As some of you who know me may know, I LOVE HALLOWEEN! I don't mean the seasonal "love" for Halloween that comes and goes. Mine is a 365 day kind of love for this festive and spooky holiday. I can't remember exactly when I fell in love with Halloween because as far back as I can remember it's always been my favorite. Yes, even more than Christmas. My childhood imagination always imagined things were happening at night just like in the books. That there were ghosts creeping around cemeteries, vampires lurking in the shadows. I even made a point to keep a stern, focused watch on the moon waiting for the moment I might see a witch flying across it on her broom. I also was never afraid of it. Well, maybe that one time in a haunted house, but after that I don't recall fear of any ghostly ghouls. Halloween just felt "natural" to me. Also, as a child I was a super reader. I always had stacks of books from either beloved book fairs, or maxing out my borrowing limit at my local or school library. I loved when the Halloween books started being put on display, and I'm pretty sure I read every single one. Thus the inspiration for this blog. Now that I have two children of my own I'm spreading the Halloween reading love to my kids. Maybe even to you. There are a few books that I have found new and old, that I think are great and really recommend to the parent with the avid reader at home. Plus it'll give you a break, hopefully, from reading that same princess/Paw Patrol book for the millionth time.
Here are my 10 picks of favorite Halloween books for all ages, depending on reading abilities, in descending order. For quick shopping, if you're interested, I've attached all links below the book.
#10 Mother Ghost Nursery Rhymes for Little Monsters: I thought this book was adorable. Especially for those wonderful weird children like myself. It follows classic nursery rhymes and gives them a bit of a Halloween kid-friendly spooky twist. This book is priced at $12.90 and can be found at any book store as well as Amazon. Which you can click the link below.
#9 The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything: This book is just adorable. Tells the tale of a little old lady who wanders in the woods at night, and meets some unusual items. This was a book that came out when I was a kid and have been reading it for years. Both my kids love it as well. This book in paperback is a bit on the cheaper size in price, but not quality, is currently $6.39 on Amazon.
#8 Goodnight Goon: This book is an obvious parody to "Goodnight Moon", but with a Halloween twist. I bought this two years ago for our oldest son who I think liked it more than Goodnight Moon. This book comes in the cardboard version for tiny tots, as well as paper. The cardboard version is priced at $5.27 on Amazon making it even more affordable.
#7 The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat: Growing up I owned several Berenstain Bears books. These were a staple in my book collection. There are a few other Halloween books about the B Bear family, but this one was my favorite. In true B Bear fashion it tells an important lesson at the end but also mixed the fun and excitement of trick or treating on Halloween night. Another favorite of my kids as well. I'm on a roll here with my picks as they keep getting cheaper in price. This one lists at $4.99 on Amazon in paperback form. It even has a bonus sheet of stickers.
#6 The Monster At The End Of This Book: This gem was one I found while snooping through my grandmothers book collection. This book was another childhood staple. I read it more times that I can tell. The story follows Grover and through the whole book he interacts and pleads with you on each page. This book is cute for younger children who would like Grover to talk to them too. It's also a quicker read eh hem. It's current price is a whopping $4.99.
#5 Boney-Legs: Now we are getting into books that are a bit more creepy for those younger readers. This book tells the story of a girl who finds a house in the woods and a witch that lives therein who tries to eat her, but don't worry there are some unlikely heroes to help her. I think this book, and the book listed at #3, really started to open up my little mind to "scarier" reads. Unfortunately this book is a bit of a rarity and you'll have to do a little digging to find a decent copy. But it's well worth it.
#4 Room On the Broom: This is the last of the younger kid recommendations I have. This book is really quite adorable. It tells the story of a witch and friends she finds along the way and makes, as the title states, room on her broom. If perhaps your child isn't an avid reader, never fret. There's an animation adaptation of this book on Netflix, and also for DVD purchase. This book is in several formats, and is priced at $4.79 for both the board book and paperback.
#3 In A Dark Dark Room and Other Scary Stories: This book is iconic! The book was like an introduction to the books that will follow. Every story in this book is great, and seriously eerie. Especially for a younger reader. Each story is a shorter story but non the less creepy. They have even made this book a level 2 reading book, interesting. The same author wrote my #2 choice as well. This book also comes in several formats and is currently listed at $9.99 in the paperback version.
#2 Scary Stores to Tell in the Dark Series: Now I really had to think about these and my #1 pick were a VERY VERY close call! These books need no introduction, and are a staple to any 80's and probably 90's kids everywhere. They were so popular that there's even a movie based on the stores that lie within. I, at one time, owned all three and no matter how many times I read them I kept going back to them. They are that good! Not to forget the artwork that follows elevated the stories so much there's no way you couldn't be creeped out by them. If you are an adult reading this and you've never read any of these book I highly recommend that you do. Yes, even now as an adult. Clearly these are not stories I suggest reading to your toddler, but for those who have older kids, if you think they can handle them, then absolutely these are a must! They are based on American Folklore and retold my Alvin Schwartz. They are recommended for children in Grade 3 and up. You can purchase them individually or as a box set in a variety of prices depending on wether you buy the original, or the the current movie editions. The boxset for the original editions in paperback is currently $18.50.
#1 Fear Street & Goosebump series: As I previously mentioned it was a toss up between my picks. But, in the end I decided to make Mr Stine number one. R.L. became the master of Halloween, in my opinion. These books kinda changed what and how I read. Every book fair and book order I would run to my parents for money to get the latest release of either of these series. Each series has too many favorites to name, and even still at 37 the little Julia in me becomes super giddy when looking at these books. These books aren't for toddlers, obviously, but I do recommend to parents with older kids who no longer need pictures to read. These books aren't just for Halloween, to me, they're everyday reading. Many of these books, especially the Goosebumps series, have been re-released and are easy to find. So their prices do vary depending on what you're looking for. Again, for the parents who have children that aren't that into reading the Goosebumps series has been made into two movies and several tv shows based off the books.
So there you have it folks. My top 10 Halloween books for children of all ages and adults alike. Hopefully the links help with easier shopping. Feel free to leave comments as to your favorite Halloween books or what you've found your children like. Remember when reading these scary stories to always leave the lights on! Happy Halloween!!
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