Scritch! Scratch!: An Itchy, Witchy Halloween Tale by Sloat, Teri

Scritch! Scratch! What was that? This Halloween, give readers a "safe scare" with a rhyming picture book about a group of kids outrunning a witch's itchy spell, perfect for little ones looking for a dose of extra-eerie fun!

Scritch! Scratch!
What was that?
The witch!
She's in the pumpkin patch!

In the sky, through the pumpkin patch, between the trees...the kids in this story have to be crafty if they want to avoid the witch and her spell! But she is determined to keep them on their toes with a few tricks up her sleeve...

Delightfully eccentric illustrations and silly-scary rhymes make for a fresh take on the traditional Halloween story in this picture book from Teri Sloat.

Author: Teri Sloat
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Published: 07/28/2026
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 11.12h x 8.82w x 0.42d
ISBN: 9798217031146
Audience: Ages 4-8

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2026
School Library Journal 06/01/2026 pg. 63
Publishers Weekly 06/08/2026
Horn Book Magazine 09/01/2026 pg. 13

About the Author
Teri Sloat grew up in the Willamette Valley and eventually moved to rural Alaska to teach elementary school in a small Yup'ik village at the mouth of the Yukon River. She has been publishing books for children since 1989. Among Teri's many honors are an ABA Pick of the List, a New York Times Best Picture Book, and a Notable Science Trade Book. Teri travels extensively to schools and conferences across the country and her books, including Pablo In the Snow, From One to One Hundred, I'm a Duck!, Patty's Pumpkin Patch, This is the House that Was Tidy and Neat, and the Farmer Brown series, are beloved by kids, teachers, and librarians. She lives with her husband on a small farm in Sebastopol, California.

Zuzana Zupová comes from a tiny village in the Czech Republic where she lives with her dog, Rituska. She currently works in the animation industry, and enjoys using traditional ink and watercolor as a change from her digital animation work. SCRITCH! SCRATCH! is her U.S. debut.