17 Halloween Books for Kids
books holidays Halloween

The Halloween season is the perfect time of year to curl up on the couch for a not-so-spooky story! The Halloween books on this list tell the stories of monsters, witches, and skeletons. The illustrations are colorful and fun. Many of the books have engaging repetition and opportunities for your children to participate in the reading too! And, of course, we've included a few non-fiction picks so your children can learn a little bit as you celebrate.

Little Blue Truck's Halloween Alice Schertle

Little Blue Truck and all his friends are back for this book that celebrates the Halloween season. It's time for a costume party and all of the animals are dressed up. Children can lift the flaps to see who is hiding under each costume. Autumn colors and traditional Halloween party activities are shown throughout the book. This is a must-have for little ones who love the Little Blue Truck!

Monster Trouble Lane Fredrickson

Who's afraid of monsters? Definitely not Winifred Schnitzel! But, the monsters in her room are so noisy that they keep her up all night. She needs her beauty rest, so she devises a clever plan to get rid of the monsters. In the end, it's a kiss that finally calms the chaos. Winifred is a wonderfully brave heroine, and the illustrations make her personality come alive! Read this one with preschoolers and early elementary kids.

Funnybones Janet & Allan Ahlberg

This classic book is perfect for any young child who needs a good laugh at Halloween! The family of skeletons heads into the town to frighten people one night. But, as they're going, the dog skeleton winds up broken and needs to be put back together. Hilarity ensues as the humans try to reassemble the bones, sing the well-known song, and continue on their journey to scare somebody.

The Pumpkin Book Gail Gibbons

Acclaimed science author Gail Gibbons dives into the science of pumpkins in this book. Where do they grow? How many types of pumpkins exist? How big is the biggest pumpkin? Kids will get the answers to all of these questions and more! Each page features colorful illustrations, too. The level of detail in this book is just right for early elementary kids.

Bones Steve Jenkins

Here's another skeleton book, but this time it's non-fiction. This book offers nearly 50 pages of skeleton images and facts. Both human and animal bones are featured. The author describes the bones in a way that's perfect for preschoolers and early elementary kids. He tells about why the bones are in certain places and the functions they perform. The illustrations of the bones are relatively simple, but kids will be amazed by seeing the size comparisons and looking at bones from some of their favorite creatures.

Shy Mama's Halloween Anne Broules

After a Russian family has immigrated to America, the children are excited to trick-or-treat. Their father agrees to take them out, but when he gets sick, who will step in? Their shy mother, who is very unsure of this custom, agrees to accompany them. Through the book, children will watch as she begins to settle into her new country and see that Halloween is fun and a bit magical. Read this one with elementary children and follow it with a general discussion of immigration, if you'd like.

How many Seeds in a Pumpkin? Margaret McNamara

Charlie is disappointed to be the smallest boy in his class. When the class opens up pumpkins of various sizes and counts how many seeds are in the pumpkins, Charlie and his class get a big surprise. The small pumpkin has the most seeds! Alongside this encouraging message, there's a lot of math going on too! Use this book to inspire any children to open their minds and question their assumptions.

Bat loves the Night Nicola Davies

It's finally evening and a bat is off to hunt. Follow along as she leaves her roost, tracks down a moth, and heads home to her babies for the daytime hours. This is a fictional story that's accompanied by factual details about echolocation, hunting, roosts, and batlings. The watercolor-and-pencil illustrations are realistic, but succeed in making the bat look friendly and charming. This combination of fiction and non-fiction text is ideal for teaching preschoolers and early elementary kids.

Room on the Broom Julia Donaldson

When a witch accidentally drops her things as she's flying, a few animals are happy to help her find them. But, they all want a ride on the boom in return. All is well until the broom cracks in two and a dragon threatens to make a meal out of the witch! Will her newfound friends be able to come to the rescue? This book is a favorite of kids and adults alike. Introduce it to kids between 4-8 years old.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything Linda Williams

As the little old lady starts to walk into the forest, she notices a pair of shoes. They follow her, making noise along the way! Then, she sees a pair of pants. And it follows her and makes noise too! She keeps going and more clothes start following her. This little old lady is not afraid of anything, but this has got her spooked! In the end, everything combines to make a scarecrow that doesn't scare her, but scares the birds away. The repetition and the sounds of this book invite children to participate in the reading with you. Preschoolers will love it!

At the Old Haunted House Helen Ketteman

What's living in the old haunted house? Witches, monsters, bats, and more! This book is reminiscent of Over in the Meadow as it tells of all the creatures living in this Halloween scene. The illustrations are just spooky enough and the text bounces as it counts all of the characters. Toddlers and preschoolers will want to read it again and again!

Clifford's Halloween Norman Bridwell

Everybody's favorite big red dog is ready to dress up for Halloween! What should he be? A devil, a clown, knight, or a ghost? Like all Clifford stories, the text in this book is simple and upbeat, while the illustrations offer a bit of humor. It's a great bedtime book for toddlers and preschoolers.

The Night Before Halloween Natasha Wing

It's October 30th and the monsters are gearing up for Halloween! They're putting on mummy wraps and mixing up magical potions, getting ready for trick-or-treaters to arrive. The children awake the next morning to lots of fun Halloween activities, but as they go house to house, will they dare knock on the monsters' door? This book tells the story in the style of The Night Before Christmas. Lyrical rhymes and goofy illustrations fill the pages. It's a fun take on the holiday that's perfect for preschoolers.

Why Do We Celebrate Halloween? Baby Professor

Dig into the history and customs associated with Halloween in this non-fiction book. Kids will learn about Halloween's origins, the Celtic people who started a few of the traditions, and much more. Photographs and illustrations provide visual interest while children learn more about the holiday. Read it with preschoolers and early elementary kids.

The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo! Elaine Bickell

This little ghost wants to scare a girl, but she can't—her boo is gone! So, she starts hunting for it. Many of her friends offer to lend her their sounds, but nothing is quite right. It isn't until you, the reader, give a little “boo!” that she can finally get it back. With nighttime illustrations featuring lots of blue and black, the book creates the perfect scene for a Halloween-themed adventure. Preschoolers won't be able to resist being the one to give the ghost back her boo!

The Little Kitten Nicola Killen

Ollie and her cat, Pumpkin, head outside to play. They soon find a little kitten in a pile of leaves. Ollie helps the little kitten find her way home, but forgets all about Pumpkin! There's a happy ending here, and Ollie returns home to cozy up in a comfy chair. One of the best parts about this book is the illustrations. They're black and white with just a hint of color. Plus, there are die-cut features that reveal fun details. This is the perfect bedtime book for preschoolers and early elementary kids.

The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky Jory John

The Bad Seed is back, and this time he's threatening to ruin Halloween because he doesn't have a costume. All of his friends have great costumes and it is putting him in a bad mood! He's set on postponing Halloween, but when a pumpkin seed talks to him about all the fun he could have if he just adjusts his perspective, he has a change of heart. There's a valuable life lesson in this book that preschoolers and early elementary students will see. Plus, the illustrations will make you laugh out loud!

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