THE HAUNTED HOUSE
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THE HAUNTED HOUSE
Created and story by Francine Pascal
Adaptation wri en by Nicole Andelfinger
Illustrated by Knack Whi le
Colors by Lyle Lynde
Le ers by Warren Montgomery
PUFFIN BOOKS
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First published in the United States by RH Graphic, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York 2024
First published in Great Britain by Puf n Books 2025 001
Text copyright © Francine Pascal, 2024
Cover art and interior illustrations copyright © Nakata Whittle, 2024
The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training arti cial intelligence technologies or systems. In accordance with Article 4(3) of the DSM Directive 2019/790, Penguin Random House expressly reserves this work from the text and data mining exception.
Printed and bound in China
The authorized representative in the EEA is Penguin Random House Ireland, Morrison Chambers, 32 Nassau Street, Dublin D02 YH68
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978–0–241–68970–7
All correspondence to: Puf n Books
Penguin Random House Children’s One Embassy Gardens, 8 Viaduct Gardens, London SW11 7BW
To Alice Elizabeth Wenk
—F.P.
To everyone who ever haunted the outskirts of the playground or cafeteria; it gets better.
—N.A.
How have you still not decided on a Halloween costume, Jess?
There’s plenty of time, Liz!
Halloween is in two weeks!
Plenty of time!
You know what we should do to really get into the Halloween spirit?
What?
Ride by the Mercandy house and see if that new girl is still there.
You hate that house!
Yeah, but | hate not knowing more! C’mon, don’t be a scaredy-cat!
|—|’m
not scared!
| just… don’t want to bother anyone.
You’re as curious as | am—admit it!
Okay, okay, stop poking me, Jess. |’m curious too! What was that?!
Oh my god, hide, hide!
You’re the one moving slow!
Clive! Cliiiiiive!
| think there’s someone else coming out!
Oh…
She knows we’re here, quiet!
No way!
|t—it can’t be!
Did you see that?!
Yeah. | wonder if—
She did look terrified.
She’s the witch’s next meal? Defi nitely!
You saw how she shuffl ed that poor girl back inside!
|’m telling you, the Mercandy witch is going to strike again!
| bet you the Mercandys are why we never see Tara anymore!
No way. Why would anyone move there? Gross.
You two talking about that Mercandy house again?
| thought she moved to Ohio.
Maaaaybe. Why? You know something about it, Steven?
Okay, but we all know that the Mercandy witch was responsible for the Pullmans’ dog going missing.
| mean, duh. Of course. She’s also why Randall Jackson’s dad didn’t get a promotion. He was talking to the witch herself the day before.
Maaaaybe.
Uh…
You know, back when | was young, there used to be huge trucks delivering stuff to the Mercandys late at night. Enormous crates with weird letters on the side.
Oh yeah? Did you know there are weird lights that go on and off in the front room some nights? They say that’s when the witch is doing her spells!
She takes a kid every year, supposedly, and uses their blood for all her magic.
She’s probably 3,000 years old, and if she didn’t cast a youth enchantment every Halloween, she’d be more old and wrinkly than she is.
| heard if you look her right in the eyes, she curses you with bad luck for a week!
|t’s not a week; it’s defi nitely a month! Carlos failed math because of it!
| mean, Carlos was claiming that, but he also never did his homework—
Come on, Liz, you know that house is just all kinds of freaky!
| just don’t know if |’d call it spooky.
Yeah, it does give off weird vibes. Something spooky? Are we getting into the Halloween spirit out here?
Just talking about the witch who lives in the Mercandy house!
That old place has had rumors about it since | was young.
We’re meeting friends for dinner and will be out late. Don’t stay up too long tonight, all right?
Hey, you can’t call dibs until you’re at the fridge!
Yeah, but now there’s a witch living in it! A witch? You don’t mean Mrs. Mercandy, do you?
| don’t want you kids assuming things based on rumors alone. Mrs. Mercandy is a wonderful woman, and you shouldn’t be believing this nonsense, okay?
Steven’s in charge!
Dibs on the leftover pizza!
Okay, so | asked Caroline, who asked Helena, who asked Tammy, and they haven’t seen anyone going into or out of the Mercandy house, like ever.
You’re still going on about that?
Um, yeah? We had a near brush with the Mercandy witch. | can still feel her staring at us. What if we’re cursed?
Doesn’t Janet live next door to them? Why don’t you ask Lila about it? Surely she’s had near misses. | should just call Lila!
|t’s cold out there. Take a jacket! Yeah, yeah!
Uh, wow, rude.
As soon as | figure out what it’s going to be.
|t’s for my Halloween costume, which |’m almost fi nished with. |t’s my take on a Maestro of the Morbid classic: Marsh Monster. How’s yours going?
You’re rude. What are you even doing with that?
Mine will blow yours out of the water!
What’s up?
Lila? Okay, so you will never guess what | saw today at the Mercandy house…
Ugh.
Goodness me! What is going on?!
You should have seen your face!
This is DEFINITELY my costume this year! Maestro of the Morbid does it again! Marsh Monster for the WIN
Ugh. Hurry up, Steven, you’re going to be late. You too, Jess.
| don’t know if | can go in today, Mom. | don’t feel well.
|t’s too early for this!
Oh, you’re burning up. Jess? You ready? We’re going to be late.
Liz…go on without me. My body is failing, and | can’t go to school today.
|’ll get you some cold meds, honey.
|s this to get out of a test? Let me guess: history?
My throat actually hurts, but thanks.
Okay, well, |’ll bring back your homework for you.
Wait! Lila owes me answers!
You know you’re curious too! |’ll tell you everything, promise.
Deal.
Okay, but only if you tell me all of it.
Answers?
About the Mercandys!
Lila has dirt on the Mercandys. | just know it!
