What happens on Halloween night after the trick-or-treating is done, the kids are asleep, and the evening quiets? The ghosts come out to play, of course.
In “The Haunted Playground” (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2026), R.J. Palacio, author of “Wonder,” “365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts,” “Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories,” and “We’re All Wonders,” and illustrator Brett Helquist, who created the art for “A Series of Unfortunate Events” by Lemony Snicket, “Chasing Vermeer” by Blue Balliett, and “The Mona Lisa Vanishes” by Nicholas Day,” have fashioned a ghostly picture book for young readers who want to partake in the scary part of Halloween without it being too creepy.
I Love Libraries spoke with Palacio and Helquist about “The Haunted Playground,” their love of Halloween, their library memories, and more.
What was the inspiration for the story?
Palacio: The idea for a playground where ghosts can come to “play” and goof around for one night came to me while on a slow walk with my elderly dog Bear in the park across the street from my home. It was the day after Halloween, and there were bits of pieces of the night before left over everywhere. At six in the morning there was an eeriness to the park, like ghosts had just been hanging out there. The first line of the book popped into my head during that walk, and I kind of wrote the rest of the story on subsequent walks in that same park.
The rhyming story, about two young kids who crash a playground party for ghosts on Halloween night, is light and fun but also tinged with slight sadness, with the ghosts donning costumes and participating in activities they enjoyed while alive. There’s a carpe diem/“eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” element that can resonate with older readers/parents/caregivers who might be reading the story to kids. Was this intentional; to give the story universality?
Palacio: I think all my books reflect my own attitudes about enjoying life when we can, however we can, and finding joy. So while I was writing about these ghosts, I can’t say I was specifically thinking about “tomorrow we may die” as much as I was thinking that, yeah, ghosts just want to have fun.
What was the inspiration for the look of the ghosts?
Helquist: Early in the process I was drawing the ghosts very simply, just sheets with eye holes. I thought this would be funny because I could have a lot of fun with their expressions. I got some feedback from R.J. and the editor that the Rex Magnificus character needed to be at least a little bit scary. They suggested trying a skull-shaped head. Once I figured Rex out, it was easier to find the other ghosts. Some of them are still very simple and some have a little more character.
Was there any collaboration during the illustration process? R.J., were you involved at all or did you let Brett follow his own instincts?
Palacio: We didn’t collaborate directly but via editor and art director, though from the beginning I knew that when you’re working with a talent like Brett, you just let him do his thing and get out of the way as much as possible. The way he chose to bring my story to life visually is something that I could never have imagined—or rather, is better than anything I could have imagined.
What were your favorite ghost stories as young readers?
Palacio: I loved Greek mythology a lot, and there’s a lot of pathos in those stories, the idea of the living interacting with the dead, etc. I think those stories really affected me.
Helquist: My favorite ghost story is probably “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. I loved Jacob Marley. He’s one of the best ghosts ever.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Palacio: Somedays I do. Somedays I don’t. I suppose I won’t know until I am one.
Helquist: I do. I’ve never had a ghost experience, but I believe.
You’re both parents. Do you have any special Halloween traditions with your kids?
Palacio: My kids are all grown now, but Halloween was one of our favorite holidays of the year, and one I went all in on with them. Choosing costumes, helping make them, carving pumpkins, going trick-or-treating: I was all-in.
Helquist: Our favorite Halloween tradition is carving the Jack o’ Lanterns.
Have you received any feedback from young readers, parents/caregivers, or librarians about the book?
Palacio: Yes, I’ve been getting lots of nice feedback from kids who seem very entertained by the idea of ghosts wanting to take a break from being scary.
What do you hope that young readers take from the book?
Palacio: Well, you kind of put your finger on it in your second question: Let’s come together, from every corner of the earth, and enjoy ourselves. We have playgrounds to play in, and friends to play with, and time to laugh—so let’s do it.
Helquist: I just hope they have fun with it. Halloween is one of my favorite nights of the year.
Do you have any special memories of libraries from your youth and/or now that you’d like to share?
Palacio: I used to go to the Queens (N.Y.) Public Library a lot with my best friend growing up, author Meg Medina.
Helquist: The library was always one of my favorite places when I was young. I wasn’t much of a reader, but I loved digging through the art books at my local library. This was where I first started learning to draw and paint. My library also had a great music section. I was able to find and check out all the great rock albums I didn’t have money to buy. It was a real lifesaver.
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