20 (Not-Too-Spooky) Halloween Books for Kids
Halloween is one of the most fun days of the year for kids! After all, it involves two things tykes love: dressing up and chowing down on candy! To help your little witches and ghouls get into the spirit of the season, we’ve rounded up some Halloween books for kids that not only teach great lessons on everything from patience to friendship, but also help little ones savor the feeling of the season well before the big spooky sugar-laden night of revelry. So, make room in your bookshelf for these Halloween books for kids…
The Boo Crew Needs YOU!
Written by Vicky Fang, illustrated by Saoirse Lou
A kid-friendly interactive story all about Halloween? Sold! Join an adorable ghost, skeleton, and vampire team who are on a mission to help fix all the oopsies that are mucking up the spookiest day of the year! Here, 3- to 6-year-old readers will help mend busted pumpkins, straighten a dilapidated haunted house, and more. The super-cute illustrations, the energetic rhyming, plus the interactivity make this a book that’ll surely still be in rotation at Christmas!
The Light Inside
Illustrated by Dan Misdea
This Halloween book is not only incredibly charming, it’s 100% word-free. With eye-catching artwork, you and your little one follow along as a young and timid jack-o-lantern sets off into the eerie forest to find their beloved stuffed animal that has blown away in the wind. The Light Inside proves that no rhymes or silly prose are needed to portray empathy and bravery—and to capture a reader’s heart.
How to Catch a Monster
Written by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Andy Elkerton
How to Catch a Monster is a bestseller for a reason: It’s an honest-to-goodness Halloween romp that also teaches kids all about conquering fears and overcoming anxiety. This knee-slapping adventure invites children on a journey into a deep, dark closet to meet the lurking monster…and to turn the tables and to scare them for once! This book is perfect for kiddos 2 years old and up.
Room on the Broom
Written by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
This is a sweet Halloween book for kids about a witch and her cat who are flying through the sky when the wind begins to whip away her things. As she and her cat try to find her missing items, they meet some friends along the way…but will there be room on her broom for all of them?
Spooky Pookie
Written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton
Pookie is experiencing a problem that most little kids can definitely relate to: What to dress up as for Halloween? In this delightful Halloween board book, Pookie will find a resolution that will put a smile on your child’s face (and may even help your kiddo finally decide what to be this year!)
Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete
Written and illustrated by James Dean
Who doesn’t love Pete the Cat and his cool swagger? Like most kids, Pete the Cat digs Halloween with its fun costumes and, of course, all that candy. But getting surprised? Eh…not so much. This is a great Halloween book for kids who are excited about the holiday…but still get a little scared.
The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat
Written and by Stan & Jan Berenstain
A longtime favorite, this Halloween book does not disappoint. Tykes will love heading to Bear Country to watch what happens when Brother and Sister Bear get ready for Halloween…but things get a little out of control when someone in their group of friends decides to play a prank.
I Spy Spooky Night: A Book of Picture Riddles
Written by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by Walter Wick
If you’re looking for a Halloween book to really engage your kids, then I Spy Spooky Night is a must-have. With 13 brilliant photographs that pack an impressive array of all things Halloween, kids can lose themselves trying to find a list of holiday objects. From mice and cobwebs to jack-o-lanterns and bats, kids will love combing through the creepy crawly fun.
Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody
Written and illustrated by Michael Rex
For kids who love the perennial classic, Goodnight Moon, this hilariously ghoulish Halloween book will get your family laughing at all the ridiculous ways in which ghosts prepare themselves for bedtime.
At the Old Haunted House
Written by Helen Ketteman, illustrated by Nate Wragg
At the old haunted house / In a room with no sun / Lived a warty green witch / And her wee witchy one. This rhyming Halloween book is great fun for kids and adults alike! Who doesn’t love a book that combines counting and poetry to create a spooky fun story? The rhymes are so fun that you might even find yourself singing them.
What Was I Scared Of?
Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss
This timeless Halloween book will have kids giggling over how silly it is that the narrator is terrified over a pair of pants (but, the pants are afraid of the narrator too!). It’s also the perfect story to teach kids about fear and tolerance. With goofy rhymes and whimsical illustrations, kids will find a safe space to ask questions about the things that scare them most of all.
Creepy Carrots!
Written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
Creepy Carrots is a hilarious Halloween book for kids that illustrates how greediness can get the best of you. Jasper Carrot is a bunny who LOVES to eat carrots and will devour them anywhere at any time including on the way to school, going to baseball practice, and at home. But when he suddenly becomes convinced that he’s being followed and maybe even haunted by carrots, this tale takes a sudden turn into the spooky and silly.
Little Witch
Written by Anna Elizabeth Bennett, illustrated by Helen Stone
This classic Halloween book about a little witch who dreams of going to school will become a family favorite. Little Witch follows the misadventures of a sweet 9-year-old witch named Minx who sneaks into regular school.
The Legend of the Great Pumpkin
Written by Charles M. Schulz, adapted by Maggie Testa, illustrated by Scott Jeralds
When Linus mixes up Santa and the Great Pumpkin, things get a little wonky. Kids will love following the hilarious misadventure as Linus goes to the local pumpkin patch to watch as The Great Pumpkin rises up to deliver gifts to all the kids in neighborhood.
Little Boo
Written by Stephen Wunderli, illustrated by Tim Zeltner
Little Boo is one of the sweetest Halloween books for kids ever written. It so perfectly shows what it feels like to be a little kid who wants nothing more than to grow up fast and be a big person. Tots will delight in watching as a little seed grows into a mighty pumpkin who then gets picked and turned into a jack-o-lantern scary enough to spook the local witches and ghouls.
How to Make Friends With a Ghost
Written and illustrated by Rebecca Green
In this whimsical, off-beat Halloween book for kids, young readers will be amused to find out all the ways to befriend a ghost. Hint: You must have a ghost’s favorite snacks like mud tarts and earwax tarts! This is a must-read for little kids looking to find ways to be less afraid of the spookier side of Halloween.
Skeletons ARE NOT Spooky!
Written and illustrated by Duds and Kaine
In this fun read-aloud Halloween book, parents and kids will learn why skeletons are not at all spooky. They just have a bad rap but don’t worry, this book will set the record straight!
Leo: A Ghost Story
Written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson
This ghost story is definitely more sweet than spooky. Because he’s a ghost, Leo’s invisible to the new family that moves into his home, and despite his best efforts to make them feel welcome, he ends up scaring them. Fortunately, in the end, he finds a friend who isn’t frightened off!
Little Blue Truck’s Halloween
Written by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Toddler fave Little Blue is celebrating Halloween with his animal pals. As his critter friends don their costumes, Blue has to decide if he’ll dress up too.
Curious George Haunted Halloween
Written and illustrated by H. A. Rey
In this Halloween book for kids Curious George and his friends set out to figure out if the haunting story of No Noggin is true. Along the way, they realize the true meaning (and Spooktacular fun) of what Halloween really means.
Beyond Halloween Books…
- A Trick-or-Treat Cheat Sheet for Parents
- Baby Halloween Costumes
- Toddler Halloween Costumes
- Pregnancy-Friendly Halloween Costumes
- Halloween Pregnancy Announcements
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