On Halloween night, the streets of Willow Creek glowed with jack-o’-lanterns. Kids in costumes ran door to door shouting "Trick or treat!"
Jack-o’-Lantern took a deep breath and felt ready for anything. The air smelled of rain that had already passed through.
Someone had left a small lantern on the fence post, still warm, just in case. Jack-o’-Lantern remembered that every big adventure starts with one small, brave step.
And so Jack-o’-Lantern's story grew a little more, one small step at a time.
Then the lights flickered. A huge shadow slid across the street, darker than night. "OOOOH, I’m the Shadow Monster, and I’m taking all the candy!" it boomed.
A tiny smile crept onto Jack-o’-Lantern's face. Far off, a river went on with its patient, glittering work.
A bird landed nearby, tilted its head at Jack-o’-Lantern, and seemed satisfied with what it saw. "One step at a time," Jack-o’-Lantern reminded herself. "That's how brave things get done."
Another page, another little adventure for Jack-o’-Lantern.
And it did! Every bag of candy, every chocolate bar, every lollipop — the shadow swept them all into its darkness. The children stared, horrified.
Jack-o’-Lantern felt the quiet kind of happy that arrives without being asked for. The air smelled of rain that had already passed through.
A neighbour paused in their doorway and waved, the way people do in small, kind places. Jack-o’-Lantern counted the good things, and found there were more than expected.
The day kept unfolding, kind and unhurried, and Jack-o’-Lantern was ready for it.
Jack was a small pumpkin with a bright smile carved into his side. "A shadow can’t hold candy," he said. "Shadows are just darkness. And darkness is just... no light."
Something settled in Jack-o’-Lantern's chest, calm and steady. Far off, a river went on with its patient, glittering work.
Somewhere close, a gentle song rose up, as if the world itself was humming along. "It doesn't have to be perfect," Jack-o’-Lantern decided. "It only has to be mine."
Some stories grow slowly, the way a garden does — and Jack-o’-Lantern's was one of them.
Jack rolled down the street, glowing brighter and brighter. The Shadow Monster backed away. "What are you doing, little pumpkin?"
Jack-o’-Lantern blinked, surprised at how light everything suddenly felt. The air smelled of rain that had already passed through.
Even the trees seemed to lean in, cheering Jack-o’-Lantern on. Jack-o’-Lantern thought about all the kind faces waiting at home, and it made the way feel lighter.
There was more to come, and Jack-o’-Lantern was happy to wait for it.
"I’m turning on every light in town!" Jack rolled to the lampposts, and with a flick of his glow, they all lit up — bright, warm, golden.
A soft, brave feeling came over Jack-o’-Lantern and stayed there. Far off, a river went on with its patient, glittering work.
A friendly voice whispered, "Keep going — you are almost there!" "Someone showed me how," Jack-o’-Lantern realised. "So one day I can show someone else."
One quiet moment followed another, and the story of Jack-o’-Lantern kept going.
The Shadow Monster shrank. "No! Light is my enemy!" But the more the street lit up, the smaller the shadow got, until it was just a little puddle of dark under a lamppost.
Jack-o’-Lantern felt taller than a moment ago, though nothing had changed but the mood. The air smelled of rain that had already passed through.
A little friend nearby nodded encouragingly. "You're doing wonderfully," they said. Jack-o’-Lantern wondered how many other people were being brave today, somewhere, quietly.
The world stayed soft and safe around Jack-o’-Lantern, and the pages kept turning.
The candy fell from the sky like rain. The children cheered and caught it. And the Shadow Monster? It was now the size of a mouse, grumbling, "Fine. I’ll just be a regular shadow."
The day felt kind, and Jack-o’-Lantern decided to trust it. Far off, a river went on with its patient, glittering work.
The oldest tree in the yard gave a slow, approving creak. "I can do this," Jack-o’-Lantern said quietly, and believed it with all their heart.
Every small thing Jack-o’-Lantern noticed made the story a little richer.
"That’s all you ever were," smiled Jack. "A shadow needs light to even exist. Come on, we’ll share the candy." And the little shadow followed, happily.
A warm feeling spread through Jack-o’-Lantern from ears to toes. The air smelled of rain that had already passed through.
A hand rested on Jack-o’-Lantern's shoulder for a second, and that was enough. Jack-o’-Lantern thought about tomorrow and found it looked friendly.
The End 🎃
Jack-o’-Lantern and the Shadow Monster is a short illustrated story story for children, told in 36 short pages — roughly 7 minutes of reading from cover to cover. It is written to be read aloud: each page is one or two sentences, so a child can follow along, take a turn at reading, or hear it with the 🔊 Read to Me button above (your own browser reads it out, no account and no download).
The idea behind the story: Light and kindness beat darkness every time.
Because it is short, the whole story is printed on this page as well — handy if you want to read it without clicking, print it for bedtime, or copy the text into a classroom activity. Nothing here is behind a sign-up.
What is Jack-o’-Lantern and the Shadow Monster about? It is a story bedtime story for children, told over 36 short pages — free to read in the browser with no sign-up.
What is the moral of Jack-o’-Lantern and the Shadow Monster? Light and kindness beat darkness every time.
How long does it take to read? About 7 minutes — most families read it in one sitting, and you can stop on any page and come back later.
Is Jack-o’-Lantern and the Shadow Monster suitable for young children? Yes. It is written for children, carries no ads inside the text and nothing on the page asks a child for personal information.
Browse the whole library on the children’s stories page, or head back to the SBL Games home page.