The Best Halloween Books for Kids That You’ll Actually Want to Read Again

One of our favorite things to do to celebrate the beginning of fall is to pull out our Halloween books. It's a great way to bring kids in on the fun of a new season. There are plenty of Halloween books for kids, but there are a few that we find ourselves reaching for year after year. These are the books we’d keep around: some funny, some beautiful, some just spooky enough, and a few for older kids who are ready for something creepier.

Little Blue Truck’s Halloween — Alice Schertle

Best for: Toddlers & preschoolers
Scare level: None
Perfect for: A first Halloween book

If your child is still firmly in the “Halloween should mean pumpkins and costumes, not actual scares” stage, this is an easy pick. Little Blue Truck’s Halloween has all the familiar charm of the series, with lift-the-flap costumes and a festive story that feels fun without ever getting spooky. It’s especially good for younger kids who already know Little Blue Truck, but it also works perfectly well as a standalone Halloween read.

Why we like it: It’s simple, cheerful, interactive—and short enough that you won’t mind being asked to read it again immediately.

Room on the Broom — Julia Donaldson

Best for: Ages 3–7
Scare level: Very mild
Perfect for: A really good read-aloud

There’s a reason this one has become a modern classic. Julia Donaldson’s rhyme is genuinely fun to read aloud, the story moves quickly, and the witch at the center of it is much more warm and funny than scary. There’s a little suspense, but mostly this is a story about friendship, teamwork and one increasingly crowded broom.

Why we like it: Some children’s books are beloved by kids and endured by adults. This isn’t one of them.

Creepy Pair of Underwear! — Aaron Reynolds

Best for: Ages 4–8
Scare level: Mild
Perfect for: Kids who think being creeped out is hilarious

Jasper Rabbit has one problem: his new underwear may be a little too creepy. The glowing green underwear keep reappearing no matter what Jasper does, and the escalating attempts to get rid of them are exactly the kind of ridiculous suspense that kids love. It manages to feel spooky without becoming genuinely frightening.

Why we like it: It understands the sweet spot between scary and funny—and the illustrations make the whole thing even better.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything — Linda Williams

Best for: Ages 4–8
Scare level: Mild
Perfect for: Kids who like to participate while you read

On her walk home, a little old lady starts encountering a series of mysterious pieces of clothing that follow her through the woods—shoes that clomp, pants that wiggle, a shirt that shakes.

The repetition builds just enough suspense, but the story stays playful rather than scary. It’s especially fun with kids who quickly learn the sounds and movements and start joining in.

Why we like it: It turns reading into an activity without requiring you to do anything more complicated than make a few noises. A Halloween classic that earns the repeat reads.

There’s a Ghost in This House — Oliver Jeffers

Best for: Ages 4–8
Scare level: Very mild
Perfect for: A beautiful Halloween book you’ll want to keep

A little girl lives in a house that may or may not be full of ghosts. The fun is that she can’t see them—but you can. Oliver Jeffers uses transparent pages and layered illustrations so the ghosts appear as you turn the pages, which makes the book feel more like an experience than a standard Halloween story.

Why we like it: It’s clever, beautifully designed, and just unusual enough to feel special. This is the kind of seasonal book you won’t mind leaving out on the coffee table.

How to Make Friends With a Ghost — Rebecca Green

Best for: Ages 4–8
Scare level: Almost none
Perfect for: Kids who prefer cozy to creepy

This is less a spooky story than a very charming guide to ghost friendship—what ghosts like, how to care for one, and what life with a ghost might look like. Rebecca Green’s illustrations are soft, sweet and slightly vintage-feeling, which gives the whole book a cozy fall atmosphere rather than a scary one.

Why we like it: It’s gentle, funny and genuinely lovely to look at. A particularly good pick for kids who love Halloween but have no interest in being frightened.

If your child is ready for something longer than a picture book, these are the ones we’d start with. They range from barely spooky to genuinely creepy, so there’s something here for very different kinds of readers.

The Skull — Jon Klassen

Best for: Ages 6–9
Scare level: Mild to moderate
Perfect for: A first real spooky chapter book

Otilla runs away and finds herself in a strange old house inhabited by a talking skull. From there, the story gets eerie, funny and increasingly odd in a way that feels spooky without becoming overwhelming. Jon Klassen’s illustrations do a lot of the work here, which makes this a great bridge for kids who are ready to move beyond picture books but still like plenty of visual storytelling.

Why we like it: It feels genuinely strange and atmospheric, but it’s also short, accessible and beautifully made.

Bunnicula — Deborah and James Howe

Best for: Ages 8–12
Scare level: Mild
Perfect for: Funny-spooky family reading

A family brings home a rabbit they found at a Dracula movie, and the household pets quickly become convinced that the new arrival may be a vampire. The premise is ridiculous in exactly the right way, and the mystery is told with enough seriousness to make the silliness even better. It’s spooky enough to feel seasonal, but mostly it’s funny.

Why we like it: It’s a classic for a reason. This is a great pick for kids who want a chapter book that feels Halloween-y without actually being scary.

Kiki’s Delivery Service — Eiko Kadono

Best for: Ages 8–12
Scare level: None
Perfect for: Cozy fall magic

Kiki is a young witch who leaves home to spend a year on her own, eventually starting a delivery service with her black cat, Jiji. This one isn’t really a Halloween book, and I think that’s part of why it belongs here. It has all the seasonal ingredients—witches, flying, a black cat, cozy streets—but the story itself is warm, gentle and full of everyday magic.

Why we like it: It’s the perfect choice for kids who want witches without anything spooky.

Small Spaces — Katherine Arden

Best for: Ages 10+
Scare level: Actually scary
Perfect for: Kids who genuinely want to be creeped out

This one is noticeably scarier than everything else on the list. The story follows a girl who discovers a mysterious book connected to a local farm—and things get unsettling fast, especially once scarecrows and something called the Smiling Man enter the picture.

Why we like it: It’s atmospheric, tense and genuinely creepy, but still written specifically for middle-grade readers.

A little spooky, a little silly, and plenty fun to read on repeat. These are exactly the kind of books that make October nights feel extra cozy.