Celebrating Holidays Through Literature – Halloween Books 2018

“Trick or treat! Giggle and fright! It’s fun to be scared on Halloween night!”

– Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson

Our weather turned rather chilly the last couple of weeks, with six inches of snow falling last Sunday. Needless to say, we’ve been spending more time snuggled up on our couch reading stories. So, I guess it’s a good thing that we found some amazing Halloween books at our local library!

We’ve read each of these spooky stories numerous times…a handful of them more than 100 times. And I’m happy to report that these Halloween books are so enjoyable, you won’t even mind reading them on repeat. 🙂

Our Favorite Halloween Books (2018)

• Jampires by Sarah McIntyre & David O’Connell
  • Sam sits down to breakfast to find that all of the jam in his donuts is completely gone…sucked dry. So, he sets a clever trap to apprehend the jam thief…only to discover not one, but two, friendly, sweet-toothed jampires, who are having trouble finding their way back home. Sam sets out on a quest to return the jampires to their worried families, and receives a lifetime supply of jam donuts in return.
• Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo! by Tad Hills
  • Duck & Goose are very popular in our household, and this Halloween adventure might just be our favorite story yet! Goose is new to the whole Halloween thing, but Duck and Thistle are determined to give him the full Halloween experience…even if it means encountering a terrifyingly slimy swamp monster.
• Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott
  • Every month, on the night of the full moon, a young barber quietly sneaks into his father’s barber shop to provide hair-cutting services to some rather curious customers. A little after midnight, the shop is full of monsters. Everything is going swimmingly, until there’s a knock on the front door, and a human customer enters. Everyone freezes…including the boy…he’s never cut a human’s hair before. But things might not be exactly as they seem.
• Monster Trouble! by Lane Fredrickson
  • Winifred Schnitzel’s bedroom was chock-full of monsters every night, but the monsters did not scare her…she thought monsters were cute. Despite their cuteness, their boisterous activities kept her awake all night. She was so sleepy now during the day…she even slept her way through ballet. Winifred decided enough was enough, so she set a bunch of traps to teach the monsters a lesson. The traps proved ineffective, but Winifred stumbled upon a solution, when she sleepily discovered their one silly weakness. Can you guess what it is?
• Herbert’s First Halloween by Cynthia Rylant
  • Herbert’s father loves Halloween. Herbert, on the other hand, is not so sure. That is, until he finds out that he can dress up as a tiger and roar through the neighborhood on Halloween night. By the end of their trick-or-treat run, Herbert has already decided what he wants to be next year. I’m guessing that Herbert might just love Halloween too!
• 10 Busy Brooms by Carole Gerber
  • Grab your broomsticks and join a group of witches on their high-flying Halloween adventure! Will they escape the scrawny skeletons, greedy goblins, and slithering snakes? Do they have what it takes?
• The Ghosts Go Haunting by Helen Ketteman
  • This clever counting story (sung to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching”) was a huge hit with our little nugget. She just loves when a book can be sung…especially if it’s to a melody she already knows. So, every night we happily follow the ghosts, and other Halloween creatures, as they go haunting through an elementary school.
• The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing
  • On the eve of Halloween, the monsters were all frightfully busy with party preparations. Spider webs were spun, potions were brewed, streamers were hung…they decorated for hours on end. Wee trick-or-treaters find their way to the haunted house up on the hill, but they decline to stay…and run away when a wicked witch invites them in to play.
• How To Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace
  • A newly-appointed ninja is determined to be rid of the big scary monster who lives in the confines of her closet. She suits up and bravely steps through the door…where she is met with a giant ROAR. She tries a myriad of different tricks, until she finally captures him in a cage. She’s triumphant, but the monster looks so sad. Has she made a horrible mistake? Should she let her monster run free? Perhaps things aren’t what they seem to be. I guess you will have to read the book and see. 🙂
• Boo Who? by Ben Clanton
  • Boo is new. And being new can be tough…even when the other kids are friendly and welcoming. The shy little ghost can’t catch a ball, pick up sticks, or play tag. He’s left feeling discouraged and lonely…until his new friends start playing a game that suits Boo perfectly! We all feel invisible at times, but there is always a way for each and every one of us to truly shine.
• Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson
  • The moon is full on Mouse’s first Halloween, as he creeps around and encounters various fall creatures – bats, scarecrows, jack-o-lanterns, and more. Everything is so spooky…at least at first…but Mouse soon discovers that it’s all not so scary after all.

If you’re looking for more frightfully fun stories to share with your little ones, make sure to check out our Halloween favorites from 2017 and 2016!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!