In this issue of Cricket, Halloween approaches with surprises, tricks, and tarantula treats!

Meet a young inventor trying to outwit an army, and find out if mythical monsters keep their promises. Cheer for a girl who dreams of a pet unicorn but might settle for a dragon. Join a boy who lives in the country as he tries to get to know his aloof cousin from the city. Help a ferocious feline when it’s down, take a sixteenth-century sail alongside a daring cat, and learn how purring may help cats—and people—heal.

And don’t forget to pack your toothbrush for a Cricket Country slumber party, bake a batch of spider-shaped rolls, enter a surprising poetry contest, and complete a creepy Crossbird—if you dare!