This October treat your kids to the best October read-alouds. It's the month you get to enjoy all things pumpkins and make things a little spooky, including storytime! In this post, I have included a list of perfectly themed picture books for kids to read during October. The picture books in this October reading list are just right for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders.
This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases
October Reading List
by Carolyn Crimi
Where's My Mommy is a cute not-so-spooky picture book to read at bedtime. Little Baby Mummy does not want to go to bed. He wants one more game of "Hide and Shriek". As Little Baby Mummy hides, he stumbles upon mysterious creatures going about their night. Such as a skeleton brushing its teeth. When Little Mummy gets too spooked, his Mama Mummy is there to comfort him and get him ready for bed.
by Sarah Conway
What's scarier than a ghost? A ghost who's afraid of the dark! In Sarah Conway's Ghost Afraid of the Dark, our little protagonist is just that. He's a friendly ghost who loves play, but when night falls and the lights go dark, he gets scared. But with a little help from his monster friends, he learns that there's nothing to be afraid of in the dark. This sweet and spooky story is perfect for Halloween.
by Nicola Killen
A little girl, named Ollie, and her cat Pumpkin head outside to play on a beautiful fall day. As they play near a pile of fallen leaves, they notice that something is moving inside. They discover a little black kitten. The three become fast friends. But then Ollie discovers "Lost Kitten" posters on the forest trees. She knows she has to help the kitten get back home.
by Margery Cuyler
Bonaparte Falls Apart is a cute and spooky Halloween picture book perfect for kids. In the story, Bonaparte the skeleton starts to fall apart just before Halloween. His friends help him put himself back together again, but every time he tries to do something, he falls apart again. Ultimately, they all come up with a creative solution that makes everyone happy. This is a great book for teaching kids about being flexible and working together.
by Rebecca Green
How to Make Friends With a Ghost is a humorous book about ghost care complete with boo-tiful illustrations. It is a fantastic children's picture book for ghost story lovers to read during October.
Editorial Review: "[T]his charming ghost story warms the heart… a heartfelt lesson in kindness and caring, qualities essential to creating ‘lifelong (and beyond) friendships.'" --Booklist
by Cal Everett
A Halloween picture book must-read! Celebrate the magical season with this inclusive, fun, rhyming read-aloud. Halloween is Coming is sure to delight readers of all ages.
Editorial Review: "The simple, rhyming text is ideal for read-alouds. Wen has textured the digitally rendered illustrations with pencil, creating a soft and bright atmosphere, even for scenes set at night. For readers who enjoy the playful, social aspects of the holiday, this is a solid choice." ― School Library Journal
by Aaron Blabey
Everyone's favorite greedy pug, Pig, is on the hunt for treats on Halloween night! This four-legged glutton has some terrible tricks up his sleeve for those who get stingy with the Halloween goodies.
Pig the Monster is a laugh-out-loud rhyming picture book from the #1 New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Aaron Blabey.
Editorial Review: "The goggle-eyed cartoon illustrations are fun, funny, and appealingly grotesque in their exaggerated goofiness, and they are a good match for the rhyming text." -- Kirkus Reviews
by Jory John
From Jory John and Pete Oswald's bestselling Food Groop series, comes The Good, The Bad, and The Spooky. Halloween is the Bad Seed's favorite holiday. As you can expect, he is very excited about the spookiest time of the year. There is just one problem, he doesn't have a show-stopping costume! What can he do? He comes up with the perfect plan, he will just postpone Halloween night for everyone!
by Junia Wonders
Gorgeously illustrated story about a little girl chasing a roll-away pumpkin all over town. Your family can join Marla as she encounters delightful characters helping her along the way. It's perfect for introducing sequencing to preschoolers during the fall season.
by Adam Wallace
How to Catch a Monster is a fun story about a brave young ninja who heads to the closet to confront a scary monster. The little hero might just realize that the monster isn't really scary at all.
It is an inventive picture book with themes of conquering fears and overcoming anxiety. It reminds us that things aren't always as scary as it seems. It is a fantastic book to read for the first day of school or before heading out on a spooky trick-or-treating.
Editorial review: "The rhyming text flows well and the bright illustrations are giggle-inducing, especially when the monster does something VERY unexpected." ― Kiss the Book
by Elaine Bickell
Fans of Five Little Pumpkins, Room on a Broom, and How to Catch a Monster will love The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo! When Little Ghost opens her mouth to give a big scary boo she discovers that her boo is gone. What will she do now?
Editorial Review: "This interactive feature is sure to be a crowd pleaser." --Horn Book Magazine
by Gina Gallois
I Don't Want to be Scary on Halloween tells the story of Poppy Opossum who is in search of the perfect costume for Halloween night. Unfortunately, everyone is already afraid of her, so she is in search of something that will not make everyone scream. This is an adorable story that teaches children not to judge a book by its cover.
by Funskill Brew
A funny Halloween picture book for kids bound to entertain readers of all ages. Parents rave about how much fun this book is for them and their little ones.
by Wendell Minor
Award-winning author Wendell Minor imagines the extra large pumpkins in some of America's favorite places such as Mount Rushmore, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Grand Canyon, and more! How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow is full of fun facts celebrating famous landmarks and landscapes while also engaging in the concepts of size and scale. This book would be an excellent addition to geography and math lessons!
by Linda White
Too Many Pumpkins is a beautifully illustrated heartwarming classic. It is a wonderful story about helping others. Rebecca Estelle has always hated pumpkins, but one day something unexpected happens, when a giant pumpkin falls in her yard. Over time the tiny pumpkin seed that had fallen in her yard sprouts up and eventually leaves her with TOO MANY PUMPKINS! What will she do now?
by Loren Long
Otis and the Scarecrow is a beautifully illustrated story about subtle acts of compassion and standing up for each other. A wonderful story about inclusion!
by James Dean
Join Pete the Cat as he goes trick or treating around the neighborhood. Discover what awaits behind each door as you "lift the flaps" to reveal fun spooky surprises.
by Catherine Hapka
Includes over 30 Halloween-themed stickers!
Splat the Cat is determined to find the biggest pumpkin ever. When he does, he finds a huge pumpkin bigger than he is. Now he must figure out how he will get that pumpkin home!
by Laura Numeroff
You might recognize this friendly mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Join him as he sets on his quest to decorate all the pumpkins in the pumpkin patch. But there is one problem, one pumpkin has gone missing! Where is it?
by Jennifer O'Connell
A counting book perfect for beginning readers. Ten timid ghosts are in a haunted house, but a mean witch has moved in and tries to scare them out one by one. With this book, young trick-or-treaters will learn to count down from ten to one as each ghost runs away from the witch's silly costumes and props. Once the ghosts meet up in the woods, they are determined to get their house back. Will they be able to get the witch out in time for Halloween night?
by Joe Troiano
"Delivers a message of tolerance and kindness"
Spookley the Square Pumpkin was born differently. He did not look like the other pumpkins in the pumpkin patch, and he got teased for it. Until one day, Spookley proves that being different can save the day!
Enjoy a free download of my October Reading List!
Happy Reading!