The 31 Best Halloween Picture Books for Kids
Grab your flashlights and rally the little monsters—it’s time for a slightly spooky storytime to celebrate the ultimate night of thrills and chills: Halloween!
From friendly ghosts to mischievous ghouls, and fluttery bats to sneaky black cats, this list of 31 picture books has all the Halloween favorites to get your kiddos in the spooky spirit. Got some tiny pumpkins in the mix? We’ve conjured up the perfect board books to include them in the fun too!
So, slip into your Halloween jammies, grab some candy (or maybe a cauldron full), and sink your teeth into these frightfully fun reads!
Halloween Picture Books
There’s a Ghost in this House by Oliver Jeffers
A curious little girl lives in a haunted house but has never actually seen a ghost. Join her in this super fun hide-and-seek adventure as you help her search every nook and cranny for those sneaky spirits. Ghost hunting has never been so entertaining!
Leila the Perfect Witch by Flavia Z. Dragon
Leila is the ultimate overachiever witch—she’s the best flyer, shapeshifter, you name it. But when it comes to baking, she’s a bit of a disaster. This year, she’s determined to win the witchy cake-off, and with a little help from her magical sisters, she learns that baking together can be a blast!
Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Stumpkin is the best-looking pumpkin on the block… except for one little thing—he’s got a stump, not a stem. As his pumpkin pals get picked for Halloween, Stumpkin is left behind. Will anyone give this handsome, stemless pumpkin a chance to shine?
The Little Kitten by Nicole Killen
Ollie and her cat, Pumpkin, find a lost kitten during a fall day adventure. While helping the kitten find its way home, Ollie realizes she’s lost Pumpkin! Will they reunite and snuggle up at home? With peek-through pages and a surprise at the end, this one’s a must-read!
The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason
This little ghost is a quilt, not a sheet, and he’s not loving it. He can’t float and swirl like the other ghosts. But one magical Halloween night, he discovers that being different might just be his superpower!
The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything
Finn, a shy little ghost, is scared to leave his attic and join his family for trick-or-treating. He’s afraid of things like the color orange, trees, people, and even flying! But when he realizes he needs to face his fears to get his favorite Halloween candy, he starts to build courage step by step.
Griselda Snook’s Spectacular Books
When Henry finds a key and returns it to its owner, he follows her into a massive bookstore called Griselda Snook’s Spectacular Books. The store is filled with Halloween-themed books for all kinds of spooky characters, but Henry isn’t sure he’ll find a book he likes. Could the guest reader, Magenta Screech, have just the right one for him?
Little ghost Makes a Friend by Maggie Edkins Willis
Little Ghost and his mom have enjoyed haunting their old house for years. When a new girl moves in next door, Little Ghost wants to befriend her, but he’s nervous. He comes up with a plan to invite her to a Halloween party. But now, he needs to figure out the perfect costume to make her want to be friends with him.
Vampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace
Vampirina dreams of being a ballerina, but dancing has its challenges when you’re a vampire! Nighttime-only classes, no reflections in the mirror, and turning into a bat mid-leap are just a few of her struggles. Can she overcome it all and dance her heart out?
Ghost Afraid of the Dark by Sarah Conway
Meet Boo, a ghost who’s afraid of the dark—how spooky is that? As Halloween nears, Boo visits his monster friends, and they help him see that the dark isn’t so bad. In the end, Boo throws a Halloween bash and learns he’s braver than he thought!
Leo a Ghost Story by Mac Barnett
Leo is a friendly ghost who just wants to be a good host. But when a new family moves into his house and freaks out, he leaves to explore the world. Along the way, he meets a new friend, Jane, who thinks he’s imaginary. Will she ever find out he’s the real deal?
How to Make Friends with a Ghost by Rebecca Green
Need tips on befriending a ghost? Look no further! From feeding them weird snacks like earwax truffles to sharing jokes, this hilarious guide will show you how to keep your spooky buddy happy and stick with you forever—literally.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
A witch, her cat, and a broom with room for more! On a wild adventure, this friendly witch picks up a bunch of new friends. But when a scary dragon shows up, can they band together to save her? A heartwarming story of friendship and teamwork.
Gilbert the Ghost by Buido Van Genechten
Gilbert’s not your average ghost. He’s polite, doesn’t like to scare people, and doesn’t even enjoy haunting! After getting in trouble for not being scary enough, Gilbert finds his true calling—and a new friend—while learning to stay true to himself.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
Once upon a time, a fearless little old lady meets some spooky stuff in the woods—clomping shoes, wiggling pants, and a whole lot more! But can she stay brave when everything comes together to give her the scare of a lifetime? A fun, interactive story full of silly scares.
Pig the Monster by Aaron Blabey
Pig the Pug is back, and this time, he’s a candy-obsessed monster! On Halloween, Pig will stop at nothing to get as many treats as possible. But after gobbling up way too much, he learns the hard way that pugs and chocolate don’t mix!
Moldilocks and the Three Scares by Lynn Marie
Meet Moldilocks, a little zombie who stumbles into the house of the Scare family—Papa Scare, Mama Scare, and Baby Scare. She’s in search of the perfect chair, bed, and snack, just like in the classic tale, but with a spooky twist.
Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht
Tag along as a family picks out their perfect pumpkin, carves it up, and turns it into a glowing jack-o-lantern. With sing-songy rhymes and fun illustrations, this is the perfect read to get in the Halloween spirit before heading to the pumpkin patch.
The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo by Elaine Bickell
Uh-oh! Little Ghost opened her mouth to let out a spooky “Boo!” and… nothing came out. Now, she’s on a mission to find her lost Boo. Along the way, she asks all her spooky friends—will she ever get her Boo back?
Sir Simon: Super Scarer by Cale Atkinson
Sir Simon is a pro ghost who just got assigned to haunt his first house. But there’s a catch—it comes with a kid who’s way more interested in Simon’s haunting duties than being scared. Can Simon trick the kid into doing his ghostly chores?
The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky by Jory John and Pete Oswald
Bad Seed is in a bad mood—he can’t find a Halloween costume! Instead of letting that ruin his favorite holiday, he comes up with a sneaky plan to delay Halloween. But with a little help, he might just learn what Halloween’s really about.
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper Rabbit loves munching on the carrots from Crackenhopper Field—until the day they start following him! Or are they? This hilarious ghost story about greed comes with a lesson about watching your back (and your veggies).
The Hallo-Weiner by Dan Pilkey
Oscar, a dachshund, gets laughed at for wearing a hotdog costume on Halloween. But when his friends are in danger, Oscar’s costume saves the day, proving that being different can be pretty awesome!
At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketterman
At the old haunted house…in a room with no sun…lived a warty green witch…and her wee witchy one…
Count your way through a haunted house filled with spooky creatures like goblins, vampires, and black cats. Each page is packed with fun as the monsters prepare for their Halloween fright fest!
Mother Ghost by Rachel Kolar
Boys and girls, come trick-or-treat;
The moon is bright, the candy’s sweet.
Leave the houses and leave the light
And join the goblin-folk in the night.
Classic nursery rhymes with a Halloween twist! From “Mary, Mary, Tall and Scary” to “Little Miss Witch,” these spooky poems will have your little monsters giggling along.
Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima
A haunted house feels lonely because no one wants to move in. So, she tries to be quiet and well-behaved, but in the end, she learns to embrace her spooky self—and finds a family who loves her just the way she is.
No Such Thing by Ella Bailey
One cool day in October, Georgia noticed strange things happening—objects moving or disappearing. While others might think it was something spooky, clever Georgia wasn’t scared. She has all the answers! Join her as she solves the mysteries of Halloween mischief in this fun adventure!
How to Catch a Witch by Alice Walstead
It’s Halloween night, and something doesn’t seem quite right – ghosts, ghouls, and goblins everywhere, more than there should be! A group of trick-or-treaters discover a witch on a broom has opened a magical portal to let spooky creatures all over the neighborhood.
Their mission? Set traps to catch the witch and save Halloween!
Big Pumpkin by Erika Silverman
A witch grows the biggest pumpkin ever, but it’s too huge for her to move! She gets help from a ghost, a vampire, and a mummy, but it’s the smallest of them all—a bat—who comes up with the clever plan to save the day.
Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler
Bonaparte the skeleton is falling apart—literally! As he gets ready for school, his friends come up with creative ways to keep his bones together. But will they find the perfect fix before school starts?
A World Full of Spooky Stories by Angela McAllister
Dive into 50 spooky tales from around the globe! From familiar stories like “Hansel and Gretel” to lesser-known spine-tinglers, this collection is perfect for kids who love a good ghostly tale.
If you liked this post, you might like these too:
Little boo is one of our super faves!
This is the best Halloween picture book list I’ve found. A lot of the other lists in the top 20 google search results were pretty bad. The books on this list are true gems!