With shorter days and less outdoor playtime, reading time comes inside, close and cozy. There are many fun books that surround this fall season of pumpkins, harvest and Halloween. Libraries and bookstores will spotlight many of these fall titles. Email me with your new favorites, and we’ll add them to the list!
- Herbert’s First Halloween by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Steven Henry. Chronicle, 2017. Perfect for kids ages 2-4 who have mixed feelings about this whole Halloween thing.
- Halloween Night by Elizabeth Hatch, illustrated by Jimmy Pickering. Random House, 2005. This laugh out loud rhyming book incorporates a variety of characters who are all hiding inside a smiling jack-o-lantern. Love the illustrations in this one.
- Little Blue Truck’s Halloween by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry. HMH Books, 2016. Little Blue Truck is picking up his friends for a Halloween party. Lift the flaps in this board book to see who is dressed up in each costume.
- The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2017. A twist on The Ugly Duckling, this book is about The Ugly Pumpkin who waits all of October waiting for someone to take him home.
- Halloween Hustle by Charlotte Gunnufson, illustrated by Kevan J. Atteberry. Two Lions, 2013. A skeleton heads to a Halloween party but keeps falling apart. Will he even make it to the party?
- Double Trouble on Halloween by Don Hoffman, illustrated by Katy Batz. Peek a Boo Publishing Group, 2016. Twin brothers prepare for trick-or-treating. What happens when they forget their manners? This fun book reminds children that being polite is nothing to be afraid of.
- What’s That Spooky Sound? A Halloween Trick or Treat Thriller. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016. Three children go on a Halloween adventure. Perfect for parents to read to their pre-reading children.
- I’m Not Scared by Todd Parr. Little, Brown, 2017. Todd Parr’s books are so simple and thoughtful. This book helps ages 3-6 understand what’s going on with Halloween and reassures them that it’s okay to be scared, but everything is going to be fine.
- Halloween Colors by Barbara Barbieri McGrath. Charlesbridge 2016. A bright book to introduce babies to colors.
- The Very Best Pumpkin by Mark Kimball Moulton, illustrated by Karen Hillard Good. Simon and Schuster, 2010. This book about farm life and friendship describes Peter who lives with his grandparents on Pumpkin Hollow farm where they tend to a garden. Megan is the girl next door who becomes friends with Peter as they match pumpkins. Elementary age.
Moonlight, the Halloween Cat by Cynthia Rylant. HarperCollins, 2003. For little ones, toddlers and preK. This adorable little black cat is an explorer at heart, and she loves Halloween. There’s lots to see on this warm and friendly night.- The Legend of the Great Pumpkin by Charles M. Schultz (Simon Spotlight, 2017). This board book is a fun way to introduce your child to this classic Peanuts story.
- How to Make Friends with a Ghost by Rebecca Green. Tundra/Penguin Random House, 2017. Children ages 4-8 will enjoy this humorous picture book that outlines the basic care and feeding of a ghost.
- The Book of Ghosts by Michael and Devon Hague. HarperCollins, 2009. Older readers will get goose bumps as they enjoy classic ghost stories including “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “The Mummy’s Curse” and more. The watercolor illustrations add to the spookiness of this collection.
Reader Recommendations
- “My very, very favorite Halloween book is The Halloween Play by Felicia Bond. It’s such a sweet story. I buy a few copies every year to give away.” Lisa W.
- “We just finished Good Night Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex. It was great and super cheap in the Scholastic Book Club Order!” from Rachelle.
Submitted by SpringfieldMoms staffer Julie Kaiser.
