Halloween is a fun holiday. I have always enjoyed, for obvious reasons, the excessive amount of chocolate treats and candy that can be consumed or baked with.
However, I don't always think about food and baking. I'm also a big fan of the fun, not scary at all (though a few are suspenseful), picture books that can be enjoyed by the young and old alike.
There truly are so many fun books that make amazing read-alouds and can be used in numerous lessons in the library or classroom.
These 17 Halloween picture books fit the bill of fabulous Halloween, or Halloween-ish, stories that you can enjoy with your kids, enjoy yourself, use in a lesson, and maybe just have out as decoration during the holiday (that is totally what I do :).
No matter what you do with great Halloween picture books you should definitely make these 17 books a must read this month. Check them out!
17 Must Read Halloween Picture Books
A different kind of Halloween/monster
story, but a good, unique, and refreshing one nonetheless.
Excellent read aloud, and teachers could teach tons of different writing
lessons from this book.
Best for Preschool to 5th grade, though could be used as a writing lesson for older grades. .
I love this Halloween book! It doesn't mention the holiday, but it has the suspense and fun that goes with Halloween. It's a fabulous read aloud and makes a great sequencing lesson; I'm going to share it with you on Friday. Toddlers to first graders absolutely love repeating the story and doing the actions as you read.
Best for Toddlers to 3rd grade.
If your child likes Click Clack Moo, then they’ll like the similar
characters of Farmer Brown and his barnyard animals found in this book. It's a fun Halloween book with great onomatopoeia words a teacher could enjoy using in a Word Choice Lesson and as a read aloud.
Best for Toddlers to 2nd grade.
Fun story
that follows a few trick or treaters on Halloween night. There’s a bit of spookiness, but it is still
age appropriate. Fun read aloud, and
the illustrations are fabulous as well. However, this may be a book you will have to do a little searching for in Used Book Stores or the library.
Best for Toddlers to 3rd grade.
An old, "classic" Halloween book that is a fun one kids will enjoy over and
over again. There is a bit of magic and suspense to this story that makes it a great read aloud for many ages. Hopefully, the Pumpkin
Smasher doesn’t come to your house, but if it does you’ll know what to do
thanks to this book..
Best for Toddlers to 2nd grade.
A fabulous book that the young can enjoy learning the parts/bones in the body while reading the book with it's great pace and rhythm. An older child could really go in more depth about the skeleton. Not a Halloween book, but a book that sure looks Halloweenish with the fun skeletons on the front.
Best for Toddler to 6th grade.
This book may be harder to find/buy now, but it's a fabulously fun story for Halloween that is definitely not scary. Gritch the Witch is having a Halloween party and her sister flew in for the fun. The two witches don't always, or ever, get along. This book has great writing lesson possibilities with Word Choice (onomatopoeia words, puns, and word plays) for older kids. All ages will enjoy the story and the colorful pictures. A great read aloud and all around fun book.
Best for Toddler to 4th grade, older grades for lesson ideas.
Not really a Halloween book, but it's about a witch. Gritch the Witch sets out for Old MacDonalds Farm to find a pig to make piggie pie. This book is one of my favorite Palatini books, and even though it's not really a Halloween book it is about a witch and a fun book nonetheless.
Best for Kindergarten to 5th or even 6th grade.
Dav Pilkey, the author of Captain Underpants, has some pretty fun picture books as well. The Hallo-Wiener is one of those fun books boys and girls alike, and many ages, will enjoy.
Best for Toddlers to 3rd grade.
A fabulously fun book that makes a great read aloud and is enjoyed by many ages. It's a fun book about using your brains and working together; it is definitely not a scary Halloween book.
Best for Toddlers to 3rd Grade
A very simple
book that goes along with the popular hand play/puppet song/poem. Kids will love to "read"
this one on their own.
Best for Toddlers to Preschool maybe Kindergarten
A great story with the typical and beautiful Van Allsburg illustrations. Though this book is not really a Halloween book it is about a witch's broom. Not a scary story, but a fun story. This book is better for the older grades; it is a bit wordy for a picture book.
Best for 3rd through 6th grade.
Cinderhazel is what results when you combine Cinderella and
Halloween and give it a big twist. It’s a fun story with great
details and silly events. The pictures are fabulous as well. This makes a great read aloud, and teachers could easily use this book for an Ideas writing lesson. The students could take fairy-tales and twist them for different holidays.
Best for Kindergarten to 3rd grade.
This is one of my favorite picture books. Technically this book is not a Halloween book so you can enjoy it year round, but it has a creepy Twilight Zone vibe to it. Therefore, I felt it was perfect for our list. This is a great story, with great illustrations.
Best for Kindergarten to 6th grade, but the older grades would only appreciate it if a teacher used it in a lesson.
I have always had mixed feelings about this book, but after speaking with a good friend and hearing how much she loves it I felt I should include it on this list. Room on the Broom has fun rhyming text, great pictures, and a good message about
sharing and cooperating.
Best for Toddlers to 3rd grade.
This book is the Halloween version of the famous, "Twas the Night before
Christmas" poem. It’s got great pictures and the word choice
is excellent. Halloween Night makes for a fabulous read aloud.
Best for Kindergarten to 4th grade.
This is a funny scary story that is perfect for little ones at this time of year. The hardback books come with a CD of Reiner reading the story. It's fun! I loved using this book for several different lessons (including Ideas) in the library with my 2nd and 3rd graders.
Best for Preschool to 4th grade.
Thank you for this list! We checked out a lot of these from the library and are loving them!
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