TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS: Spoops Announced

 

Time to meet the SPOOPS ! Voice-actor AJ LoCascio (Voltron, X-Men '97) has always loved Halloween. Years ago, he began sculpting tiny adorable figurines for his own amusement, which eventually grew to dozens of different characters and a passionate fanbase... but the Spoops whispered to AJ that their story needed to be told, so he teamed up with artist Laurie A. Conley for a captivating picture book, out today at your favorite shop! With Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween, families can celebrate the magic of creativity all year round... but especially on the spookiest night of them all! Plus, next week brings the jaw-dropping Blade-Runner-meets-Tintin thrills of Lukas Kummer's Ionheart, and we look ahead to more Order of the Night Jay from Jonathan Schnapp!

Get a jump on spooky season with a heartwarming new gem — Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween! "A fun, festive read... Highly recommended to all young readers (or young at heart readers) and all who enjoy the pageantry of Halloween." — Kabooooom! Discover the whimsical magic behind Halloween in this timeless new illustrated fable for the whole family! Who changes the leaves? Summons the autumn winds? Wakes ghosts and spirits to haunt houses and chill the air? Why, Spoops, of course! They hatch from the smallest gourds in your local pumpkin patch at the start of every fall; tending to your town to ensure everything is just right for Halloween. In this story, young Holly Hollowell loves Halloween more than anything, but her dentist parents are totally against any event that promotes tooth-rotting sweets. While other kids trick-or-treat, Holly watches sadly from her window… until the Spoops arrive to turn things around! With their magical help, Holly can finally show her parents the true spirit of Halloween: not the candy, but the joy of expressing yourself, unleashing your imagination, and letting your spooky side soar! Presented in rhyming verse that recalls Dr. Seuss and “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” along with nostalgic illustrations in black, white, and orange, Spoops is an instantly timeless classic that places Halloween right up alongside other beloved holidays. It’s a clever trick and a lovable treat that the whole family will treasure. Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween by AJ LoCascio and Laurie A. Conley $14.99 (US) | ISBN 978-1-60309-561-7 72 pages | 7” x 9” Two-color hardcover PICTURE BOOK Browse preview pages | watch the video trailer In stores today! Watch the animated trailer for Spoops! Next week: Lukas Kummer makes his English debut with the brilliantly radioactive Ionheart! This head-spinning, time-bending graphic novel is a nuclear fusion of fantasy and science fiction whose every page glows with an eerie light. Will you survive the blast? “The best work to date by one of the greatest talents of the German-speaking comic world.” — Andreas Platthaus, Frankfurter Allgemeine Ionheart by Lukas Kummer $24.99 (US) | ISBN 978-1-60309-558-7 312 pages | 6.7” x 9.5” Full-color softcover graphic novel with flaps Browse preview pages | Coming August 19th/20th! Watch the animated trailer for Ionheart! Pre-order now for October: Jonathan Schnapp goes back to camp with more Order of the Night Jay! Return to the wilderness with nervous bear Frank and excitable raccoon Ricky as they dive deeper into the long-lost (and supernatural) secrets of Camp Jay Bird! Order of the Night Jay (Book 2): The River Rises by Jonathan Schnapp $14.99 (US) | ISBN 978-1-60309-562-4 168 pages | 5.5” x 7.75” Full-color softcover graphic novel with flaps Browse preview pages | Coming October 7th/8th!