Halloween is finally here! Halloween isn’t all about scary and gruesome things. There are plenty of spooky cute Halloween picture books that kids will enjoy reading and adults can read to them as well. These are great because they teach kids valuable life lessons while still keeping things appropriate for little ears and eyes. Celebrate the holiday with your kids by adding some spooky fun to your October reading list. Here is a list of books you can read to your children this Halloween season to help them get in the spirit without being scared witless or otherwise terrified.
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Halloween Picture Books:
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 to play, but when night falls and the lights go out, 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 fall 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 Cale Atkinson
Sir Simon: Super Scarer is a perfect choice for young readers who are looking for a spooky yet heartwarming Halloween story. It reminds us that sometimes the best friendships can be found in the most unexpected places, even between a ghost and a young boy.
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 Isla Wynter
In "The Pink Ghost" by Isla Wynter, readers are introduced to Ella, the smallest and youngest of all ghosts. Ella yearns to prove that she is all grown up, but her attempt goes awry and she ends up as a pink ghost surrounded by white ghosts. This unexpected transformation causes the other ghosts to laugh at her for being different. Determined to regain her confidence and foster acceptance among her peers, Ella devises a plan.
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 Adam Wallace
How to Catch a Monster is a fun story about a brave young ninja that 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.