Here’s your list of best children’s Halloween books!
As Fall nears, you’ll want to cozy-up with some not-so-spooky stories. These are some of the best Halloween books for kids that you can read together, or have older elementary kids read to themselves. Some are specifically for Halloween, some are just on the spooky and silly side. But they’re all a lot of fun!
By the way, if you click-through and purchase any of these books from my Bookshop.org link, you’ll support local bookstores and I will get a small commission. Win, win! Thanks, everyone!
My Favorite Halloween Books For Kids
“This Book Is Definitely Not Cursed” by Megan Woodward
This book is definitely hilarious and adorable. It’s not exactly a Halloween book, but it will keep you and your kids laughing and trying silly things until you’re un-cursed. It’s especially great for this fall season, or year round!
In this interactive picture book, a mischievous monster warns readers that the book might be cursed. As kids read, they’re told they might experience silly “curse symptoms” like uncontrollable giggles, snorting like a pig, or everything tasting like cabbage. To avoid the curse, readers must perform goofy tasks, making this Halloween favorite perfect for read-aloud fun. Ages birth through about 8.
It’s a newer book, but will soon become a classic as one of the best Halloween books for kids. “This Book Is Definitely Not Cursed” By Megan Woodward and Illustrated by Risa Rodil is available at bookshop.org.
“Ten Orange Pumpkins: A Counting Book” by Stephen Savage
This is a great non-scary choice of Halloween books for the younger audience. An added bonus is that it teaches counting! The captivating illustrations depict all the symbols of fall.
Designed for ages 2-5, Ten Orange Pumpkins: A Counting Book by Stephen Savage is a bold, rhyming Halloween-themed picture book that counts down from ten as each pumpkin is mysteriously removed by classic spooky figures like mummies, witches, ghosts, and skeletons.
There is a very similar board book for younger kids called “Seven Orange Pumpkins,” also by Stephen Savage. I’m not quite sure why he changed it from ten to seven, but it’s still a fun, Halloween-themed way to practice counting with your little ones.
“Arthur’s Halloween” by Marc Brown
There are plenty of scary Halloween books for kids out there. This, however, is my choice for kids who are unsure about the concept of trick-or-treating. This book explores the idea that things are not always as they seem, and that the haunted house at the end of the street may just be a nice old lady after all. Written by Marc Brown.
Although it is available wherever books are sold, we personally like to find our books at the library. In the past 9 years we saved over $25,000 by borrowing books instead of buying! (Granted, nobody in their right mind would spend 25K on books. But, that just means that we would have read so many fewer books because we wouldn’t have been able to afford them.)
If you are interested in buying it, however, I have a link to bookshop.org that will support local bookstores and give me a small commission. Yay!
“The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches” by Alice
This is my favorite of all Halloween books! I can’t count how many times I read it as a child.
Wendy is a young witch who is afraid of her mean, bossy, witch sisters. They can fly faster, cackle louder, and cast spooky spells. But, one fateful Halloween night, Wendy discovers that she can chant a spell that makes her able to do all of these things even better than her sisters! Can Wendy find a way to out-witch her sisters?
I own the super old 1980’s version of this book, but it has been re-imagined as an “I Can Read” style, such that you can read it aloud, or have your elementary aged child read to you! There’s a nice moral that you should believe in yourself, not get pushed around by bullies, and team-up with friends. Definitely my favorite of Halloween books for kids.
“Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson
What says Halloween more than a witch? Well, when this witch’s hat flies away, there are plenty of helpful animals to help her find her missing item. But, is there room for all the animals on the broom? And can they save the witch from a hungry dragon? Cuddle up this fall and find out!
Room on the broom is written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Sheffler.
What’s more, there is even an adorable animated version of the book on AppleTV, if you’re wanting a special treat for a non screen-free day.
Why is reading to children important?
Reading to children is important for several powerful reasons that support their development across many areas:
1. Language and Literacy Development
- Builds vocabulary and improves understanding of sentence structure.
- Helps children recognize sounds, letters, and words—essential for learning to read on their own.
- Encourages a love of books and reading from an early age. They can be Halloween books, adventure books, poetry, or whatever you like!
2. Cognitive and Academic Growth
- Stimulates imagination, curiosity, memory, and critical thinking.
- Enhances focus, attention span, and listening skills.
- Strong early reading exposure is linked to better performance in school, especially in reading and language arts.
3. Emotional and Social Development
- Strengthens the bond between child and reader (often a parent, caregiver, or teacher.)
- Helps children understand emotions and develop empathy by exploring characters’ experiences.
- Offers a safe way to discuss difficult or complex topics.
4. Exposure to the World
- Introduces children to people, places, and cultures beyond their immediate environment.
- Broadens their understanding of the world and sparks interest in new ideas. Try finding books that expand on your child’s interests, whether it’s soccer, engineering, Halloween, or butterflies!
5. Routine and Comfort
- Creates predictable routines, especially when done before bedtime. (We even read a book in bed as a way to wake up in the morning!)
- Provides comfort and stability through familiar stories and the reader’s voice.
In short, reading aloud is one of the most effective and rewarding ways to nurture a child’s brain, heart, and lifelong learning.
Play is also incredibly important to child development!
What do kids learn when they play?
Well, eventually how to be adults. Adults are constantly assessing the risk surrounding them, whether it be a dangerous highway, a slippery sidewalk, a toxic relationship, or an angry boss. Children need the opportunity to encounter challenging situations in order to learn how to assess risk and navigate it safely. Is trick-or-treating on Halloween spooky, or actually dangerous? Trying-on situations in play and books helps them learn the difference.
Through play with peers, children gain the experience to navigate if the tree is safe to climb, if rocks are appropriate to throw, and if they need to assert themselves in an unfair relationship. Sally Swiatek explained to the Screen Less Play More Podcast, “The first thing is for children to listen to what their body is telling them. That is so important because now you think of a teenager who is at a party who feels the pressure from a peer to have an experience that maybe they’re not ready for. And if they can start to recognize in early childhood what that feels like, and how they get out of it, and how they can mind map how to get out of it. Then they’re going to have that skill in adolescence and adulthood and all of the encounters we’re going to have as humans later in life.”
Learn how vital play is in our podcast interview with play expert, Sally Swiatek:
Catch all of our podcast episodes here! And on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ScreenLessPlayMore
Other great books! (For when it’s not Halloween!)
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase
A kids version of “The Anxious Generation” is coming, and it’s called “The Amazing Generation!”
Here’s Time Magazine’s picks for 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time!
Resources for a screen / play balance!
Would you let your teen drive without training? NO! So why are you giving them the internet without any training? Sign up now for tween Internet Safety Class.
Many other ways to entertain your kids without screens.
Not feeling like reading? Here’s lots of ideas for outdoor play!
Screen free dinners have so many benefits!
Snapchat Thought I Was 15. What It Showed Me Was Shocking.
Thanks for visiting ScreenLessPlayMore.com
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