35 Spookilicious Halloween Books for Kids
Halloween is just around the corner and that means it is time for … Halloween books for kids! This collection includes our pick of the best Halloween picture books that we know will scare the pants off your kids! Joking, of course!
With more than 25 titles on this list, we have also some board book suggestions for your littlest ghoul, and some spookilicious Halloween picture books for older children – we’re sure they will be a hit in your middle grade classroom. Many of these scary stories also explore themes related to empathy, friendship, overcoming fears, and more.
Halloween Books for Kids
As with all of the lists in our Best Books for Kids collection, each title in our Halloween books list links to an Amazon page (these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you) where you can find reviews and age recommendations for those you might not be personally familiar with.
Pig the Monster by Aaron Blabey
Pig is the world’s greediest pug and he is on a rampage for TREATS! TREATS! TREATS! But don’t even think about being stingy with the goodies, because this candy-fueled glutton has some terrible tricks up his sleeve.
Beast Feast by Emma Yarlett
A super fun, funny and interactive story, with real letters to open! Beast has found a tasty dinner, and he’s invited all his friends to a feast. Unfortunately, Dinner is a child who very much does not want to be eaten! As Beast’s friends send their instructions for cooking Dinner, is there any way Dinner can convince Beast to change his menu?
Poultrygeist by Eric Geron
A very funny and a creative take on the chicken crossing the road story with an appealing chicken hero, a clever premise, witty puns…and roadkill!
Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble by Tracey Corderoy
The first in a wonderful picture book series, Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble asks if your granny were a little bit different from other grannies (even if she is, in fact, a WITCH!) would you want to change her? Or would you love her just the way she is?
A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee
A little witch afraid of humans decides to spy on a human Halloween (from a safe distance!) to discover more about the scary spectacle but it all wrong when her broomstick crashes and she finds herself face to face with a human!
The Vampires Next Door by Sigi Cohen
A catchy, humorous Halloween tale about Lee’s fail-proof mission to get rid of her family’s bloodsucking neighbors…without being bitten!
Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper Rabbit is definitely not afraid of something as silly as underwear. But when the lights go out, suddenly his new big rabbit underwear glows in the dark! Jasper’s done with creepy underwear but despite trying everything to get rid of them, they just keep coming back!
How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace
A fun Halloween story with a special message about conquering fears and overcoming anxiety, reminding us that even monsters aren’t always as scary as they seem!
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
A witch and her cat encounter a series of animals who would love to join them on their broomstick – the friendly witch is welcoming, while her cat is more than a little skeptical! When they come upon a dragon who would like to eat the witch, she is saved thanks to the ingenuity of her collection of new (and old!) animal friends.
Room on the Broom is also a fun short film for kids to watch at Halloween, check it out in our list of fabulous short films from children’s books and check out our complete list of Halloween Movies for Kids.
The Witch’s Cat by Sonica Ellis
Little Pepper is no ordinary cat but indeed the blackest cat you’d ever meet. Pepper finds it hard to make friends. Is it because of how she looks – the black cat curse? Or is it because she’s a witch’s cat? The Witch’s Hat is great for inspiring discussion about friendship and building confidence.
Monster Mess by Margery Cuyler
A sweet story about a tired monster who cannot sleep because of the mess in a small boy’s room.
Love Monster and the Scary Something by Rachel Bright
The lovable Love Monster is afraid of the dark! All the sounds of the night make his imagination run wild! Will he be brave enough to stare his fears straight in the googly eye?
Monsters Love Underpants by Claire Freedman
A super fun story of monsters of all shapes and sizes who love wearing underpants, even though they know that, if they’re caught, no one will ever find them scary again! Super cute and funny too.
Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler
Bonaparte is falling apart! His bones keep falling off – whenever he plays catch, visits the doctor, even when he rides his bike! With the help of his friends, can Bonaparte find a way to stay together before school starts?
Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks
A rollicking, rhyming tale of monsters and their menacing meals – they certainly won’t eat broccoli! Or will they??!
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper the rabbit loves eating carrots until one day he notices that he is stalked by… carrots! Unfortunately his stalkers disappear as soon as he tries to spot them, and none of his friends believe his story. What will Jasper do to rid himself of these creepy carrots!
At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketteman
A frightfully fun counting book for kids! Young readers will enjoy count the cast of creepy creatures as they prepare for their holiday celebration – the Halloween Fright party.
The Halloween Tree by Susan Montanari
Most young saplings dream of becoming Christmas trees but one grumpy, old tree who doesn’t like lights, decorations, or people is determined to be different. He’s determined to be the Halloween Tree! A lovely story about finding your own place in the world.
The Good, The Bad and the Spooky by Jory John
Bad Seed LOVES Halloween! But what’s a seed to do when he can’t find a show-stopping costume for the big night? Can he get a costume together in time? Or will this seed return to his bad ways?!!
Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween by Sivan Hong
A useful tool for helping children to understanding why some of their friends may not be looking forward to Halloween, as they find it scary or overwhelming. This is a great Halloween picture book for helping kids to understand kindness and empathy.
Hey, That’s My Monster by Amanda Noll
When Ethan looks under the bed for his monster, he finds this note instead: “So long, kid. Gotta go. Someone needs me more than you do. -Gabe” How will Ethan ever get to sleep without his monster’s comforting snorts? And who could need Gabe more than Ethan does?!!
Meg and Mog by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski
The first in the classic series of simple stories featuring a kind hearted witch, Meg, and her faithful companion cat, Mog, these titles have remained popular for over 40 years for a reason.
Goodnight Little Monster by Helen Ketteman
Super cute and fun to read, young children will love reading about the little monster and how he gets ready for bed…which might be a little different to their own routine with howling at the moon, scrubbing his scales and enjoying a bedtime snack of worm juice and baked beetle bread!
That Monster On The Block by Sue Ganz-Schmidt
Monster is excited to see what kind of creature will move into Vampire’s old house. But when the moving truck pulls up, it’s not a greedy goblin, an ogre, or a dastardly dragon that steps out. Instead, Monster’s new neighbor is something more terrifying than Monster could ever have imagined!
Monster Trouble by Lane Fredrickson
Nothing frightens Winifred Schnitzel – but she needs her sleep, and the neighborhood monsters won’t let her be! They sneak in, growling and belching and making a ruckus. Even Winifred’s clever traps don’t stop these crafty creatures. What’s a girl to do?!
Moldilocks and the Three Scares: A Zombie Tale by Lynne Marie
Papa Scare, Mama Scare and Baby Scare live in a spooky haunted house. One night, they go out to walk their dog to let their alpha-bat soup cool down but while they’re away in walks the zombie Moldilocks! A spooky twist on a hauntingly familiar story.
The Monster At the End Of This Book by Jon Stone
Sesame Street’s Grover will do anything to stop you turning the pages of this book.. you see, there is a scary monster at the end of the book!
There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers
Jeffers has created a fun interactive Halloween picture book about a haunted house. A little girl takes you through the rooms of the house searching for the ghost that she is sure lives there. Using a clever transparent page between each of the book pages, sees ghosts appear on each page! Watch the narrator closely, there is something ghostly about her too!
Halloween Picture Books for Elementary & Middle School
The Dark by Lemony Snicket
Laszlo is afraid of the dark. The dark lives in the same house as Laszlo but mostly it spends its time in the basement. It doesn’t visit Laszlo in his room.
Until one night it does!
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman
Lucy believes there are wolves living in the walls of her home. Her father, mother, and brother continue to deny the reality of the situation, and ultimately choose to flee one night when the wolves do indeed come out of the walls to take over the home. But Lucy has other ideas, determined to retake her family’s home from the worrisome wolves.
My Dead Bunny: A Zombie Rabbit Tale by Sigi Cohen
A creepy picture book aimed at older kids who don’t mind reading about scary things! When a boy’s pet rabbit chews through the TV cord he is electrocuted. But the misses his rabbit, Brad, and decides to dig him up to see him once last time. The boy later throws the corpse in the trash but late that night hears his sisters scream – it seems Brad is back and this time he’s not going to be thrown away!
Hansel and Gretel: A Darkly Brilliant Fairy Tale by Neil Gaiman
A brilliant and dark retelling of the classic fairy tale of a brother and sister who must survive abandonment by their parents and being captured by a hungry witch..
Monsters: 100 Weird Creatures from Around the World by Sarah Banville
Monsters includes the story or folklore surrounding 100 monstrous creatures from all around the world – including the well known Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster, alongside lesser-known monsters such as the Japanese Sea Serpent and Chinese Hopping Vampires.
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Five truly spine chilling illustrated horror stories for kids aged 14+ years, each depicting characters from a wide range of time periods, social statuses, and general walks of life coming face to face with supernatural horrors.
More Halloween Learning Resources
For more Halloween learning tools and resources, check out these related posts;
