I’ve shared 13 of my favorite Halloween books, 13 MORE favorites, and then even MORE favorites here. However, I thought I’d put together a big list you can easily save for the library (or buy books from if you want to add to your collection). Here are 31 picture books for Halloween you’ll love for your whole family!
Creepy Crayon by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown. I LOVE the Creepy Tales series so much, and I actually preordered this one (which I never do). It did not disappoint. Jasper is struggling in school until he finds a creepy purple crayon that magically helps him finish his work.
A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall and Vera Brosgol. This new release had my kids and I laughing out loud and reminded me of one of our favorites, How To Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps. In this story, the witch is trying to make frog soup and needs to add the final ingredient: a spoonful of frogs. Of course, it’s impossible to get the frogs into the pot, so chaos ensues.
There’s a Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers. Who doesn’t love Oliver Jeffers’ illustrations? I love that this one uses vellum to deposit little ghosts in different areas of the house as you turn the page.
Brains! Not Just a Zombie Snack by Stacy McAnulty and Matthew Rivera. I adore everything that Matthew Rivera illustrates. This one has the double-whammy of being creepy enough for Halloween and also teaching kids about how the brain works.
The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler. This story turns what you know about ghosts being transparent and white on its head. This ghost looks like a quilt. However, quilts provide warmth (unlike sheets), so this ghost has an experience with kids trick-or-treating he otherwise wouldn’t have.
The Witch Who Lives Down the Hall by Donna Guthrie and Amy Schwartz. This one is harder to find, since it was published in 1985. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the story of a little boy who is SURE his neighbor is a witch. His mother reassures him she is not, and as the story progresses, he learns how sweet his neighbor really is.
Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes and Yuyi Morales. I am a big fan of bilingual books, and this one throws in Spanish words like bruja (witch) and esqueleto (skeleton). The rhythm in this is also excellent, perfect for reading aloud.
Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins. It’s a favorite in our house for a reason. Lucy Ruth Cummins’ illustrations are beautiful, and I love the story of a pumpkin who just wants to become a jack-o-lantern.
Sir Simon, Super Scarer by Cale Atkinson. I laugh out loud every time I read this book to my kids. When a boy and his grandmother move into a house Simon currently haunts, Simon decides to get the boy to do his scaring for him.
A Tiger Called Tomás by Charlotte Zolotow and Marta Alvarez Miguens. The illustrations make this repurposed 1960s story from Charlotte Zolotow shine. I think everyone can identify with the little boy who is too shy to try to make friends. When Halloween comes, he happily puts on a costume, only to realize it doesn’t hide his identity. PLEASE buy this book. It is so sweet.
Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht and Jarvis. I can’t say enough good things about this book. It has great rhythm, inclusive and gorgeous illustrations, and a fun story that will make you want to go to a pumpkin patch with your family.
The Little Kitten by Nicola Killen. We own all four books in Nicola Killen’s animal friends series, and I love this sweet story! Ollie returns a lost kitten to its home, only to realize that her own cat, Pumpkin, is now lost. The foil on the pages and cover make this book a keepsake and also beautiful for displaying.
How To Make Friends With a Ghost by Rebecca Green. You need to buy this one, too, because it is perfection. Like all good how-to books, it provides easy-to-follow steps for enticing a ghost to be your friend. Hint: They love bedtime stories.
Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler and Will Terry. This was one of the first Halloween picture books I ever read to my kids, and we still love it. A skeleton, Bonaparte, is nervous for the first day of school because his bones keep falling off. Luckily, he has some kind friends who help him pull himself together.
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman and S.D. Schindler. I know many teachers love this book, and it is perfect for elementary-age kids because of its rhythm and repetition. The witch grows a huge pumpkin and can’t get it off the vine to make a pumpkin pie, so she enlists the help of friends to move it.
Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul. Though this is another one that’s hard to find, it’s absolutely worth it if you can get a copy! Winnie the Witch lives in a completely black house and is always tripping over her black cat, Wilbur, so she comes up with a creative way to see him.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. You probably already own or have read this book, but it’s a classic we love. The witch keeps allowing more animals to fly on her broom with her until it gets so heavy it cracks. The ending will surprise you! Also, Julia Donaldson is the QUEEN of rhythm. We also love The Gruffalo by this author-illustrator duo.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams and Megan Lloyd. This is another one your kids will probably be familiar with from school. A little old lady is walking home in the woods and hears some noises behind her. Because she’s not afraid of anything, though, she refuses to let the loose pants, shirt, shoes, and gloves scare her.
The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat by Stan and Jan Berenstain. I have collected almost every Berenstain Bears book ever written for my kids, and I have always loved this one. Brother and Sister are going trick-or-treating with friends, but they don’t want to go to Old Miz McGrizz’s house because they think she’s scary. Luckily, they realize that appearances can be deceiving.
Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara. This book is ADORABLE and so creative. When a girl moves into a house that turns out to be haunted with ghosts, she comes up with a clever solution. Soon, ghosts become tablecloths, curtains, and blankets for the bed.
What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss. Kind of similar to The Little Old Lady book above, this classic Dr. Seuss book is about a character who is terrified of a pair of pants he sees floating around. He learns that the pants are just as scared of him. As an added bonus, some of the editions of this book have glow-in-the-dark pants on the pages.
She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lynn Fulton and Felicita Sala. I love picture book biographies, and this one is about feminist author Mary Shelley! I like to throw in a good nonfiction book at Halloween when we’re surrounded by supernatural stories.
Ghost Afraid of the Dark by Sara Conway. Yes, another book with glow-in-the-dark illustrations! This one also has a great message about asking for help and surrounding yourself with good friends.
Frankenstein Doesn’t Wear Earmuffs by John Loren. I grew up in east Idaho, where it often snowed before Halloween, so I can relate to the boy in this book. His parents keep making him put on layers so he’ll stay warm while trick-or-treating, but he is not thrilled that they’re ruining his costume.
Gustavo, The Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago. If you loved the movie Coco or love the Mexican holiday Dia de Los Muertos, you’ll love Gustavo. This cute ghost wants to invite some people over to celebrate the Day of the Dead and make some friends, but he’s really shy and not sure they’ll come.
Can You See What I See? On a Scary, Scary Night by Walter Wick. The illustrator of the I Spy books has this super-fun Halloween book with pictures to find throughout the pages. Your kids will love it.
Sammy’s Spooktacular Halloween by Mike Petrik. My kids liked this cute story about a little boy who likes to play tricks (only harmless ones) on his family and has been planning his Halloween antics all year. I like that it focuses on family and NOT on pranks, because I don’t like pranks.
Snowmen at Halloween by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner. We all love the Snowmen books at our house (there are five books in the series), and this Halloween one is darling. My kids also like looking for the hidden mouse on each page.
Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley. This was my kids’ FAVORITE book when they were about three, and they still pull it off the shelf every once in a while even though they’re eight years old now. The pages have die-cuts of scraggly hair and teeth and eyes that allow you to build the monster and then take everything away. It’s adorable!
Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex. If you read Goodnight Moon to your kids a lot like I did when mine were babies, you’ll love this parody that keeps the rhythm of the original.
How to Scare a Ghost by Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish. You may have read this duo’s book How to Babysit a Grandma. This one is similar, with steps that explain how to scare a ghost. Like other Jean Reagan books, How to Scare a Ghost has a lovable ending.
Did I list your favorite picture books for Halloween? Tell me what you’ve been reading with your family in the comments!
