As an early childhood educator and a mom of two, I’ve read LOTS of Halloween books. The list below includes my favorites, my kids’ favorites, and the favorites of children in my class over the years. I hope they’ll become your family’s favorites too!
- Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson – A rhyming story about a witch who makes room on her broom for various guests. My daughter loved the “Whoosh!” part!
- Sesame Street: Happy Halloween! – My daughter’s favorite when she was about two years old! Elmo’s having a Halloween party and spooky guests appear at his door…including one trick-or-treater that’ll be familiar to your family!
- Spookley the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano – A heartwarming story that kids (and adults) can relate to! Spookley’s shape is different from his friends, but that’s what makes him special! (We gifted this book to my children’s classmates a few times over the years!)
- How to Catch a Witch by Alice Walstead: The “How to Catch” series (there’s one for most holidays) is a fun book to read with your students (and kids!) throughout the year. The kids in the story set traps to try and catch the witch before all of the Halloween candy is gone!
- The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams: A “spooky” story about a lady walking through the woods on an autumn evening.
- Eek! Halloween! by Sandra Boynton: Sandra Boynton’s books were always a hit with my kids as babies and toddlers…they laughed hysterically at the characters and the funny lines on each page.
- Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete! by Kimberly Dean: My son was introduced to Pete the Cat in kindergarten, and he’s been a fan ever since. Here, Pete encounters a variety of characters and sights on his trick-or-treating adventure.
- It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! by Charles Schultz: Halloween just isn’t Halloween without a reading (or a viewing) of The Great Pumpkin…and being its 60th anniversary in 2026, it’s extra special this year!
