Halloween is such a fun holiday. Tons of candy, costumes, and no stress! Here are some children’s books about Halloween that my kids have enjoyed.
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In this story, the characters go to a pumpkin patch. It notes how pumpkins can be different shapes and colors. The pumpkins are then brought home and the book describes carving the pumpkins. Next, they put on costumes and go trick or treating. There are about one or two sentences per page and there’s a rhyming sequence throughout the book.
We are big fans of Sandra Boynton’s Pookie board books. This is another cute one in which Pookie’s mom tells him how to trick or treat. First, Pookie needs to choose a costume. He ends up trying on a number of different options.
A house is lonely and worried that people don’t live there because perhaps it is haunted. The house tries to change but it doesn’t work. Then the house realizes instead of trying to change it just needs a family who likes that the house is haunted. This is a sweet book, a short, easy read-aloud.
An adorable book about a small ghost who is cute, not scary. She hasn’t been able to get her haunting license from Ghost School because she has not scared anyone yet. Boo has only one more chance to scare someone if she wants her license. She tries all the normal tricks but they don’t work. In the end, Boo decides she doesn’t want to be a scary ghost after all.
Construction Site Gets a Fright!
A lift-the-flap board book from a very popular series. Construction trucks don’t trick or treat but they do dress up in costume and sometimes get scared. Each truck gets scared by something and the reader lifts the flap to see what non-scary thing is actually causing the fright. For example, one truck thinks it sees a monster but it is just branches wiggling in the breeze.
This board book has rhymes and easy text, perfect for babies and toddlers.
We’re big fans of all the Little Blue Truck books. In this Halloween book, Little Blue Truck and his friends are having a Halloween party. Bonus, your kids will love lifting the flaps!
A sweet tale about a ghost who desperately wants to make friends but he is so shy that other monsters can’t see him. Gustavo decides to be brave one day and sends invitations to the other monsters to come to his violin concert. No one comes but he plays anyway lighting up from his love of the music. It turns out the monsters were just late or lost and loved hearing him play. Although Gustavo still doesn’t talk much the other monsters love being his friend.
You can just read the book or sing it to the tune of “The 12 Days of Christmas”.
This book is cute and funny! A witch is filming a cooking show featuring a recipe for frog soup. She starts making the soup but when it comes time to add in the frogs they keep jumping out. The witch gets frustrated chasing them around. Ultimately, she decides pickles are an acceptable substitute and enjoys the soup with her frog friends.
There is a sentence on each and this book keeps everything about Halloween light and fun. The reader sees the signs throughout the book that Halloween is coming. Leaves fall from the trees, there are hayrides and corn mazes, candy apples, and a night during which you can be anything you want.
If your kids enjoy the Narwhal and Jelly series they’ll love this addition. These books are quick and easy graphic novel-style children’s books. In this story, there are three different sections separated by fun facts about animals. Narwhal likes trying on all the different Halloween costumes while Jelly is scared to participate but ends up being brave for his friend.
A sweet rhyming book about friendship and kindness. A young witch is lonely and decides to cast a spell for a friend. While gathering the ingredients she discovers she needs fur from a one-eyed teddy bear. Then she flies to the city and tumbles into a girl’s bedroom who has a one-eyed teddy bear. It’s been her bear forever and she offers the witch its last piece of fur. The witch declines and a friendship between the girl and the little witch begins – no spell needed.
Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo!
You might be familiar with the series. Wearing costumes, the two friends go trick or treating and learn that a swamp monster is looking for them. They get nervous but decide that it’s two against one and they try to scare the swamp monster by bravely shouting boo. It turns out the swamp monster is really their friend Thistle. Duck and Goose pretend they weren’t really scared, trick or treating, sort through candy, and share Halloween stories.
This book takes you through the whole movie using kid-friendly illustrations and basic text. Elliot discovers an extra-terrestrial and brings E.T. home. His two siblings share in the secret. The alien ends up learning English and it’s funny to see him dress up and try different foods but he misses his home. Elliot and his siblings make a plan to get E.T. back home while also avoiding the scientists looking for the alien. The night of the big plan is Halloween and the kids dress up to get E.T. to the meet-up spot with the spaceship.
Adorable book about a young girl trying to decide what to be for Halloween. She uses her stuffed animals as inspiration and finds items from around her house to make the costumes herself. Maybe an elephant with pillowcases for ears and a sock for her nose? The girl ends up being a zookeeper pulling a wagon of all her stuffed animals with a sign that reads “please feed the animals”.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
An old lady is walking home from the forest and keeps coming across items in the middle of the path (two big shoes, a shirt, a hat, etc). She says aloud to get out of her way and that she is not scared of the clothing items. Then the woman is startled by a scary pumpkin head and she runs into her house. The items don’t scare her like they are supposed to but she comes up with a different plan for them,
Another enjoyable book with a fun rhythm. Skeleton is dancing to a Halloween party. Can he make it in one piece?
It’s Halloween, Little Monster
It’s Little Monster’s first Halloween going trick or treating and he’s a little nervous.
We love these board books because the flaps are sturdy. Under each flap are fun facts about pumpkins, bats, scarecrows, etc. Each page shows a different Halloween scene such as the pumpkin patch, trick or treating, and carving pumpkins at home. You might even learn some fun new Halloween facts from this book.
Peter Rabbit and the Pumpkin Patch
Peter is back to his old mischief and wants to steal some pumpkins from Mr. McGregor’s garden with his cousin Benjamin. As usual, they get into predicaments, including being frightened by a scarecrow. Eventually, the two come home to see that Peter’s mom had carved a jack-o’-lantern and the family is having a party. This book is more text-heavy than some of the other books on this list.
Trick or Treat, Little Critter
I’m normally not a big fan of the Little Critter books but this one does a good job of going through the very basics of Halloween for young ones to understand. From picking out costumes to carving pumpkins and the tradition of dividing up candy between siblings it’s a simple and effective introduction to the holiday.
Me and My Dragon: Scared of Halloween
A boy’s pet dragon is scared of Halloween and he wants to help him feel less nervous.
A classic about a witch who loses her hat and wand but animals help her find them.
This story is adorable and not scary at all. A little vampire wants to vacation somewhere new this year, the beach but his parents are not on board. He tries to convince them in many ways but the family wants to do what they normally do (tour Dracula’s castle, dine at a five-star blood bank, etc). Ultimately, the family takes their first beach vacation and it’s a big success.
Biscuit’s Pet & Play Halloween
We love the Biscuit board books for our babies and toddlers. They love to feel the different textures on each page. Biscuit’s friends are going trick or treating. The reader gets to feel the furry cat costume, the silky ghost, a sparkly crown, etc.
The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat
Brother and Sister are excited to go trick or treating with their friends.
I hope your children enjoy these Halloween books as much as mine do. If you are looking for a fun Halloween treat check out my easy Halloween Ice Cream Treats.
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