Sturdy for Common Things

Favorite Halloween Books

My fondness of Halloween started at a very young age. Perhaps it was the glowing pumpkins lining the streets, or stories of witches riding in the night, or inky October evenings with the moon hanging low in the sky… Aaaaah Halloween!  But one thing I know for sure is my romance with this holiday was encouraged by many of the books I read or was read aloud to as a child.  This list represents a sampling of favorite books I’ve used in storytimes, books my own kids enjoy, as well as books I’ve been reading since I was a wee Hallowe’en witchy.

Have a favorite Halloween read that isn’t on this list? Please share it in the comments below!

 

HALLOWEEN BOOKS
Picture books full of tricks and treats, pumpkins, witches, and spooks, and all kinds of Halloween fun!

The Witch Casts a Spell by Suzanne Williams, illustrated by Barbara Olsen (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Halloween Happening by Adrienne Adams (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
One Spooky Night by Kate Stone (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman, illustrated by S.D. Schindler (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Spooky Box by Mark Gonyea (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Little Goblins Ten by Pamela Jane, illustrated by Jane Manning (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Mumbo Jumbo: The Creepy ABC by Michael Roberts (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Halloween Night by Elizabeth Hatch, illustrated by Jimmy Pickering (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Bones of Fred McFee by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

PUMPKINS & JACK-O-LANTERNS

Pumpkin Heads! by Wendell Minor (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Bumpy Little Pumpkin by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by Will Hilenbrand (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Fierce Yellow Pumpkin by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Richard Egielski (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Pumpkin Fair by Eve Bunting (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Littlest Pumpkin by R.A. Herman, illustrated by Betina Ogden (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Mouskin’s Golden House by Edna Miller (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White, illustrated by Megan Lloyd (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

TRICK-OR-TREATING

Pumpkin Eye by Denise Fleming (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Hallo-wiener by Dav Pilkey (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Halloween Surprise by Corinne Demas, illustrated by R.W. Alley (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Halloween Hats by Elizabeth Winthrop, illustrated by Sue Trusdell (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Just Say Boo! by Susan Hood, illustrated by Jed Henry (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
What a Scare, Jesse Bear by Nancy White Carlstrom, illustrated by Bruce Deagen (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

WITCHES & CATS

Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas, illustrated by Korky Paul (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
I Am a Witch’s Cat by Harriet Muncaster (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Happy Halloween Witch’s Cat! by Harriet Muncaster (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Little Witch’s Big Night by Deborah Hutzing (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches by Alice Low, illustrations by Karen Gundershimer (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Scary, Scary Halloween by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Jan Brett (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Witches’ Supermarket by Susan Meddaugh (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Only a Witch Can Fly by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Pumpkin Cat by Ann Turner, illustrated by Amy Bates (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Moonlight: The Halloween Cat by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

GHOSTS

No Such Thing by Ella Bailey (Public Library | Local Bookstore) – review + activity!
Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline Ogburn, illustrated by Marjorie A. Priceman (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
My First Ghost by Maggie Miller, Michael Leviton, illustrated by Stephanie Buscema (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Georgie’s Halloween by Robert Bright (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Trick-or-Treat by Leo Landry (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

HAUNTED HOUSES

In the Haunted House by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Susan Meddaugh (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
In the Dark, Dark Wood by David Carter (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Haunted House, Haunted Mouse by Judy Cox, illustrated by Jeffery Ebbeler (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketterman, illustrated by Nate Wragg (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

MONSTERS, VAMPIRES, SKELETONS, & ZOMBIES

The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell  (Public Library | Local Boostore)
Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Dem Bones by Bob Barner (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Zombelina by Kristyn Crow, illustrated by Molly Idle (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck, illustrated by Mark Buehner (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
No More Monsters for Me! by Peggy Parish, illustrated by Marc Simont (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler, S.D. Schindler (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Frankenstein by Rick Walton, Illustrated by Nathan Hale (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Hampire! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Howard Fine (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Not Very Scary by Carol Brendler, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

NONFICTION HALLOWEEN FUN

National Geographic Readers: Halloween by Laura Marsh (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature’s Undead by Rebecca L. Johnson (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
I Spy A Pumpkin by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by Walter Wick
I Spy Spooky Night: A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by Walter Wick (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Can You See What I See? On a Scary Night: Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve by Walter Wick (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Halloween Book of Fun by National Geographic (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin Pie byJill Esbaum (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Rotten Pumpkin: A Rotten Tale in 15 Voices by David M. Schwartz, illustrations by Dwight Kuhn (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Halloween Is… by Gail Gibbons (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Ghosts!: Ghostly Tales from Folklore by Alvin Schwartz and Victoria Chess (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Bones: Skeletons and How They Work by Steve Jenkins (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Kids’ Pumpkin Projects by Deanna F. Cook (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Trick-or-Treat: A Happy Haunter’s Halloween by Debbie Leppanen, illustrated by Tad Carpenter (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
National Geographic Readers: Bats by Elizabeth Carney (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Spiders Spin Webs by Yvonne Winer, illustrated by Karen lloyd-Jones (Public Library | Local Bookstore)

 

HALLOWEEN BOOKS FOR BABIES & TODDLERS
Halloween books with simple text and eye-catching illustrations for your littlest monster!

Five Little Pumpkins by Tiger Tales and Ben Mantle (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Trick or Treat? by Melanie Walsh (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Seven Pumpkins by Steven Savage (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Buket Erdogan (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Boo to You! by Lois Ehlert (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Peek-A-Boo! by Nina Laden (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Boo! by Leslie Patricellie (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Ollie’s Halloween by Olivier Dunrea (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Nighty Night, Little Green Monster by Ed Emberley (Public Library | Local Bookstore)
Pumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfonzo, illustrated by Valeria Petrone (Public Library | Local Bookstore)