Eat, drink, and enjoy the creepy yuckiness of Monster Eyeballs, Chocolate Spider Clusters, Buried Alive Cupcakes, and Screaming Red Punch. In her colorful collection of frightful foods, Sharon Parrish Bowers shares the fun of baking, decorating, and indulging in delicious treats that celebrate witches and jack o'lanterns, ghosts and graveyards.

Everyone loves Halloween. It's a holiday that is pure fun and childish joy, an excuse to dress up and eat treats. Packaged candy may be the common reward for trick-or-treating, but plates of Spiderweb Cookies or big bowls of Sticks and Stones Caramel Corn are perfect contributions to school Halloween events, tailgating parties, neighborhood open houses, adult costume parties, and even afternoon play dates. It's difficult to imagine an autumn gathering that wouldn't be even more fun with ghoulish goodies to share.

These frightful treats are not just for October, though. A birthday party for a nine-year-old or a scary movie sleepover for teenagers practically demands an I'Scream Cake or Spidery Cupcakes. And Chocolate-Chip Pumpkin Bars with Orange Glaze would be welcome at an office coffee break or an afternoon tea party.

Baking from Ghoulish Goodies is a wonderful way to celebrate the change of seasons and the pleasure of working with kids in the kitchen. Baking cupcakes and making fudge are great activities for autumn afternoons, when the weather turns cool and the kids are underfoot after school. Put them to work stirring, decorating, and scraping pumpkin seeds. These are recipes that parents and kids can have fun making together. And the entire family will enjoy eating a warm Choco-Bat Cookie for dessert.