Thread: Halloween Reading for Kids

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Just found out that the wife & I will be expecting our first child in February!

With that in mind I'm trying to come up with a list of favorite Halloween books for kids. From beginners to Middle School- because it'll be easier to work on building the collection now than when they're ready... (Just like Halloween, its never too early to start!)

Tell me some of the Halloween flavored books you loved reading when you were a kid! Doesn't have to be Halloween focused, just something appropriate for the season.

Thus far I've got the Bunnicula series by James Howe, and the Goosebumps series and it's many derivatives (Fright Times, Bonechillers, Graveyard School, ect, ect)

the "Pumply, Dumply Pumpkin". For toddlers and little ones. It's a cute story about Peter finding the PERFECT PUMPKIN.

Amazon.com: Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin (9780689838347): Mary Serfozo, Valeria Petrone: Books

I liked this book when I was a littlun - John Bellairs' The House With a Clock In Its Walls. Sort of gothic horror for kids. Amazon gives it an age estimate of 9-12.

Amazon.com: The House With a Clock In Its Walls (Lewis Barnavelt) (9780142402573): John Bellairs, Edward Gorey: Books

Fisrt off, Congratulations! What great news for the two of you, you must both be very excited!

I'd recommend The Little Witch Step-Into-Reading books ( I think there are 9 of them)- really fun to read to/with your kids no matter how little, especially Little Witch's Big Night (all about Halloween).

I read Clive Barker's The Thief of Always to my daughter when she was little- might account for her fierce enjoyment as an adult of all things Halloween & horror movies/the macabre in particular. Barker did write a fine kids book when he penned Thief- his other stuff has always given me nightmares...but in a good way

Anything recommended by The Children's Book Review is probably worth looking at as a possibility.

Five Little Pumpkins by Dan Yaccarino

I remembered another one - this isn't spooky, it's sweet, but it's got a good amount of Halloween action. It is Eleanor Estes' The Witch Family. I think a girl might enjoy it more than a boy - both protagonists are young girls - but who knows. Recommended age again is 9-12.


Amazon.com: The Witch Family (9780152026103): Eleanor Estes, Edward Ardizzone: Books


I don't know if you've seen or like the Ed Emberley drawing books, also? If you do, there is a Halloween one. Amazon's recommended age is 4-8.

Amazon.com: Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Halloween (Ed Emberley Drawing Books) (9780316789776): Ed Emberley: Books

My 4 year old asks for "We're Off to Find the Witch's House" all year long. The artwork is wonderful, and it's a fun one to read outloud.

Congrats on the little bundle of joy!

This may show my age, but when I was a little girl this was my favorite book: In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz.

I first read it to my kids when they were 7 and 3. My 7 year old loved it and my 3 year old was a bit scared BUT he wanted me to read it to him night and night again - so I guess even though it scared him, he liked it so much! (wonder where he gets that from!)

Needlesstosay, I have so many kids Halloween books. Another cute one (and not scary) is anything with Corduroy in it - such as Corduroy's Best Halloween Ever or Halloween is Here Corduroy. Check Amazon.

Never read that one in particular but I do remember checking out his Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark trilogy every other month when I was a kid

One of my daughters favorites used to be The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Scared of Anything by Linda Williams and Megan Lloyd. She would laugh and laugh!!

And may I add my congratulations!!