Best Halloween Books for Kids

Halloween is about two things, candy and getting spooked. Kids have the candy part covered when they go trick-or-treating. However, getting them spooked can be tough. You obviously do not want have them watch horror movies like adults do and only so many "jump out and scare you" tricks work on kids. Halloween books come in all reading level and there is no limit to the spooks because they are all in your kid's imagination. That is why Halloween books are great for kids. They can get their spooks, tailored to their needs.


Halloween Books for Young Kids

"I Spy Spooky Night" by Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo

Suggested age range: 4-8

"I Spy Spooky Night" is a picture puzzle book. Kids are challenged to find Halloween-themed items hidden in spooky settings on every page. This Halloween book contains rhyming riddles by Marzollo and pictures by Wick. To be honest, this book is great for adults too. All of the I Spy books are capable of pulling anybody in.

"The Big Pumpkin" by Erica Silverman

Suggested age range: 4-8

"The Big Pumpkin" is a very popular Halloween book for small children. It has spooks, but it is non-threatening and fun. It is about a witch who wants to make a pumpkin pie, but has to grow a pumpkin first. The pumpkin gets too big and stuck on the vine, so she must enlist the help of a bat, a ghost, a skeleton and a mummy. This book contains illustrations by S.D. Schindler.

"No More Monsters for Me" by Peggy Parish

Suggested age range: 4-8

This book is about a girl who longs for a pet, but her mother will not let her have one. She runs away from home for a short while and finds a monster, which she brings back to her house. The problem is that the monster starts getting bigger and bigger until she is forced to take him out at night and find his real home. This is a great Halloween book for young children. It is not frightening in the slightest.

"No More Monsters for Me" is illustrated by Marc Simont.

Halloween Books for Older Kids

"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," "More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" and "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 3" by Alvin Schwartz

Suggested age range: 9-12

The above three books are collections of scary stories, some of which you might recognize as urban legends. Their content has caused controversy ever since the first book was published because of their frightening nature. However, scary stories are not meant to be pleasant and these are aimed at an older, more mature age group. The illustrations are frightening as well. They are courtesy of Stephen Gammell. If your child is easily frightened, I would not suggest these books, no matter what their age. They are great for Halloween, but they can be a little too much.

Shelly Barclay







Be sure to gauge the fright level your kid can handle before giving them any of these books. You never know what will keep them up at night. If you give them too much of a scare, you will be dealing with the consequences long after Halloween.