Frightfully fun Halloween books for kids
It’s time to get out the witchy hats, rubber bats, and buy a whole lot of candy that may or may not make it to October 31st. I love Halloween and checking out each year’s batch of new Halloween books for kids is always a highlight of the fall for me. Here are 10 of my favorite—not scary—stories to share with kids, from toddlers to tweens.
Ages Baby to 3
This sweet little board book is perfect for the littlest trick-or-treaters. The adorable bears are all putting together Halloween costumes from their dress-up box (I love the DIY spirit here!) but the box is quickly emptied and patient little Floppy has nothing to wear. The bears pull together and everyone shares, in a fun rhyming story without any scares. (I can’t help myself…) –Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
This sweet little board book is perfect for the littlest trick-or-treaters. The adorable bears are all putting together Halloween costumes from their dress-up box (I love the DIY spirit here!) but the box is quickly emptied and patient little Floppy has nothing to wear. The bears pull together and everyone shares, in a fun rhyming story without any scares. (I can’t help myself…) –Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 2-4
Kids who love Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site will be excited to join the crew once more as they prepare for Halloween in a brightly colored lift-the-flap board book. A construction yard filled with jack-o’-lanterns, black cats, and a haunted house give the pages a classic Halloween feel but the simple text and surprises behind each flap promise fun not frights. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Kids who love Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site will be excited to join the crew once more as they prepare for Halloween in a brightly colored lift-the-flap board book. A construction yard filled with jack-o’-lanterns, black cats, and a haunted house give the pages a classic Halloween feel but the simple text and surprises behind each flap promise fun not frights. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 3 to 5
I love Ryan T. Higgins’ Mother Bruce books with the somewhat cantankerous blue bear and his overly exuberant sidekicks of geese and mice. The humor is spot-on and so are the accompanying illustrations, particularly the characters’ facial expressions that you can’t help but smile at. Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow is perfect for Halloween with its play on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (without the dark and spooky stuff), but is also a fun read any time of year. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
I love Ryan T. Higgins’ Mother Bruce books with the somewhat cantankerous blue bear and his overly exuberant sidekicks of geese and mice. The humor is spot-on and so are the accompanying illustrations, particularly the characters’ facial expressions that you can’t help but smile at. Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow is perfect for Halloween with its play on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (without the dark and spooky stuff), but is also a fun read any time of year. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 3 to 6
Evelyn Witch has everything a young witch needs…or does she? Evelyn decides she needs a pet and ends up taking a gamble on a mystery egg. Will it be a dragon or a unicorn? A narwhal or even a porcupine? Evelyn tries everything from spells to spelunking to snowy sled-rides to get her egg to hatch, but to no avail. And just when she thinks she can wait no more, the egg finally hatches. This picture book is so funny—Evelyn’s favorite frustrated exclamation is “sniveling snails!” and we can all relate to having our patience sorely tested. In fact, mine may be sorely tested waiting for the next Evelyn Witch book…(are you listening Beth Ferry?) —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Evelyn Witch has everything a young witch needs…or does she? Evelyn decides she needs a pet and ends up taking a gamble on a mystery egg. Will it be a dragon or a unicorn? A narwhal or even a porcupine? Evelyn tries everything from spells to spelunking to snowy sled-rides to get her egg to hatch, but to no avail. And just when she thinks she can wait no more, the egg finally hatches. This picture book is so funny—Evelyn’s favorite frustrated exclamation is “sniveling snails!” and we can all relate to having our patience sorely tested. In fact, mine may be sorely tested waiting for the next Evelyn Witch book…(are you listening Beth Ferry?) —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 4-8
Perfect for little ones who might be a little nervous about Halloween, Edgar the shark understands their feelings. But his good friend Lotta the crab eases him into Halloween fun with pumpkin carving and decorating before tackling costumes. Edgar is still concerned about going out on Halloween night, but once again Lotta prevails—it’s only one night a year, after all, and Edgar discovers that trick-or-treating with friends is fun, not frightening. With cute word puns and a clever ending, this is a terrific new story featuring Edgar and Lotta (Pizza Shark and Santa Shark) —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Perfect for little ones who might be a little nervous about Halloween, Edgar the shark understands their feelings. But his good friend Lotta the crab eases him into Halloween fun with pumpkin carving and decorating before tackling costumes. Edgar is still concerned about going out on Halloween night, but once again Lotta prevails—it’s only one night a year, after all, and Edgar discovers that trick-or-treating with friends is fun, not frightening. With cute word puns and a clever ending, this is a terrific new story featuring Edgar and Lotta (Pizza Shark and Santa Shark) —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 4 to 8
This is one of my favorite new picture books this year that is also perfect for Halloween reading. Bob is an ordinary snail, just like all the other snails (also all named Bob) until he’s turned into a vampire. A tomato-sucking vampire. As Bob navigates his unwelcome new reality, his usual favorite foods are now disgusting, he has to learn to sleep upside-down, and the other snails are afraid of him so he’s also very lonely. Until, at last, he meets someone who truly understands. This bright and expressive picture book had me giggling out loud with a hilarious story of adapting to change and finding a friend who really gets you. Bite-size facts about bats are a fun bonus. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
This is one of my favorite new picture books this year that is also perfect for Halloween reading. Bob is an ordinary snail, just like all the other snails (also all named Bob) until he’s turned into a vampire. A tomato-sucking vampire. As Bob navigates his unwelcome new reality, his usual favorite foods are now disgusting, he has to learn to sleep upside-down, and the other snails are afraid of him so he’s also very lonely. Until, at last, he meets someone who truly understands. This bright and expressive picture book had me giggling out loud with a hilarious story of adapting to change and finding a friend who really gets you. Bite-size facts about bats are a fun bonus. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 7 to 10
The first in a new illustrated chapter book series, this is a terrific read anytime of year, and especially around Halloween. A young cucuy—the mythical monsters sent to scare children into behaving—studies hard, learning the ways of human kids and families, but when he finally gets his first assignment—a child named Ramón—things do not go as planned. Ramón isn’t frightened by the cucuy, what he’s scared of is starting at a new school. It turns out the monster and boy have much in common and together they get past new-kid nerves with humor. A wonderful fantasy about belonging, courage, and friendship that young readers are sure to love. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
The first in a new illustrated chapter book series, this is a terrific read anytime of year, and especially around Halloween. A young cucuy—the mythical monsters sent to scare children into behaving—studies hard, learning the ways of human kids and families, but when he finally gets his first assignment—a child named Ramón—things do not go as planned. Ramón isn’t frightened by the cucuy, what he’s scared of is starting at a new school. It turns out the monster and boy have much in common and together they get past new-kid nerves with humor. A wonderful fantasy about belonging, courage, and friendship that young readers are sure to love. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 7 to 10
Having trouble getting your kids to stop playing Roblox and pick up a book? This Roblox story may be the answer. The newest book in the Diary of a Roblox Pro series has a Halloween theme as Ari, Jez, and Zeke visit a spooky house on the hill in Blockville on a dare. It can’t really be haunted…can it? Too many doors, no way out, and a creepy top floor await. Perfect for young Roblox fans, there’s action, adventure, suspense, and even parkour in this chapter book that will capture even a reluctant reader’s attention. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Having trouble getting your kids to stop playing Roblox and pick up a book? This Roblox story may be the answer. The newest book in the Diary of a Roblox Pro series has a Halloween theme as Ari, Jez, and Zeke visit a spooky house on the hill in Blockville on a dare. It can’t really be haunted…can it? Too many doors, no way out, and a creepy top floor await. Perfect for young Roblox fans, there’s action, adventure, suspense, and even parkour in this chapter book that will capture even a reluctant reader’s attention. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 8 to 12
A sleepover birthday party at an amusement park with the most popular girls in school seems like middle schooler Brie’s dream come true. But things quickly take a turn when she discovers that while “the Ems” may be popular, they aren’t very nice. A cruel trick leads Brie to a forbidden part of the park, the place where something terrible happened years ago. She meets three teens who are nice to her and invite her to tag along with them, but something is a little off, and that’s when things start going off the rails. This one has a little bit of horror movie vibes but without anything too scary, and author Deliah Dawson does a great job of pairing some spine-tingling with sage advice about having empathy even for frenemies, and that finding true friends sometimes takes patience but is worth the wait. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
A sleepover birthday party at an amusement park with the most popular girls in school seems like middle schooler Brie’s dream come true. But things quickly take a turn when she discovers that while “the Ems” may be popular, they aren’t very nice. A cruel trick leads Brie to a forbidden part of the park, the place where something terrible happened years ago. She meets three teens who are nice to her and invite her to tag along with them, but something is a little off, and that’s when things start going off the rails. This one has a little bit of horror movie vibes but without anything too scary, and author Deliah Dawson does a great job of pairing some spine-tingling with sage advice about having empathy even for frenemies, and that finding true friends sometimes takes patience but is worth the wait. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Ages 10 and up
We’ve all heard of haunted houses, but how about a haunted piano? When Margot’s dad moves away to seek fame and fortune as a musician, she’s left feeling lonely and abandoned. So, when she finds a discarded old synthesizer keyboard she thinks maybe it could hold the key to winning the attention and adoration of her peers, and more importantly, her dad. But despite what the sign said—Free Piano (Not Haunted)—this is no ordinary keyboard. Combining serious themes of feeling left behind and the emptiness of fame-seeking—with a haunted object, a ghostly pop star and a love of music—this coming-of-age graphic novel hits all the right notes. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
We’ve all heard of haunted houses, but how about a haunted piano? When Margot’s dad moves away to seek fame and fortune as a musician, she’s left feeling lonely and abandoned. So, when she finds a discarded old synthesizer keyboard she thinks maybe it could hold the key to winning the attention and adoration of her peers, and more importantly, her dad. But despite what the sign said—Free Piano (Not Haunted)—this is no ordinary keyboard. Combining serious themes of feeling left behind and the emptiness of fame-seeking—with a haunted object, a ghostly pop star and a love of music—this coming-of-age graphic novel hits all the right notes. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
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