halloween

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!

I have already shared 13 Halloween picture books we love and then more Halloween favorites in another post. What can I say? We really like Halloween books, and I’ve added a few others to our collection I want to share. Check out these books for a spooky October.

Ghost Afraid of the Dark by Sara Conway. The illustrations in this book are so cute, and the cover glows in the dark! Ghost is (as the title explains) afraid of the dark and has to learn to be brave and overcome his fears. What I love, though, is that he asks for help and ends up realizing he has many friends that are there for him.

The Little Kitten by Nicola Yoon. I love ALL of Nicola Yoon’s animal friend books, and this one is such a sweet story. Ollie finds a lost kitten and helps it find its way home, but in the process she gets separated from her own cat, Pumpkin. When they finally find each other, they enjoy a surprise together. The gorgeous illustrations and die-cut pages with pretty foil detail make this one stand out.

She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lynn Fulton and Felicita Sala. Shake things up by adding a nonfiction book to your Halloween reads! This one is a biography of author Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein, and how she came up with the story. Mary Shelley was the ultimate feminist, so I especially liked reading this to my kids and explaining how cool it was that a woman wrote this story 200 years ago. The illustrations also complement the book so well.

The Ghosts Went Floating by Kim Norman and Jay Fleck. So many rhyming books fall short when it comes to rhythm, but this one is perfect. You’ll find yourself singing it because it’s set to the tune of The Ants Go Marching. It helps kids learn to count while also introducing them to different Halloween characters like ghosts, witches, zombies, and mummies. This would be a fantastic read-aloud in a preschool or elementary school classroom.

Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley. We’ve owned this book for years because my kids were obsessed with it when they were in preschool. Even now, they still love it, and it’s perfect for Halloween. You turn the die-cut pages to build a monster with scraggly hair, sharp teeth, and huge eyes. Then, since you’re NOT scared of the monster, you take away all the pieces of the monster and tell him not to come back. Just trust me on this one. Kids adore it.

Can You See What I See? On a Scary, Scary, Night by Walter Wick. From the same author/photographer of the I Spy series, this fun book has a bunch of spooky scenes with hidden images to find. It doesn’t give you any hints, so it can keep kids (and adults) busy for hours. I ordered this from the Scholastic book fair last year for a great deal, so I recommend buying it there rather than through Amazon.

Sammy’s Spooktacular Halloween by Mike Petrik. I am not a fan of pranks or any kind of mischief, so I was wary of this one about a boy who plays tricks on his family all year long. Luckily, it’s really cute and all about working together as a family to make holidays fun. Plus, none of the pranks he pulls are hurtful. This one is adorable.

Frankenstein Doesn’t Wear Earmuffs by John Loren. If you have read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, you know that Frankenstein is the name of the scientist who creates the monster, NOT the monster himself. So I will confess here that I get annoyed when people call the monster “Frankenstein” like they do in this book. However, it’s SO creative and cute that I am willing to overlook this pet peeve of mine. Anyone who grew up with freezing cold falls and winters knows how annoying it is to have to wear a coat or gloves or a hat with their costume. This kid’s parents keep adding layers to his costume so he’ll stay warm, but he draws the line at earmuffs.

At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketteman and Nate Wragg. This is another book that would be perfect for preschool or kindergarten. The story introduces different characters who live in the haunted house, slowly counting from one to 10. The illustrations are really cute and make this more fun than scary.

Which Way to Witch School? by Scott Santoro. I actually think this would be fun for back-to-school time, too, but it’s all about a bunch of witches who go to school together. It has a great rhyme scheme and cute illustrations, and the witches learn science and regular subjects along with broom-flying and potion-making.

Monster Trucks by Joy Keller and Misa Saburi. No, this book is not about monster trucks, the trucks with giant wheels that crash into each other in arenas. It’s about monsters who drive trucks and tractors during their “off-seasons” when they aren’t scaring kids at Halloween. If your kids love vehicles, they’ll dig this book (pun intended).

How to Scare a Ghost by Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish. You’ve probably read How to Babysit a Grandpa or one of Jean Reagan’s other books, and this one is written in the same vein. It gives step-by-step instructions for kids to find a ghost and then scare it. Of course, when the kids realize scaring a ghost isn’t much fun, they also have instructions for playing with the ghost and including it.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown. I cannot tell you how much I love this book and its sequel, Creepy Pair of Underwear. The black-and-white illustrations with pops of orange are perfection and the tongue-in-cheek humor is amazing. Just buy this one and prepare to laugh every time you read it. I crack up every time I see the carrots in the bathroom.

Have I missed any of your favorite Halloween books?

While I don’t enjoy dressing up for Halloween and am definitely more into the cute decorations than the creepy ones, I do love getting my kids skeleton jammies (this year I got a matching pair) and reading lots of Halloween picture books.

Last year I shared 13 favorite Halloween books, but I’ve discovered a few more books we love. Grab these from your library or add to your collection!

Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex. I read Goodnight Moon to my kids so many times when they were babies and toddlers that I have it memorized. This parody of the bedtime classic still has the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the original, but I love the illustrations and fun Halloween characters it introduces. Both my kids read this several times before we returned it to the library. I’ll probably buy our own copy this year.

A Tiger Called Tomás by Charlotte Zolotow. Apparently this book was originally written in the 1960s and has been updated a few times, but I’d never read it before. A little boy is afraid to play with his neighbors because he thinks they don’t like him. His mom brings home a tiger costume for him to wear trick-or-treating, and he’s excited to hide behind a mask on Halloween. Tomás realizes that his neighbors know it’s him and that he doesn’t need to be afraid after all. This would be a perfect pick for a school library! Bonus: It uses a mixture of English and Spanish words throughout.

Mother Ghost: Nursery Rhymes for Little Monsters by Rachel Kolar. I found myself singing these spooky nursery rhymes out loud, since they’re parodies of classics like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and “Hickory, Dickory Dock.” My 6-year-olds had fun reading them aloud, too, and the illustrations added a scary-but-not-too-scary element. These are great for bedtime.

Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas. Last year, my kids came home from kindergarten telling me all about this silly book their teacher had read them. I got it from the library and then immediately bought it. Winnie the Witch keeps bumping into her cat, Wilbur, because everything in her house is black, including Wilbur. She comes up with various ideas to change Wilbur’s color (none that Wilbur like) and finally realizes SHE can change, too. This is such a darling book, and the illustrations make it even better.

Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman. This is another classic Halloween book that’s really fun to read aloud in a classroom (or just at home with your kids). When the witch wants to make pumpkin pie but can’t seem to pull her big pumpkin off the vine, a bunch of friends try to help, including a vampire, a mummy, and a bat. The repetition and rhythm make this one stand out.

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago. Technically, this is a Day of the Dead book, but I thought it was adorable. Brand-new this year, the book tells the story of Gustavo, a shy ghost no one seems to notice. When he has trouble making friends, he decides to invite everyone over for a violin concert on Día de los Muertos. The illustrations are so cute, and I love the message of acceptance.

Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins. We LOVE this book so much and have it in our collection. Poor Stumpkin is a little pumpkin who sits in a store display and watches all the other pumpkins become jack-o-lanterns in homes. Why? Because Stumpkin doesn’t have a stem, which makes it harder to carve him. It’s got a sweet message about rising to your potential even when you’re a bit different.

Tell me about your favorite Halloween picture books and traditions! Do things look different at your house due to COVID-19? We’re still planning on trick-or-treating here, but there’s no costume parade since our kids are currently learning from home. Wishing you a fabulous holiday!