Halloween is a time for spooky fun and imaginative costumes, but it can also be a great opportunity to curl up with a good book. Children’s books for Halloween come in all shapes and sizes, from sweet and silly stories to mildly spooky adventures.
Whether you’re looking for a rhyming counting book to introduce little ones to the holiday or a chapter book with a touch of suspense for older kids, there’s a perfect Halloween read-aloud waiting to be discovered. So grab a flashlight, cuddle up under a blanket and let these frightfully fun tales entertain you and your little one.
Board books for children 3 and under
These sturdy books, filled with enchanting characters, colorful illustrations and simple rhymes, are perfect for little hands and even smaller boos. Introduce your child to the magic of Halloween and create lasting memories together through these fun stories.
“Spooky Pookie” by Sandra Boynton
In this story by Sandra Boynton, Pookie can’t decide what to be for Halloween. Will he be a dragon, a bear, a banana or something else? Children will love turning the pages to find out what Pookie decides in this delightful rhyming book.
“First Spooky Words” by Roger Priddy
Introduce your child to Halloween vocabulary with “First Spooky Words.” Every word has a picture to match so children can quickly learn Halloween words and what they look like. This book has a mixture of real photographs and illustrations to keep kids engaged.
“Where is Baby’s Pumpkin” by Karen Katz
Baby searches the house for her pumpkin in this lift-the-flap book. Is Baby’s pumpkin under the bed, behind a curtain or under the leaves? While Baby is searching, she finds other surprises, such as a witch’s hat, candy apples and a ghost. Children will love helping Baby look for her pumpkin in this interactive book.
“You’re My Little Baby Boo” by Nicola Edwards
This book is full of nighttime illustrations, cutouts and raised elements of Halloween characters like ghosts, pumpkins and candy corn. It features a sweet story about a parent’s love for their child.
“Five Little Pumpkins” by Tiger Tales
A classic Halloween rhyme is brought to life in this adorably illustrated board book. Children can practice counting the pumpkins from one to five in this spooky story.
Stories for preschoolers
Fall is here, the leaves are changing and Halloween is just around the corner. This spooky — but not too scary — collection of books is perfect for introducing little ones to the fun of Halloween. With playful rhymes and adorable characters, these stories will have your preschooler singing, dancing and ready to shout “trick-or-treat.”
“The Night Before Halloween” by Natasha Wing
Get preschoolers excited for Halloween with this rhyming book based on Clement C. Moore’s Christmas poem. Spiders, mummies, witches and other fun characters get ready for Halloween. Colorful illustrations and rhyme will make kids want to read this story again and again.
“Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson
A witch and her cat fly through the sky on a broomstick when the wind blows away the witch’s hat, her bow and her wand. Three helpful animals find her things and want a ride on her broom in return. Will they all fit, and will they all be able to save the witch from a hungry dragon? This book is full of rhyming and has lessons of kindness and acceptance.
“My 4-year-old girl absolutely adores “Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson! She loves the silly rhyming words and the witch with her funny friends. The story always makes her giggle, and she loves pretending to fly on a broomstick with all the characters.”
— Tamara Tsaturyan, Thriving In Parenting
“The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” by Linda Williams
In this classic story, a little old lady is walking in the woods and hears sounds all around her. Boots, pants, gloves and a pumpkin head try to scare her. She chooses not to be afraid, and each item has an interactive component, such as clomping, shaking and clapping. The items come together as a scarecrow to scare the crows away in the end.
“How to Catch a Witch” by Alice Walstead
When the kids in this book go trick-or-treating, ghosts, goblins and ghouls are everywhere. They discover a witch on a broom has opened a magical portal that lets spooky creatures out all over the neighborhood. The children set traps to catch the witch and close the portal before all the candy is gone. After reading, some kids may want to make traps of their own.
“There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Ghost” by Lucille Colandro
In this Old Lady’s story, she swallows a ghost, a mask, a flashlight and more. What will happen when she’s full? Read to find out in this colorful rhyming book that’s part of the Old Lady Who Swallowed series.
Halloween books for children 6 to 8
Get ready for some spooky fun. These Halloween books are perfect for children ages six to eight. You’ll find silly ghost stories, heartwarming tales of friendship and adventures filled with Halloween magic.
“Weird But True Halloween: 300 Facts to Scare You Silly” by National Geographic
This book is full of strange but true facts about pumpkin carving, candy, costumes and more. It has mostly real photographs and some illustrations. Each page contains one or two interesting facts written in large print.
“Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt” by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Nate the Great and his trusty dog, Sludge, help a friend find her cat in this beginning chapter book mystery. It’s Halloween night, and they’re all dressed up to go trick-or-treating. Will they find the cat in time to join in on the festivities? Is she hiding, or is she lost? Kids will love following the clues to help solve the mystery with Nate.
“Froggy’s Halloween” by Jonathan London
It’s Halloween, and Froggy is trying to find just the right costume. His trick-or-treating does not go as planned, but he has fun anyway. As usual, Froggy is accident-prone and makes many mistakes. Kids will enjoy this silly story from the Froggy series.
“Junie B. Jones: Boo…and I Mean It!” by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones is scared to go trick-or-treating and is worried about all sorts of things. What if witches and monsters are real? What if pumpkins with sharp teeth can eat your feet? She’s not sure if she will be able to enjoy this scary holiday. Even though she’s worried, she still has time to be silly, as Junie B. always is.
“A Super Scary Narwhalloween” by Ben Clanton
Narwal and Jelly celebrate Halloween in the eighth book in this series. Narwhal loves Halloween and dressing up. Jelly is scared of this time of year and doesn’t want to dress up. He would rather hide somewhere on Halloween. A super scary sea monster shows up and swallows Narwhal. Will Jelly be able to overcome his fear and save his best friend?
Final thoughts
Whether you’re searching for a silly story about costumes and candy, a heartwarming tale about overcoming fears or a book with beautiful illustrations that capture the magic of Halloween, there’s a children’s book out there that will perfectly suit your child’s interests and age. So grab a cozy blanket, cuddle up with your little one and let these Halloween reads transport you both to a world of spooky fun and delightful thrills.
Heidi is a Certified Elementary School Teacher in the Inland Northwest and has been teaching for 18 years. She is also a vintage recipe blogger at RealLifeofLulu, where she focuses on recipes that are at least 50 years old, many from her grandparents’ kitchens. When she isn’t teaching or baking, she loves spending time with her husband and three kids.