The best 19+ Halloween books for children in 2023
Be ready for Halloween with these must-read books for your kids...
Get ready to introduce your kids to the magic of Halloween with our curated list of must-read books.
With so many children's books to choose from, it can be overwhelming to find the perfect one. That's why we've done the hard work for you! We've handpicked and filtered out the best of the best, leaving you with a list of 19+ fun and spooky books that are sure to delight children between the ages of 2-9 years old.
Our list includes a wide variety of books, from classic tales to new favourites, all with a Halloween twist. From spooky stories to silly jokes, there's something for every child. Each book in our list comes with a short description next to it and the appropriate age group, making it easy for you to find the perfect one for your child.
Don't waste any more of your valuable time searching on the internet for the perfect Halloween book, when we've already done the homework for you.
Browse our list and find the perfect one for your child today. With just one click, you can view the book and make your purchase. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make your child's Halloween even more special with these fun and spooky books.
Table of contents:
Here's how to make the most out of Halloween for kids...
Halloween is an exciting time for children. it doesn’t necessarily need to be all about horror stories and scary ghosts.
Here are some things that you can easily do to make the most out of Halloween this year...
Pumpkin carving (A Jack-O-Lantern) is a must. Pick a nice, fat pumpkin and help the kids to carve out a creative face. Keep the scooped-out pumpkin flesh to make a delicious, creamy pumpkin soup! (Do not let very young children carve a pumpkin, and do not leave children unattended with sharp or dangerous objects within reach).
Get crafting - make some awesome Halloween crafts together. There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest. Or try our easy-peasy floating ghost tealight craft in the video below!
DIY clay Ghost and Pumpkin tealight craft
Let the kids dress up as anything they like. It doesn't have to be anything ghoulish and scary - Go out and buy really fun costumes - or make them yourself of course. Enjoy doing matching make-up!
Throw a Halloween party - It will be so much fun making Halloween party food! Don’t forget the homemade toffee apples! We spotted some great easy-to-make Halloween Appetizers on the Better Homes & Garden website.
Gather a small group together and read Halloween stories. You’ll be sure to find a great book from our list below!
Here's a storytime video from our resident storyteller to set the mood first...
I Want To Be In A Scary Story
by Sean Taylor. Read by Sherry
I Want To Be In A Scary Story
Age 2 - 5.
Hardcover or paperback.
A really fun story, full of suspense! The little purple monster wants to do some scaring, but it looks like he's too afraid for this adventure - or is he!? Maybe he'll frighten us too bits in the end!
By Sean Taylor. Illustrated by Jean Jullien
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19+ best Halloween books for kids in 2023
1. The Crayons - Trick or Treat.
Age 4 - 8 years.
Hardcover.
The Crayons are on a Halloween adventure and can't wait to fill their bags with treats. The trouble is, that they think they know the right words to say, but they don't. Purple crayon is at hand to teach them the correct words. A book full of bright humour.
By Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers.
Publisher: Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
2. My Favourite Spooky Stories - Box set.
Age 4 -7 years.
Paperback.
5 spine-tingling, funny tales that are ideal for Halloween.
Part of the 'I can read - level 2' series.
Aimed at children who can read on their own but still need a bit of help.
Titles include:
Flat Stanley and The Haunted House.
Monster School: First Day Frights.
In A Dark, Dark Room, and Other Scary Stories.
Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia.
Lulu Goes To Witch School.
Various authors.
Publisher: HarperCollins.
3. Best Kids Halloween Jokes Ever.
Age 6 - 9 years.
Paperback.
Over 500 jokes guaranteed to make this Halloween a hilarious one.
14 different joke topics such as 'Wacky Witches', 'Mummy Mania' and Vexing Vampires. With funny black-and-white illustrations too.
Joke example:
- What kind of horse does the boogeyman ride?
- A Nightmare.
Publisher: Highlights Press.
4. Gustavo, The Shy Ghost
Ages 2 - 8 years.
Paperback or Hardcover.
Gustavo loves being a ghost. But his shyness stops him from making friends and speaking with the other monsters. He is also in love with Alma, the prettiest monster in town. Find out how Gustavo bravely comes up with a plan to over-comes his shyness in this book full of sweet illustrations.
By Flavia Z. Drago.
Publisher: Candlewick Press - Walker Books.
5. Weird But True! Halloween edition.
'300 spooky facts to scare you silly'.
Age 8 - 12 years.
Paperback.
Full of interesting, weird facts, statistics, trivia and tidbits. Get ready to be filled with tons of scary and funny Halloween knowledge. Great for enthusiastic learners!
By Julie Beer and Michelle Harris.
Publisher: National Geographic Kids.
6. Ten Little Monsters. Halloween edition.
Age 2 - 6 years.
Paperback.
Part of the 'Ten Little' book series that encourages children to interact and count.
Follow these fun, ten little monsters as they wake from their sleep. Will they frighten you as they creep around their castle doing trick or treating?
Delightful rhymes, bright illustrations and cute characters.
11 exciting themes to choose from in this 'Ten Little' series, such as:
By Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty.
Publisher: Hachette Kids Orchard Books.
7. Don’t Push the Button! A Halloween Treat.
Age 2 - 5 years.
Hardcover.
A great book that is interactive in that it prompts you to join in with the story.
Join in the scary fun with Larry the Monster - He has just one more house left to finish with his trick-or-treating. Will you dare to press the doorbell for him? (Note - there is not a physical button to press in this story)
By Bill Cotter.
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.
There are several books in the 'Don't Push...' series, such as,
8. The Bad Seed Presents - The Good, The Bad, and The Spooky
Ages 4 - 6 years.
Hardcover.
By Jory John and Peter Oswald
9. Eek! Halloween
Ages 1 - 3 years.
Board book.
A fun rhyming story.
By Sandra Boynton.
10. Pete The Cat - Trick or treat.
Ages 2 - 6 years.
Lift-the-flap book. Paperback.
By James Dean and Kimberly Dean
11. Ten Timid Ghosts
Ages 2 - 5 years.
Paperback.
A timeless, fun, rhyming counting book that young children will love.
By Jennifer O'Connell
12. Creepy Tales
Ages 4 - 6 years approx.
By Aaron Reynolds. Illustrated by Peter Brown.
13. When The Clock Strikes Halloween
Ages 2 - 6 years.
Hardcover and paperback.
By Lisa Ferland & Calvin Ferland. Illustrated by Pei Jen.
14. I Spy Halloween Book.
Ages 2 - 5 years.
Halloween colouring and guessing games.
A charming interactive activity book for kids.
15. Pop-Up Peekaboo.
Age 1 - 3 years.
16. The Happy Pumpkin.
Help the little pumpkin find its way home. A story about acceptance.
Ages 3 - 5 years.
Board book.
By Haley MacKenzie
17. Little Blue Truck’s Halloween.
Ages: Baby - 3 years.
Lift-the-flap board book.
By Alice Scheitel. illustrated by Jill McElmurry
18. Dia De Los Muertos.
Ages 4 - 8 years.
Paperback.
A beautiful multicultural picture book of the Mexican celebration.
By Roseanne Greenfield and Carles Ballesteros.
19. The Spooky Wheels on the Bus.
Ages 2 - 3 years.
Paperback.
A spooky take on this well-known children's rhyme.
By J. Elizabeth Mills
20. Hoot, Howl Halloween
Ages 1 - 3 years.
Board book.
A fantastic sound book for Halloween!
10 buttons that make different spooky sounds
F.A.Q's Questions kids have about Halloween
What exactly is Halloween?
Halloween was originally influenced by Celtic harvest festivals. 31st October was the chosen eve in which people remembered their departed ancestors and Saints. It was a time to celebrate their lives.
Where was Halloween first celebrated?
It was first celebrated in Ireland and Scotland.
What does the word ‘Halloween’ mean?
It means ‘Saint’s Evening’ - It derives from a Scottish term that translates as ‘Hallow’s Eve’.
When is Halloween?
In the Western world, it falls on 31st October
Why do we use Pumpkins for Halloween?
Originally, turnips were used by the Irish in the 19th century. It was a cheap root vegetable that could be carved out and used to keep away bad spirits. Some used it to frighten people. The Americans replaced the turnip with their traditional harvest pumpkin around 1895.
Why is a carved pumpkin called a ‘Jack-O-Lantern'?
One version is that the name Jack-O-Lantern’ comes from a mid-18th-century Irish folklore tale. ‘Stringy Jack’ is a lazy, but clever blacksmith. He out-wits the Devil but sadly ends up roaming all of eternity with just a carved turnip that contains a burning lump of coal in it to light his way. Jack of the Lantern!
What is ‘Trick or Treat’ and why do children play it?
Trick or Treat is a game that involves children going around the neighbourhood in groups, knocking on doors. They call out ‘Trick or Treat’ - A treat is when the children are given candy or even money by the person who opens the door. If the children are not given a ‘treat’, then the tradition requires the children to play a small, harmless prank, known as a ‘trick’ - such as ring the person’s doorbell several times and run away.
Do they celebrate Halloween in other countries?
Some do. A few countries have similar historical traditions that have been around for a long, long time, and they may fall on different days. Such as in Mexico. There, the equivalent to Halloween is ‘Day of the Dead ‘ Dia de Los Muertos’. The Mexican citizens honour their deceased ancestors in a beautiful way on November 1st & 2nd. The Chinese celebrate the ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’ in mid-July. In Spain, they celebrate ‘The Castanyada’ which involves an old grandma roasting chestnuts and sweet potatoes. And in Romania, they celebrate The Feast of Saint Andrew.
Our storyteller 'Sherry' has a spooky tale for you!...
A Visit To The Haunted House
By Dean Walley and Annie Ingle. Illustrated by Arlene Noel.
Make some fun Halloween treats!
Make 31st October complete by making some of these doable
'15 homemade Halloween Treats'
Creative, spooky recipe ideas that will go down a TREAT this Halloween.
We love the Frankenstein cookies.
Credit: 'Well Done' channel on Youtube
This 'Best books for HALLOWEEN 2022' Blog Post is brought to you by
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If you make a final purchase we may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.