18 Halloween Books for Kids That Will Make Story Time Frightfully Fun

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Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls, oh my! These terrifyingly tantalizing Halloween books for kids will get your kids in the holiday sprit. Swap out your regular storytime titles for some seasonal options that'll send a chill up their spine just a little bit. If your little one is not into the scary side of Halloween but loves the pumpkins, costumes, and endless candy, we've included some cute and classic books that will get them excited for the coming holiday!

From kids transforming into their costumes to go trick or treating to extra-scary stories of monsters that you might have to read with the lights on, these booooooo-ks are frightfully satisfying.

‘Room on the Broom’ by Julia Donaldson

Is the creepiest holiday of the year even a thing if there isn't a witch involved?! Room on the Broom is a quirky tale of a sweet witch enjoying a cruise on her broom with her kitty sidekick.

A sudden wind gust blows away her hat, wand, and bow — all witch essentials, of course. She finds a few friendly animal pals to help her out, and all they want is to take a ride on her cool broom. But is there room?

More: Halloween Costumes Your Toddler Will Want to Wear All Year

‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ by Charles M. Schulz

The iconic duo, Charlie Brown and Snoopy, along with the rest of the Peanuts troop, star in this classic Halloween-inspired story. It's Halloween night, and aside from filling up on candy and bobbing for apples, the gang wants to know if the Great Pumpkin is going to emerge from the patch to deliver toys to all the kiddies.

‘It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff

Perfect for the tiniest tot in the family, It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse is a part of the beloved If You Give... book series.

In this adventure, Mouse is ready for fall and even more ready to decorate pumpkins — but he's run into a problem. You and your little one can follow along as Mouse tries to solve his mishap and enjoy his favorite time of the year.

‘Spooky Pookie’ by Sandra Boynton

Sandra Boynton is well-known for her sweet illustrations featuring the precious pig, Pookie. In this Halloween tale, Pookie is knee-deep in costumes, but none of them seem to be the right choice. At the end, your little one will be delighted to see what Pookie chooses to wear for the ghoulish holiday!

‘Bad Kitty Scaredy-Cat’ Nick Bruel

Kitty used to be able to stare in the face of fright with confidence. She was brave. She was courageous. Some would say she fancied herself to be more of a lioness than a house kitty.

But one October, when a group of monsters popped up at her door and squashed her fearlessness, Kitty was never the same. This Halloween, the scariest holidays of them all, Kitty will overcome her fear — or will she?

‘The Happy and Heinous Halloween of Classroom 13’ by Honest Lee and Matthew J. Glibert

Your kiddos might've grown out of picture books but they'll never be too old for story time.

In this fifth installment of the Classroom 13 series, the unlucky class is gearing up for the haunting holiday when the unthinkable happens — the kids are turning into their creepy costumes!

Will the children of classroom 13 ever transform back, or will they be doomed to be werewolves, ghosts, and flying witches forever?

‘Little Blue Truck's Halloween’ by Alice Schertle

In the original book, Little Blue Truck is known for being helpful and friendly. Nothing much has changed in the Halloween spin-off version, either.

Blue is giving his neighborhood animal buds a ride to a costume party. While you're reading the story, your tot will love pulling up the flaps to reveal which animal is under the costume.

‘The Night Before Halloween’ by Natasha Wing

The night before any exciting event, like trick-or-treating, is always filled with anticipation for what's to come. In The Night Before Halloween, the friendly ghosts, goblins, and monsters are decking the halls with scares to welcome the human trick-or-treaters.

‘The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat’ by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Berenstain Bears is a treasured childhood series of books that always have a valuable lesson to leave with tiny readers.

In this Halloween-themed story, Brother and Sister are heading out to fill their bags with candy when their friends suggest playing a trick on their neighbors. Will Brother and Sister ignore their instinct to do the right thing?

‘Goodnight Goon: a Petrifying Parody’ by Michael Rex

You've probably read Goodnight Moon to your tot no less than a million times. Your kids will be tickled green when they read the parody version of that classic story, Goodnight Goon. Instead of kittens and a pair of mittens, this version features a baby werewolf in a room with a skull, and a shoe, and a pot full of goo.

But that's not all! The pup can't sleep because a sneaky green Goon is doing everything he can to make sure dozing off is impossible. We are warning you now — this ghastly version might turn into a year-round favorite!

‘Where the Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak

Let the wild rumpus start! An instant classic when it was first published in 1963, Where The Wild Things Are is not a traditional Halloween tale — but it includes plenty of monsters, frights, and adventure.

Little Max goes from grounded in his room with no dinner to a mystical world where monsters twice his size dance wildly, laugh loudly, and crown him as king. Although it's several decades old, the story will become a bookshelf staple.

‘Go Away, Big Green Monster!’ by Ed Emberley

Does your tot have a love/hate relationship with all things scary? Go Away Big Green Monster was created for them.

As your little one turns the pages, a big, green monster will start to form — but as you continue reading the book, the monster will disappear and prove that your kiddo is in charge and not made-up monsters.

‘Llama Llama Trick or Treat’ by Anna Dewdney

The perfect introduction into story time for your littlest family member, Llama Llama Trick or Treat is a simple board book with satisfying rhyming throughout. In the story, little llama and his friends pick out the perfect costumes, carve grimacing pumpkins, and have a smashing good time for Halloween.

‘Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete’ by James Dean

If your tot loves the Pete the Cat series, they will adore this festive twist on his adventures. Much like your little one, Pete loves Halloween and can't wait to gobble up the tasty candy — but he isn't too keen on the scary parts of the holiday. As Pete goes trick-or-treating, your kiddo can lift each flap to discover the ghoulish surprise inside.

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ by Tim Burton

The verdict is still out as to whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween film or more of a winter tale, but either way, your kiddos will love this beloved story year-round. The perfect mix of hair-raisingly frightful characters and red- and green-colored cheer, your Halloween-obsessed kiddo will fall in love with the story.

‘The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin’ by Joe Troiano

Spookley is not like the other pumpkins in the patch. While he is orange with a green stem, he is square — and the other pumpkins get a kick out of teasing him for his differences. But by the end of the story, the other pumpkins in the patch realize that Spookley's uniqueness is what helps save the day.

‘Bonaparte Falls Apart’ by Margery Cuyler

Bonaparte has a big problem: His bones won't stay together. When he's running, his femur simply falls off. How can he possibly start the school year when his bones refuse to stay put?! His frightening friends come up with a host of quirky solutions to help Bonaparte get ready for school without falling apart.

‘Pumpkin Soup’ by Helen Cooper

Halloween books for kids are not all ghosts, ghouls, and goblins. In this tale, Duck, Cat, and Squirrel spend their days making their favorite meal: pumpkin soup.

Cat dices up the pumpkin while Squirrel stirs the water and Duck adds the perfect amount of salt. But one day Duck is over the whole seasoning-duty thing and wants to try his hand at stirring instead. When denied the promotion, Duck storms out of the trio's cabin into the deep, dark woods. Will Cat and Squirrel find their buddy?

‘Ten Timid Ghosts’ by Jennifer O'Connell

This Halloween tale starts off with 10 ghosts — but by the end, there's only a single howling ghost floating around. This sweet counting book is a perfect way to practice counting with your little one while getting into the Halloween spirit.

‘In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories’ by Alvin Schwartz

An absolute classic and a Halloweeny, scary-story staple, In a Dark Dark Room is full of tales that the entire family will enjoy. Each story will take you on a journey full of creepy crawlies and crazy creatures. We will warn you now: Maybe keep a flashlight nearby if you're reading in the dark!

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