Spooky season is just around the corner, and the Halloween decorations are already going up. You might argue that it’s too early, but it’s never too early to play dress up! While I wrote this blog, the sheer number of Halloween books out there for kids astonished me. There’s plenty to choose from to introduce your little one to the magic of Halloween, or to help them feel a little less scared of monsters! 

While Manimal Tales doesn’t have their own Halloween book (yet), you might want to check out this tale about a strange pumpkin-colored creature called the Orangey-Tan here.

Until we have our very own Halloween Manimal Tale, here are some of our other favorites:

1. How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace

How to Catch a Monster is a heartwarming tale of a little boy who gets the part of a ninja master and his school play - so he thinks it’s time to take down the monster in his closet. As soon as he manages to overcome his fear and trap the monster, he realizes that the monster is not as scary as he thought! In fact, all the monster wants to do is play with the boy. This book is great for kids who might be scared of Halloween, or of monsters in their closet or under their bed. 

2. Splat the Cat: What Was That? By Rob Scotton

This book is part of a larger series of books that feature Splat, the cat. Splat and his friends Spike and Seymour have just finished trick or treating, when Seymour runs into an old spooky house to check it out. Forced to go look for him, Splat and Spike wander through the house and hear all kinds of scary noises, and spooky figures. Finally, they find Seymour - the source of all the spooky noises as he moaned and groaned after eating too much candy. This lift a flap book has gorgeous illustrations and is the Halloween book for toddlers! 

3. Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margaret Cuyler

Bonaparte is about to start school and he can’t stop his bones from falling all over the place. He’s so afraid that all the children are going to make fun of him. So, his friends Franky Stein, Blacky Widow and Mummicula (how adorable are these names??) try and come up with ways to keep him together. Finally, Bonaparte’s friends help him find the perfect solution that makes him the cool kid on the block at school! A wonderful Halloween-themed story about friendship and being different, Bonaparte Falls Apart is a must-have.

4. The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills

This fun sing-along book is a Halloween-themed parody of “The wheels on the bus go round and round”. Kids meet spooktacular characters like mummies, ghosts, cats, spiders and more. The Spooky Wheels on the Bus is great for toddlers and younger kids. If you’re looking for a great read-aloud rendition of this book, you can find one here!

5. Llama Llama Trick or Treat by Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama Trick or treat is a great book for a first Halloween. Short and easy to read, the book follows Llama Llama as he decides what to dress up as for Halloween, and how he goes trick or treating with his friends. Sweet and simple. This board book is perfect for smaller children or toddlers, especially as an introduction to Halloween.

6. What was I scared of? By Dr. Seuss

This classic Dr. Seuss book is about a spooky pair of animated Empty Green Pants that haunts a rabbit wherever he goes. Eventually, the rabbit realizes that the empty green pants are scared of him too, and that he should have never been so frightened of them in the first place. What Was I Scared of is a great book to help kids overcome their fears, especially around Halloween.

7. Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex

Goodnight Goon is a Halloween themed parody of Goodnight Moon. The book features a delightful cast of monsters, ghouls and mummies to say goodnight too, as well as a number of different Halloween objects and characters like scary bats, black hats and more! If your child is a fan of the Goodnight Moon book, this scary parody is a great choice for Halloween! 

8. The Witches by Roald Dahl

Another classic, The Witches by Roald Dahl is meant for older children - the book has fewer pictures and is much longer than any of the other books featured on this list. The Witches is about a little boy and his grandmother who set out to defeat child-hating witches. The witches have planned to turn all the children into mice, and they must stop them before that happens. The Witches is still considered to be one of the scariest children’s books ever, so you might want to make sure it won’t frighten your little one too much. 

9. B is for Boo: A Halloween Alphabet by Greg Paprocki

A great Halloween themed ABC book for kids, B is for Boo is great for young children and toddlers to introduce them to Halloween words like Candy, Zombie, Dracula and more! The illustrations in this book are wonderful full page illustrations of each word that can really immerse your child in the spooky, magical world of Halloween. 

10. Fright Club by Ethan Long

Fright Club is a cute story about inclusion. A small group of monsters are trying to get ready for ‘Operation Kiddie Scare’, when they keep getting interrupted by cute animals that want to be a part of Fright Club. The leader Vlad keeps saying no until the cute animals scare all the monsters! After that, Vlad learns that not only monsters can be scary, but so can animals that seem cute and harmless. Fright Club is a great story about not being deceived by first appearances and always remembering to include everyone. 

If none of these Halloween books seem right for your child, here’s a whole bunch more:

Country Living

Marin Mommies

What’s your kids favorite Halloween Book? Also, Have a spooktacular Halloween this year! 

P.S: Don’t steal all your kid’s candy.