For readers 13 and older

Reader Guide

Questions for readers, families, book clubs, teachers, and librarians who want to stay after the final float passes.

Real Joplin Story inspiration History and fiction kept distinct
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About the book

A dark fantasy about memory, belonging, and letting go.

The Midnight Parade is a family-friendly Halloween adventure set in Joplin, Missouri.

The book combines supernatural suspense, humor, local history, strange creatures, and emotional stakes without graphic violence. It is recommended for readers 13 and older, as well as adults who enjoy atmospheric Halloween stories.

Discussion questions

  1. Why does Tess believe the Halloween festival has to be perfect? What is she really trying to preserve?
  2. Owen notices things other people overlook. When does that become one of the group’s greatest strengths?
  3. How do Imani and Benji contribute forms of leadership that differ from Tess’s?
  4. What makes Vesper’s invitation appealing? Why might a reasonable person choose to accept it?
  5. Which returned Joplin place feels most welcoming? Which feels most dangerous? Are they ever the same place?
  6. How does the story distinguish remembering the past from becoming trapped by it?
  7. What kinds of work happen behind a public spectacle? Who receives attention, and whose labor is easily missed?
  8. Why is uncertainty important in the opening cemetery scene?
  9. How does the meaning of home change for Tess and Owen during the story?
  10. What does the statement “no rescue belongs to one person” mean by the end of the novel?

Research and creative activities

Map a vanished place

Choose a local building, park, business, or gathering place that no longer exists. Find two reliable sources, identify what remains uncertain, and design how it might return for one night.

Fact, folklore, or fiction

Select one story about your community. Separate what can be documented, what is remembered as folklore, and what you would invent for a fictional version.

Design the invitation

Create a ticket, poster, float, or costume for the Midnight Parade. Include one beautiful promise and one clue that the invitation may carry a cost.

Find the book

Choose the route that works for you.

Buy the paperback

Buy The Midnight Parade on Amazon (opens in a new tab).

Request it at your library

Ask your local library for The Midnight Parade by Joshua Shackles. Share the Amazon listing if the librarian needs help identifying the edition.

Ask an independent bookstore

Give the bookseller the title, author, paperback format, and Amazon ASIN B0HJSSLTKH, then ask whether the store can order a copy.

Enter the story

Old Joplin returns after dark.

Follow Tess, Owen, Imani, and Benji into a Halloween festival that becomes much larger than the city planned.

Buy on Amazon ↗ Library and bookstore options