Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
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THE PUMPKIN PATCH — While some of us are here for the horror movies, haunted houses and all-out scary costumes during Halloween time, others are not about the frightening parts of the season and would prefer to sip apple cider in peace.
Regardless of how you feel about Halloween, odds are that your children want to celebrate with you. And if you feel the need to do more than provide the costume and pass out candy, reading seasonal Halloween picture books with them is a great way to celebrate the holiday without committing to anything too scary or elaborate.
Cozying up and reading these 10 Halloween books with your kiddos is the perfect way to throw your hat in the ring in a simple, but memorable way this spooky season.
'Stumpkin,' by Lucy Ruth Cummins
In the days leading up to Halloween, children stop by a little shop in a big city to purchase pumpkins that will soon become jack-o-lanterns. The other pumpkins watch as their friends get chosen one by one and later appear in apartment windows. Everyone wants to be chosen! But one pumpkin without a stem — Stumpkin — is worried because he is clearly not the popular choice. However, in the end, he discovers happiness when he realizes he doesn't need a new home after all.
'The Witch's Cat,' by Sonica Ellis
Pepper is a black cat who lives with her Aunt Glinda in Salem. Watching the other neighborhood cats play all day, Pepper worries they don't want to play with her because she is different. In desperation, she asks her aunt, who is a witch, to cast a spell on the other cats to make them like her. Glinda reminds Pepper she doesn't do that kind of magic, but reluctantly agrees to cast a spell on Pepper to make the cats like her. Ultimately, Pepper learns it doesn't take magic to make true friends.
'Vlad the Rad,' by Brigette Barrager
At spooky school, Vlad is known as "Vlad, the Bad." Not because he is good at being spooky, but because his skateboarding habit prevents him from learning how to be as spooky as his teacher, Miss Fussbucket, wants him to be. As much as he wants to behave, he just can't stop himself from skateboarding at school. Despite the many times he gets in trouble for boarding, Vlad just can't stop himself from performing another trick, this time on a school field trip. But it turns out that maybe, just maybe, skateboards and spookiness are a good mix.
'Boo Stew,' by Donna L. Washington
The citizens who live nearby Toadsuck Swamp don't appreciate the creatures known as "scares" who live inside the murky waters. Though the scares mostly keep to themselves, they like to hoot and holler all night long, which could drive anybody batty. One day, the mayor discovers there are scares in his kitchen, but nobody can get them out. Little do they know, it's going to take a little girl named Curly Locks and her famous boo stew to get the most important man in town out of a pickle.
'Crankenstein,' by Samantha Berger
Crankenstein is a great book to read around Halloween time or whenever you and/or your child are in a grumpy mood and could use some lighthearted enjoyment. After all, Crankenstein appears when things happen that most of us don't like, and there is a little bit of Crankenstein in all of us. This book has descriptive illustrations and is sure to make your child giggle.
'The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches,' by Alice Low
Wendy is the youngest of three witch sisters, and she is by far the least powerful. Her two older sisters are scary, good flyers and good spellmakers, while she has hardly any witch magic of her own. One Halloween after losing her broomstick, Wendy is left alone at her house with instructions from her mean older sisters not to let trick-or-treaters in. But she isn't afraid of trick-or-treaters. She's afraid of witches. Befriending one trick-or-treater turns out to be exactly what Wendy the witch needs to discover her true witchiness and to earn her place in the witchy sisterhood.
'The Halloween Tree,' by Susan Montanari
All of the trees on the Christmas tree farm couldn't wait to be chosen and transported to new homes. That is, except for one. This particular tree hated lights, hated decorations and hated people. It did not want to be a Christmas tree. In fact, it didn't want to be one so badly that its pine needles turned brown and fell off when they grew. Eventually, the Christmas tree farm is developed into a new neighborhood and the now big, gnarled, grumpy tree lives next door to one of the houses. The neighborhood children quickly befriend the tree, using it to become whatever their imaginations will. But when two of the children's parents think of cutting it down one day, they have to use all their creative imaginations to show just how useful the unsightly tree can be — as a Halloween tree.
'The Good, The Bad, and the Spooky,' by Jory John
This entertaining and somewhat profound children's book centers around a sunflower seed who is stressing way more than he needs to about his Halloween costume. It's Halloween day, and he still doesn't have one yet! So, of course, he tries to trick all his other seed friends into postponing Halloween until the next night so he has more time to put a costume together. But one pumpkin seed helps him discover that the true point of Halloween is fun, not stress, and it changes his life. A good lesson for every reader, and a fun book for kids.
'How to Make Friends With a Ghost,' by Rebecca Green
Ghosts might intimidate us mere mortals, but this clever book teaches us that ghosts need friends just like we do! This funny guide regarding how to make friends with a ghost gives some great do's and don'ts for befriending these ethereal creatures, such as don't put your hand through a ghost's stomach (it can cause a tummy ache) and do make spaghetti and mud balls with them. You'll want to be a good ghost friend, because, after all, they'll be your friend forever.
'At the Old Haunted House,' by Helen Ketteman
This is the perfect October read that includes every Halloween-appropriate creature you can think of: Ghosts, witches, mummies, spiders, etc., all living near or in an old, haunted house. With great rhymes and a subtle counting lesson in there, you won't want to miss this fun tale.
