Boo! 15 Great Picture Books for Halloween

It's October and we're all counting the days until one of our favorite holidays— Halloween! Here are some of our favorite picture books celebrating the annual candy-fueled spookfest.

Ghosts, Ghouls, and Monsters

Trick or Treat Crankenstein by Samantha Berger
Crankenstein is back with a Halloween adventure. Crankenstein's favorite holiday is ruined because of all kinds of pumpkin, costume, and candy-induced problems. Can Crankenstein get over his bad mood and turn this holiday around?

Poultrygeist by Eric Geron
This book wins for it's punny title! A chicken dies after crossing the road and he becomes a ghoul. His new friends are trying to convince him to scare the readers of the book, but he just wants to be a friendly ghoul.

Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins
One Saturday, the Dracula family visits the zoo, where baby Penguin lives with hers. When baby Dracula slips away to experience a day in the Penguin House, baby Penguin jumps into his stroller to tour the zoo.

Little Ghoul Goes to School by Jef Czekaj
Even monsters are nervous about the first day of school! Little Ghoul's mom assures her that it will all be fine: The teachers will be scary. Lunch will be revolting. And her classmates will be creepy.

Monster Trouble by Lane Fredrickson
Nothing frightens Winifred Schnitzel—but she DOES need her sleep, and the neighborhood monsters WON'T let her be! Every night they sneak in, growling and belching and making a ruckus. What's a girl to do?

Haunted Houses

Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima
House has a problem. She's a little spooky. She's a little cobwebby. Her hinges creak. Her pipes bang. And on windy days, the branches scritch-scratch at her windows. Is she haunted? How will she ever find a family?

Sir Simon: Super Scarer by Cale Atkinson
A delightful, funny story of friendship, ghost chores, a spooky house and a professional haunter. Meet Sir Simon, Super Scarer. He's a professional ghost who has been transferred to his first house.

At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketteman
Vibrant illustrations accompany this delightful rhyming romp through an old haunted house. Readers count along as they meet Pa goblin and his wee goblins four, witches, ghosts, and so many more.

Moldilocks and the Three Scares by Lynne Marie
In this zombie-tastic take on the classic fairy tale, Papa Scare, Mama Scare, and Baby Scare live in a haunted house where they eat finger sandwiches and alpha-bat soup. One evening, an uninvited guest wanders in.

In a Spooky Haunted House by Joel Stern
The author applied his love for origami to this ornate pop-up book. A friendly ghost welcomes young readers into his home and gives them a most intriguing tour. Spare, rhyming text is paired with the three dimensional pictures.

More Halloween Hallmarks

Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler
A young skeleton has a hard time holding himself together. But his circle of monster friends are hard at work scheming ways of keeping him intact. Will he be able to get himself in working order for school?

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
A friendly witch takes to the night sky on her broomstick, but a strong wind blows away her hat, her bow, and her wand. Will her new friends be able to help her find them? This full-size board book is perfect for the tiniest trick-or-treaters.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper Rabbit eats carrots everywhere he goes. Until the day the carrots start following him...or are they? The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a young bunny fears his favorite treats are out to get him.

Mr. Pumpkin's Tea Party by Erin Barker
"There's a party at Mr. Pumpkin's tonight. A banquet with friends in the autumn twilight. And at this soiree we'll see and we'll find ghoulish delights of every kind." Enjoy this delightfully quirky twist on a counting book.

Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex
It's time for bed, but one little goon still isn't ready for sleep. With lively rhymes and cheeky art that'll get readers howling, this hilarious take on the beloved classic will have everyone saying, "Goodnight monsters everywhere."

Along with the sweets, decorations, and costumes, stock up on a few Halloween-themed story books for your little ghosts and goblins.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon