Halloween · Books
20 Halloween Books for Kids
A shelf of friendly ghosts, nervous rabbits, brave kids, witches, pumpkins and stories that get a little scarier as readers get older.
Halloween reading does not have to mean horror. Younger kids often want funny monsters and predictable repetition; older readers may enjoy suspense, ghosts and genuine chills.
The age labels on books never tell the whole story. If a child is sensitive to scary imagery or death themes, read a summary or preview a few pages first.
20 books for spooky season
The list starts gentle and gradually moves toward stronger middle-grade scares.
Room on the Broom — Julia Donaldson
A rhythmic witch-and-friends adventure that is funny, warm and easy to read aloud.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything — Linda Williams
A classic repetitive story with stomping boots, wiggling pants and a satisfying scarecrow payoff.
Big Pumpkin — Erica Silverman
A witch needs help moving a giant pumpkin, turning the story into a playful lesson about teamwork.
Creepy Carrots! — Aaron Reynolds
A clever picture book where a rabbit becomes convinced that the carrots are following him.
The Hallo-Wiener — Dav Pilkey
A dachshund in a silly costume gets a chance to be the hero on Halloween night.
The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky — Jory John
A picture-book story about Halloween expectations, feelings and finding a better way through a bad mood.
How to Make Friends with a Ghost — Rebecca Green
A gentle illustrated “guide” to caring for a ghost friend, with cozy spooky humor.
Bonaparte Falls Apart — Margery Cuyler
A skeleton whose bones keep falling apart gets help from friends and a very useful dog.
Los Gatos Black on Halloween — Marisa Montes
A rhyming Halloween parade filled with witches, skeletons, ghosts and cats.
Creepy Pair of Underwear! — Aaron Reynolds
A silly-spooky follow-up about glowing underwear that will not stay gone.
The Widow’s Broom — Chris Van Allsburg
A mysterious broom arrives at a widow’s farm in a beautifully illustrated story for older picture-book readers.
The Dark — Lemony Snicket
A thoughtful story about a boy confronting the dark that lives in his house.
Bunnicula — Deborah and James Howe
A family pet mystery about a suspicious rabbit who may—or may not—be a vampire.
The Witches — Roald Dahl
Darkly comic and genuinely creepy; better for kids who already enjoy scarier chapter books.
Coraline — Neil Gaiman
A brave girl discovers a strange alternate home. Atmospheric and much spookier than a typical early chapter book.
The Graveyard Book — Neil Gaiman
A boy raised by ghosts grows up in a graveyard. Best for confident middle-grade readers comfortable with darker themes.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark — Alvin Schwartz
Short folklore-inspired stories built for reading aloud, but the scares can be intense for sensitive readers.
Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House — R.L. Stine
A classic entry point into spooky middle-grade fiction with cliffhangers and kid-focused suspense.
Small Spaces — Katherine Arden
A tense middle-grade ghost story involving a field trip, scarecrows and a very bad shortcut.
City of Ghosts — Victoria Schwab
A girl who can see ghosts travels to haunted places and gets pulled into supernatural trouble.