The Pumpkin House

Book excerpt: Every Halloween, Charles Keenan's farmhouse, dubbed as the Pumpkin House, is the main attraction for at least fifty miles in every direction. Mr. Keenan decorates his front yard with hundreds upon hundreds of jack-o'-lanterns in order to protect the good souls of Smith's Grove from a monster known as Old Notch-foot. Ronnie Lancaster volunteers at the Pumpkin House to escape from his own monster at home, his mother's boyfriend Rick. While volunteering, he meets a girl named Sarah Bowen, who still carries the haunting memories of a monster from her own past. As Halloween night approaches, friendships are formed, secrets are revealed, and the physical abuse Ronnie's mother endures from Rick comes to a head. Now, Ronnie must decide whether the legend of Old Notch-foot is true.