IRVING, TX, Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Few things hook a reluctant reader faster than a good scare. This October, for National Book Month, Scouting America is leaning into that with a free Halloween-themed bookmark, available now at Scout Shops nationwide while supplies last. Scout Life magazine also features an interview with Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney, whose recently published book, Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2, taps into a storytelling tradition kids love without being told to: the campfire ghost story.
It’s a connection Scout Life is well-positioned to make. Scouts have been telling spooky stories around the campfire for decades — and Scout Life has spent more than a century showing families that storytelling and real-world adventure go hand in hand.
A Scary Story Is Still a Story: Turning Halloween into a Reading Moment
To mark National Book Month, free Halloween bookmarks will be available nationwide at Scout Shops while supplies last, a small, seasonal reminder that a good book is worth picking up, spooky or otherwise. The bookmarks also make a great giveaway for sparking conversations about Scouting recruitment, with a QR code that links directly to BeAScout.org.
The bookmark might even inspire families to take advice from Scout Life’s chat with Jeff Kinney: Trade a scary story out loud, by flashlight, around the dinner table, or at an actual campfire! “First, be dramatic. Use a low tone of voice so everyone must lean in and listen closely.”
Here are some other tips on telling a great spooky story:
- Make good use of pauses to build suspense.
- Use lots of details to make your story sound real.
- Plan the ending, whether it’s a jump scare, twist or something funny.
A Conversation with Jeff Kinney
Kinney’s own background as a Star Scout informs how he writes about kids navigating friendship, failure, and growing up — and Scout Life was there to capture his secrets. The conversation touches on his recently published book, Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2, and on why a story that’s a little bit scary — but never too scary — can be exactly what turns a reluctant reader into an eager one. It’s the kind of candid, kid’s-eye perspective Scout Life readers have come to expect from the magazine’s interviews with authors, athletes, and other role models kids actually look up to.
Families can read the interview, plus stories about creepy but helpful critters, the new Multisport merit badge and Scouts canoeing the Yukon in the October issue of Scout Life magazine. Go here to order your copy or subscribe to Scout Life at https://go.scoutlife.org/discover.
In celebration of National Book Month, ABRAMS is generously providing three signed copies of Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2 by Jeff Kinney for a special Scout Life giveaway! Readers and Scouting families have the exciting opportunity to win a signed copy of this entertaining collection of spooky stories from the bestselling author and fellow Scout, Jeff Kinney.
Enter for a chance to win at https://go.scoutlife.org/spooky.
About Scouting America
Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®” Scouting America welcomes all of America’s youth into its programs. Our goal is to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow with us in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have been through our programs since our founding, and nearly 1 million youth are served by 477,000 dedicated adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country. To learn more about Scouting America’s mission, or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit www.BeAScout.org.
Attachment
Gordon Shattles Scouting America 972-580-2119 gordon.shattles@scouting.org