X Fang’s We Are Definitely Human and did a reading of the book. The three aliens from the book (from l., Emma Ferguson, Amanda Velez-Cortes, and Paula Willey) zoomed in on their spaceship and zoomed out at the end once the ship was fixed.
