Halloween Picture Books

Witches, ghosts, black cats and jack-o-lanterns! This collection of Halloween picture books features some frights, and lots of fun.
Updated October 2, 2022
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Scary, scary Halloween
Bunting, Eve
Paper Book
I peer outside, there's something there  That makes me shiver, spikes my hair.  It must be Halloween.    Green eyes watch from the dark as skeletons dance, goblins skip, and ghosts float by. Come along to find a scary, scary surprise! With rhythm, rhyme, and just the...
Halloween forest
Bauer, Marion Dane.
Paper Book
If you take your trick-or-treat sack and venture into the dark woods on Halloween night, you'll find cat bones, rat bones, and bat bones - and all are looking at YOU! "Take care! Beware! Despair! the bone creatures cry. "You can bet you've just met your worst nightmare!" What will you do?...
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Schulz, Charles M.
Paper Book
Every Halloween night, Linus insists upon waiting in the pumpkin patch for his hero, the Great Pumpkin. This year he convinces Sally to stay with him, giving up a night full of costumes and candy. Their patience proves fruitless, but the Peanuts gang learns that even an eerie night like Halloween...
Los gatos black on Halloween
Montes, Marisa.
Paper Book
Follow los monstruos and los esqueletos to the Halloween party Under October'sluna, full and bright, the monsters are throwing a ball in the Haunted Hall.Las brujas come on their broomsticks.Los muertos rise from their coffins to join in the fun.Los...
Just say boo!
Hood, Susan
Paper Book
If three dinosaurs roar when you open your door, what do you say "Boo!" of course! In this charmingly spooky story by Susan Hood, little trick-or-treaters learn just what to say in every Halloween situation. From rattling bones to ghostly footsteps, Susan captures all the...
Zen ghosts
Muth, Jon J.
Paper Book
Stillwater, the beloved Zen panda, now in his own Apple TV+ original series!It's Halloween. The trees are ablaze in fiery reds. Excited children don colorful costumes. And there's mystery and fun around every corner!When Addy, Michael, and Karl finish trick-or-treating, their bags are...
The bones of Fred Mcfee
Bunting, Eve
Paper Book
In this rhythmic story, an unsuspecting brother and sister bring a toy skeleton home from the harvest fair. They name it Fred McFee and hang it from a sycamore tree. Soon, eerie things begin to happen. And then on Halloween night, Fred vanishes!
The little old lady who was not afraid of anything
Williams, Linda
Paper Book
"A splendiferous Halloween story." --The Horn Book "A great purchase for Halloween or any time of year." --School Library Journal (starred review) Once upon a time, there was a little old lady who was not afraid of anything! But one autumn night, while walking in the woods, the...
Bone soup : a spooky, tasty tale
Capucilli, Alyssa Satin
Paper Book
"A delight...Just the right mix of creepy and humorous, treading the line between scary and fun." --Kirkus Reviews "Plenty of tasty vocabulary...As ghoulishly bright as a jack-o'-lantern." --Publishers Weekly Three little witches...
The Hallo-wiener
Pilkey, Dav
Paper Book
From Dav Pilkey, creator of the New York Times bestselling Dog Man and Captain Underpants series, comes Oscar, a little dog with a big bullying problem.Oscar is a little dog with a big problem -- he gets more tricks than treats because other dogs tease him all the time. But one brave act on...
The Berenstain Bears and the spooky old tree
Berenstain, Stan
Paper Book
Carve out family time for this classic Berenstain Bear's read! Three brave little bears explore the inside of a mysterious old tree and go into, up, through, over, down, and out. Bright and Early Books are perfect for beginning beginner readers! Launched by Dr....
Creepy carrots!
Reynolds, Aaron
CD
In this Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a rabbit fears his favorite treats are out to get him. Jasper Rabbit loves carrots--especially Crackenhopper Field carrots. He eats them on the way to school. He eats...
Big pumpkin
Silverman, Erica.
Paper Book
A little bat uses brains over brawn in this not-so-scary Halloween picture book. The witch has grown the biggest pumpkin ever, and now she wants to make herself a pumpkin pie for Halloween. But the pumpkin is so big she can't get it off the vine. It's so big the...
Arthur's Halloween
Brown, Marc Tolon.
Paper Book
BESTSELLING CLASSIC SERIES! More than 5 million Arthur Adventure books sold! Get spooked with Arthur this Halloween! With all of his classmates in costumes, Arthur can't tell who's who at the school Halloween party, and he nearly...
Room on the broom
Donaldson, Julia.
Paper Book
This fun family read-aloud is the perfect way to start Halloween celebrations with a sweet-but-slightly-spooky story that makes it an ideal gift book The witch and her cat couldn't be happier, flying through the sky on their broomstick-until the witch drops her hat, then her bow,...
Space Case
Edward Marshall
Ebook
Hubknuckles
Herman, Emily.
Paper Book
Every Halloween, Hubknuckles pays a visit to Lee and her younger sisters and baby brother. The children watch the ghostly figure from the safety of their warm kitchen, experiencing delicious little tickles of fear. But this year, Lee has decided that Hubknuckles isn't real. "Hubknuckles is...
Clifford's Halloween
Bridwell, Norman.
Paper Book
Clifford is the hit of the Halloween party when he arrives dressed as an enormous ghost.
The widow's broom
Van Allsburg, Chris.
Paper Book
A widow finds herself in possession of an extraordinary broom left by a witch who fell into the widow's garden.
Hoodwinked
Howard, Arthur
Paper Book
Mitzi is a witch who likes creepy things. So when she decides to get a pet, she wants the creepiest pet possible. But the bats she tries are too batty, the toad does nothing but eat bugs, and the warthogs . . . well, that’s a whole other story. Mitzi is in despair. She wants a...
The Berenstain Bears trick or treat
Berenstain, Stan
Paper Book
Carve out family time for this classic Berenstain Bears Halloween story--featuring over 50 bonus stickers! Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic book from Stan and Jan Berenstain. It's Halloween and Brother and Sister can't wait to go trick-or-treating with...
Click, clack, boo! : a tricky treat
Cronin, Doreen.
Paper Book
Will the barnyard animals trick--or treat--Farmer Brown? Find out in this Halloween tale from the #1 New York Times bestselling creators of Click, Clack, Moo. Farmer Brown does not like Halloween. So he draws the shades, puts on his footy pajamas, and climbs into...
The little kitten
Killen, Nicola
Paper Book
"Lucky kitten, lucky readers: a sweet, special Halloween story." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "This gentle story is a sweet option for a Halloween read-aloud and will please young feline fans any time of the year." --Booklist From beloved...
The Halloween tree
Montanari, Susan McElroy
Paper Book
A charming, funny, and heartwarming kids Halloween picture book that will help to start a new seasonal tradition. Perfect for kids 3-5 or any young child in your life that wants to celebrate the spookiest season of the year. Everyone knows most young saplings dream of becoming Christmas trees....
Happy Halloween, witch's cat!
Muncaster, Harriet
Paper Book
A little girl believes her mother is a good witch, and she is a special witch's cat. Together, they're out to find the perfect Halloween costume. But what could be better than being a witch's cat? To create the whimsical world of Witch's Cat, author-illustrator Harriet Muncaster...
The little ghost who was a quilt
Nason, Riel
Paper Book
The little ghost who is a quilt can't whirl or twirl at all, and when he flies, he gets very hot. He doesn't know why he s a quilt. His parents are both sheets, and so are all of his friends. He feels sad and left out when his friends are zooming around and he can't keep up. But one Halloween,...
The witches' supermarket
Meddaugh, Susan.
Paper Book
While trick-or-treating on Hallow-een night, Helen and her dog Martha happen upon a very unusual supermarket -- for witches and cats only -- where they are most unwelcome!
Franklin's Halloween
Bourgeois, Paulette.
Paper Book
Everyone's favorite turtle is back--and all dressed up for Halloween fun! What does a turtle look like when he's made up as Frankenstein? Children will be delighted to see for themselves as they follow Franklin to a Halloween party, complete with games, a parade, and a haunted house. Full color.
I spy spooky night : a book of picture riddles
Wick, Walter
Paper Book
Search-and-find riddles paired with amazing photographs will captivate kids of all ages in the bestselling I Spy series.Acclaimed I Spy creators Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo use everyday objects to enhance intellectual discovery.From a haunted house to a misty graveyard, readers...
The Halloween house
Silverman, Erica.
Paper Book
"In a hilarious spoof of the counting classic Over in the Meadow, Silverman deposits two escaped convicts in a haunted house, and then lets the inhabitants scare the escapees back to prison. Cheerfully rendered ghoulies accompany each delightfully understated rhyme...A hit if read aloud or read...
Froggy's Halloween
London, Jonathan
Paper Book
Froggy tries to find just the right costume for Halloween and although his trick-or-treating does not go as he had planned, he manages to enjoy himself anyway. Children have enjoyed the misadventures of trouble-prone Froggy in more than twenty books. Froggy just never learns--and...
The story of the Jack O'Lantern
Tegen, Katherine Brown.
Paper Book
On Halloween night, we dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, and carve jack-o'-lanterns. But what is really behind these holiday traditions? It all started with a greedy man named Jack, who made a pact with the wrong person. When it comes time for Jack to repay his debt, the deal...
Pumpkin Cat
Turner, Ann Warren.
Paper Book
On a stormy night in October, a ginger cat finds refuge in the "Returned Books" bin of the local library. Rescued by two kind librarians, Pumpkin Cat makes a home for herself in the large children's room. But the wooden sheep and the sock monkey never talk, and once the librarians leave for the day,...
Hardly haunted
Sima, Jessie
Paper Book
From the bestselling creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes a delightfully spooky story about an old house who wants to be a home...even if her new family isn't what she expected. House has a problem. She's a little spooky. She's a little cobwebby. Oh, no! What if...
10 spooky pumpkins
Grimly, Gris
Paper Book
Join celebrated creator Gris Grimly in this spooky countdown, as one little girl ventures out into the night for an unforgettable Halloween adventure!10 little pumpkins, sitting in a line,looking for a cat and they found nine.The wind said SWOOSH and the gate went CREAK.The owl cried...
Mrs. Mcmurphy's Pumpkin
Walton, Rick.
Paper Book
One morning, a few days before Halloween, Mrs. McMurphy wakes up to find a large pumpkin by her front door. "My mouth is here. I speak to you. When my teeth are here, I'll eat you!" it says with a mischievous grin. Unafraid, Mrs. McMurphy politely places the threatening squash outside. But day after...
Snowmen at Halloween
Buehner, Caralyn
Paper Book
The snowmen are getting their Halloween costumes ready for the latest picture book in this New York Times bestselling series. Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've...
Vampire boy's good night
Brown, Lisa
Paper Book
When the sun goes down and everything is wonderfully cold and dark, a vampire boy and a little witch go searching for children in the night. But this is no ordinary night. It is Halloween, and what they find may surprise them. . . .
Not very scary
Brendler, Carol.
Paper Book
Melly is a brave little monster who is not afraid of anything. She loves surprises, and when her fun-loving cousin invites her over for a big surprise, Melly excitedly sets out for a visit. On her way, she notices skittish skeletons, a coal-black cat, and even ghoulish goblins following her. But...
Monster School
Kate Coombs
Ebook
Twilight's here. The death bell rings. Everyone knows what the death bell brings--it's time for class! You're in the place where goblins wail and zombies drool. (That's because they're kindergartners.) Welcome to Monster School. In this entertaining collection of poems, award-winning poet Kate...
Stumpkin
Cummins, Lucy Ruth
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author and illustrator of A Hungry Lion comes a unique Halloween story about a stemless pumpkin who dreams of becoming a jack-o-lantern. Stumpkin is the most handsome pumpkin on the block. He's as orange as a traffic cone! Twice as round as a...
Trick or treat, smell my feet
De Groat, Diane.
Paper Book
Gilbert wants to be a Martian Space Pilot at the school costume parade, but a mix-up leaves him with nothing but his little sister's ballerina tutu to wear! In this hilarious follow-up to the best-selling Roses Are Pink, Ypur Feet Really Stink , everyone's favorite porcupine learns all about the ups...
10 Busy Brooms
Carole Gerber
Ebook
Celebrate Halloween with this fun and festive counting book, perfect for fans of Room on the Broom! Young readers will want to fly the night sky with the ten little witches in this bright and adventurous Halloween story. Whether zooming past rattling skeletons,...
Trick or treat, bugs to eat
Gold, Tracy C.
Paper Book
An adorable rhyming Halloween book with educational nonfiction elements woven in, perfect for classrooms and libraries! Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me lots of BUGS to eat! Follow along as a young bat takes flight on Halloween night and eats lots of delicious bugs along the way!...
The ugly pumpkin
Horowitz, Dave
Paper Book
Perfect for the changing seasons, this wacky twist on The Ugly Duckling is a great read for Halloween and Thanksgiving. The Ugly Pumpkin has waited all through October for someone to take him home, but no one wants him. He doesn't look like other...
Pete the cat. Five little pumpkins
Dean, James
Paper Book
Author and artist James Dean brings us a groovy rendition of the classic favorite children's song "Five Little Pumpkins," sung by cool cat Pete and perfect for Halloween. A New York Times bestselling favorite! Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins is in a sturdy paper-over-board format...
Halloween is coming!
Everett, Cal
Paper Book
A fun, rhyming read-aloud Halloween picture book that starts a new holiday tradition. Perfect for kids 4-8 or any young child wanting to celebrate the spookiest season of the year! Marching in the school parade in frightening costumes that we've made; Look around, the signs...
Halloweena
Glassman, Miriam.
Paper Book
When crotchety old witch Hepzibah is given a human child to take care of, she's horrified (not a wart on her, poor thing).And when, after years of careful training in witchery, the child, Halloweena, asks for human playmates, Hepzibah is aghast. Nevertheless, she wants to see Halloweena happy, and...
Duck & Goose, honk! quack! boo!
Hills, Tad
Paper Book
It's Halloween in the meadow, and the beloved, classic, and New York Times bestselling feathered friends Duck & Goose go trick-or-treating!Now an animated series, available to stream on Apple TV+! Duck is going as a spooky ghost. Goose is going as a brave superhero. And...
Fright Club
Long, Ethan
Paper Book
This monster mash-up from Geisel winner Ethan Long doles out the laughs and the chills in equal measure. Each year, on Halloween eve, Fright Club meets to go over their plan: Operation Kiddie Scare. Only the scariest of monsters can join Fright Club--Vladimir the Vampire, Fran...
Boo to you!
Ehlert, Lois.
Paper Book
The harvest garden is bursting with delicious vegetables, the pumpkins are decorated and lit, and the mice have their costumes ready. Everyone is looking forward to the annual Halloween-night feast. Scary Cat wasn't invited to the party, but he seems to think he's coming anyway. Time for a clever...
Halloween poems
Livingston, Myra Cohn
Paper Book
Eighteen poems celebrate the holiday of pumpkins, black cats, witches, and ghosts.
Cookie boo
Paul, Ruth
Paper Book
The cookies climb out of the cookie tin and go on a Halloween adventure in this rhythmic read-aloud, perfect for family sharing. Seven spooky cookies sitting in a tin, waiting for the moonlight to let the magic in... Cookie Boo, from award-winning author...
Halloween night
Murray, Marjorie Dennis.
Paper Book
'Twas Halloween night, Tand all through the house, Every creature was stirring, including the mouse . . . The witch is cooking. Banshees are singing. The goody bags are oozing with ooey, gooey snacks. Everyone's warming up for the best Halloween party ever. Get ready for a...
Pumpkin moon
Preston, Tim.
Paper Book
The trick-or-treaters have gone to bed, but the fun really begins when the jack-o'-lanterns decide there's more to life than sitting on the porch. Full of superbly surreal illustrations, this nearly wordless picture book sets the mood for wild magic for young Halloween enthusiasts. Full color.
Moonlight : the Halloween cat
Rylant, Cynthia.
Paper Book
Softly padding through the darkness, Moonlight explores the world on her favorite night, Halloween. The town and countryside glow with shining stars. The wide yellow moon lights pumpkins, racoons, and children out having fun. . . . Told in eloquently simple, lyrical words, with...
Halloween skyride
Spurr, Elizabeth.
Paper Book
As one witch wends her way to the party, a shaky skeleton, a quacky mummy, a jittery jack-o-lantern, and other Halloween haunters want to come too. But can all these guests fit on a single broomstick?

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