The Princess in Black and the Trick-Or-Treating Trouble

By: Shannon Hale, Dean Hale

Published by Candlewick Press, 2026-07-07

Where is the real Princess in Black? A case of hilarious costume confusion leads some neighborhood trick-or-treaters to discover their inner heroes thanks to the power of a good disguise.

It's a dark and silly night, and Princess Magnolia is wearing her Princess in Black cape and mask over her clothes--just enough to pass as a Halloween costume in a hurry. She can't wait to go trick-or-treating! This year, Princess in Black costumes are popular, and so are monster disguises, like the little orange guy with horns yelling "GOAT!" as the kids shout "trick or treat!" When the little monster devours an onion, however, along with an eraser and a bar of soap (not to mention a rock), and as he politely asks for a goat at each door, it's clear to Princess Magnolia that something isn't quite right. And--oh no--the next house is Duff's goat shack! With half of her monster-fighting outfit at home, who can come to the poor critters' rescue? Halloween hijinks meet high-spirited heroics in a special Princess in Black adventure that's a treat all around.