The countdown to Halloween has begun and my kids are EXCITED! They love seeing the Halloween decorations in stores and in the neighborhood, plus all of the fall activities that pop up on the calendar. They especially love our Halloween books that come out of storage (they also love checking Halloween books out from the library and end up fighting on which ones to get since there is a limit on holiday books). Holding a child’s interest in reading is crucial to their success as a reader and holiday-themed books are a great way to do it. My son, (who is 5) even loves the scary books. If you are looking for some ghoulish books to liven up your Halloween collection – look no further, here are 15 Halloween Books for Kids (and Families).
15 Halloween Books for Kids
The Night before Halloween by Natasha Wing – Natasha Wing has mastered the art of manipulating the classic poem by Clement C. Moore – each version more entertaining than the last. The night before Halloween all the monsters are getting ready for the trick-or-treaters to arrive.
Trick-Or-Treat on Milton Street by Lisa Bullard – Charley isn’t thrilled to be trick-or-treating in his new neighborhood – where he and his mom moved to after she married his new stepfather. The neighborhood is full of grown ups and Charley doesn’t see how they could make Halloween fun, but it seems his new stepdad has planned a special surprise to make Charley feel welcome.
Arthur’s Halloween by Marc Brown – Arthur will forever be one of my favorite story characters. In typical fashion, Arthur’s sister D.W., has gotten into a bit of a situation that requires Arthur to step up as the brave big brother.
Splat the Cat: What Was That? by Rob Scotton – Splat is adorable and that’s all there is to it. In this tale, Splat and Spike must go into a very spooky house to rescue their mouse friend Seymour.
Room On The Broom by Julia Donaldson – Written by the author of The Gruffalo (if you haven’t read The Gruffalo, we will wait while you go get it right this second and read it with your kids), a witch and her cat are in flight on their broom enjoying the night, until she loses her hat, and her bow and they find help from friends in return for giving them a lift on her broom – if there is room.
The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills – A Halloween twist on the classic song. This version is filled with a spooky bus, glowing pumpkin wheels and a few more tricks that will be sure to delight your little trick-or-treater.
Halloween Hustle by Charlotte Gunnufson – A lively tale that will have your kids singing along as skeleton dances his way to a Halloween Party.
Goodnight Goon: A Terrifying Parody by Michael Rex – Definitely a haunting twist on the classic tale, this story is filled with a little werewolf trying to get to sleep, martians, goons and a black lagoon.
Pinkalicious: Pink or Treat! by Victoria Kann – Pinkalicious is very excited to wear her Superhero Pinkagirl costume, until the mayor cancels Halloween because of a power outage! She decides she has to save the holiday no matter what. FYI, this book comes with stickers – if you have more than one kid, sometimes that can cause a little bickering – fair warning.
Corduroy’s Best Halloween Ever! by Don Freeman – I still every time I read the original Corduroy to my kids. The Halloween-themed Corduroy is less tear-inducing though and fans of the little stuffed bear will enjoy seeing him in print again, this time trying to pick a costume for Halloween.
Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler – A funny look at skeletons and what it looks like when you have the hiccups (and are all bones, no skin). A great kids’ coffee table book for Halloween.
Junie B. First Grader: Boo … and I mean it! by Barbara Park – Junie B. Jones is a rather entertaining little girl – these books are especially fun to read aloud with your kids thanks to all of the lively dialouge. If you have followed her since she was in Kindergarten, then you will surely enjoy this Halloween tale featuring Junie B. who just so happens to be afraid to go trick-or-treating for fear that monsters and witches are real. This is a chapter book, but you will most likely have trouble putting it down when you are reading it aloud with your kids because it’s a quick entertaining read.
Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat – Nate the Great solves mysteries with his loyal pooch Sludge. In this book he is asked to help find his friend Rosamond’s missing cat, Little Hex, who evidently hates Halloween. These chapter books are best for grades 1- 3.
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween: A Safety Guide For Scaredies by Melanies Watt – If you haven’t come across a Scaredy Squirrel book yet at the library or school then you have been missing out – they are adorable and giggle-inducing. This time Scaredy Squirrel has some advice for handling Halloween but he warns, do not read this book during a full moon!
We’re Off to Find the Witch’s House by Mr. Krieb – Four children decided to hunt for the witch’s house on Halloween night and encounter some spooky characters along the way!
Does your family have a favorite Halloween book? Share your favorites by commenting below.
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