Halloween-Themed Children’s Books

Each October I open the Halloween box with my children to find a few ceramic pumpkins, 2 stuffed black cats, a couple stuffed ghosts and two soft jack-o-lanterns. The kids love this stuff. But our favorite part of the box are the books. I’ve collected several cute fall-inspired books that we only read this time of year. There are a lot of great children’s book in this category, but I tend to favor the ones that are not scary or too dark. A few of these are from my original collection in that box we open, the rest were the favorites of a few that were sent to me.

Peek a Booo! by Marie Torres Cimarusti
This is a large-flap book that isn’t scary at all. The illustrations are large and cute. It’s a short read and the kids think it’s funny and love opening the flaps.

The Halloween Kittens by Maggie Kneen
This is a cute book about two black cats getting ready for a Halloween party at home. They find all kinds of ways to get underfoot while their mother is trying to prepare all the goodies and put up decorations. They work so hard at trying to get ready that once the party starts, they are fast asleep under the party table.

Pumpkin Cat by Ann Mortimer
This is my new favorite book. Told through a story of a cat and mouse, it chronicles how to grow a real pumpkin. At the end of the book it has detailed instructions on how to start the growing process including when to start and what to expect along the way. My son and I can’t wait to grow one big pumpkin for next Halloween and a few small ones as well. We’ll be planting seeds in May thanks to this clever book.

Pumpkin Trouble by Jan Thomas
My two year old loves this book. I read it to her a few times and now she tells the story on her own and giggles all the way through. The illustrations are great, simple, large and colorful. It’s really about the characters. The main character, Duck, carves a jack-o-lantern but falls in while he’s carving the top. He runs around the barn yard with the pumpkin stuck on his head. Meanwhile, his friends Pig and Mouse think he’s a pumpkin monster. It’s a cute and clever book that is not scary at all.

Halloween Howlers: Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes by Michael Teitelbaum
This book is clever because it’s written all in knock-knocks comic-book style. Not my favorite to read and re-read because knock-knock jokes get old, but my 5 year old loves it.

Knock Knock.
Who’s there?
Ice Cream!
Ice Cream Who?
Ice cream when I see a monster!

Pinkalicious and the Pink Pumpkin
A lift-the-flap book that has Pinkalicious at Mr. Pink’s pumpkin farm searching for pink pumpkins. At first all she finds are regular, orange pumpkins and her brother teases her the entire time of her search. She eventually gets her wish and finds a huge pink pumpkin.

Trick or Treat Marley by John Grogan
This is the same Marley from the super sad movie that I never want to watch again, but this book doesn’t have the super sad ending the movie does. Marley is still up to the same old tricks of getting into everything, but eventually she gets to participate in Halloween in her own way. The illustrations are excellent and there is enough humor to keep a 5-year-old entertained.