The 10 Best Halloween Picture Books for a Fun and Friendly Fright

This was such an exciting announcement! Think of this book like the friendly little cousin of The Violin… or like Disney’s The Little Mermaid compared to the original Hans Christian Andersen story.

Both are inspired by the same tone poem, Danse Macabre. Graveyard Dance keeps truer to that source material, though, and details a night-long celebration on All Hallows’ Eve. It’s a really fun book that I can’t wait to share with my kids!

From the book description:

“On All Hallows’ Eve, when the world is asleep, a hidden celebration stirs to life in the moonlit graveyard…

With the stroke of a violin bow, the midnight music begins. One by one, the creatures of the night rise to dance. Skeletons can-can in feather boas. Ghouls jig hand-in-hand. Ghostly children twirl with foxes and raccoons. Even a prima ballerina floats through the fog, graceful as ever. Beneath the stars, love, laughter, and old friendships come alive once more.

At this graveyard dance, everyone is welcome: young and old, rich and poor, witch or ghost, child or creature. United by music and moonlight, they celebrate the one night a year where joy knows no boundaries.”

I’m unapologetically obsessed with cats, so as soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to pick it up to share with my kids.

From the book description:

“From beloved author-illustrator Nicola Killen comes a charming autumnal story about a little girl who must return a lost kitten to its home, lovingly told and illustrated in limited color with lovely foil and interactive die cut pages.

Ollie and her cat Pumpkin are out frolicking on a beautiful fall day when they come upon a tiny kitten shivering in a pile of fallen leaves. Ollie warms the kitten up and the three become fast friends, but when Ollie sees “Lost Kitten” posters hanging on the trees in the forest, she knows she has to help her new friend get home. As Halloween draws nearer, magic is afoot, and Ollie’s good deed is rewarded in an unexpected way.”

When I’m not reading and writing, I’m quilting, and most of my quilts end up playing a part in ghost roleplay. Thus, I absolutely love this book.

From the book description:

“When you’re a quilt instead of a sheet, being a ghost is hard! An adorable picture book for fans of Stumpkin and How to Make Friends with a Ghost.

Ghosts are supposed to be sheets, light as air and able to whirl and twirl and float and soar. But the little ghost who is a quilt can’t whirl or twirl at all, and when he flies, he gets very hot.

He doesn’t know why he’s a quilt. His parents are both sheets, and so are all of his friends. (His great-grandmother was a lace curtain, but that doesn’t really help cheer him up.) He feels sad and left out when his friends are zooming around and he can’t keep up.

But one Halloween, everything changes. The little ghost who was a quilt has an experience that no other ghost could have, an experience that only happens because he’s a quilt . . . and he realizes that it’s OK to be different.”

I have three girls who discovered the show version of this book on Disney. It wasn’t until I found this book at the thrift store that I realized it had been a book first.

I know it’s cliche, but I liked the book better 🙂

From the book description:

“Oh, to be a ballerina! It’s a challenge for any kid, but even more so if you happen to be a vampire like Vampirina. Read the books that inspired the hit Disney Junior series!

Madame says, “Always move with your head held high.” But that’s not so easy when you’ve spent your entire life dreaming of becoming a ballerina, and you’re a vamipire. First of all, you have to find a class that meets at night. Then you have to figure out how to perfect your form when you can’t see yourself in the mirror? And of course it’s an issue when your smile scares the other dancers. But Vampirina is learning all the right moves. It’s only a matter of time until she twirls her way into the spotlight!”

This was another thrift store find that I was delighted to scoop up. It’s a parody of the classic Madeline, but about Frankenstein.

What more can I say?

From the book description:

“Frankenstein is the scariest of all the monsters in Miss Devel’s castle. He can frighten anything―animals, parents, even rocks. Until one night, Miss Devel wakes up and runs downstairs to find that Frankenstein has lost his head!

Frankenstein by Rick Walton and illustrated by Nathan Hale is a delightful twist on a classic story that parents and kids can both enjoy together. This is the perfect funny picture book read for Halloween or the fall season.”

Not only is the subject matter of this Halloween picture book delightful, but the artwork is absolutely delightful.

From the book description:

“What do you do when you meet a ghost? One: Provide the ghost with some of its favorite snacks, like mud tarts and earwax truffles. Two: Tell your ghost bedtime stories (ghosts love to be read to). Three: Make sure no one mistakes your ghost for whipped cream or a marshmallow when you aren’t looking! If you follow these few simple steps and the rest of the essential tips in How to Make Friends with a Ghost, you’ll see how a ghost friend will lovingly grow up and grow old with you.”

My oldest is a big Dav Pilkey fan, so this book is a must-read in our house. Plus, thanks to Bluey, all my kids all have an affinity for “sausage dogs”.

From the book description:

“From Dav Pilkey, creator of the New York Times bestselling Dog Man and Captain Underpants series, comes Oscar, a little dog with a big bullying problem.

Oscar is a little dog with a big problem — he gets more tricks than treats because other dogs tease him all the time. But one brave act on Halloween makes Oscar a Grade-A hero, proving that a little wiener can be a real winner!”

How cute is this book of nursery rhymes with a spooky twist? They’re charming and funny, and perfect for Halloween night with little ones.

From the book description:

“From “Mary, Mary, Tall and Scary” to “Wee Willie Werewolf,” this collection of classic nursery rhymes turned on their heads will give readers the chills–and a serious case of belly laughs. With clever rhyme and spooky illustrations, Mother Ghost is perfect for getting in the Halloween spirit. Boo!”

This is another fun option for Halloween picture books with cute artwork, featuring all the best Halloween creatures.

From the book description:

“One cool day in late October, Georgia noticed something weird. Objects would move around the house and sometimes they even disappeared. Now, some people may have wondered (especially at this time of year) if this was the work of something spooky? But not clever Georgia! She has all the explanations and none of the fear!

Join Georgia in debunking the spookiest of ghoulish and ghostly mischief in this Halloween adventure! This adorable not-so-scary rhyming picture book features charming retro pastel illustrations with super silly hidden images on every page for little ones to find.”

This is another hilarious book to share with kids for spooky season, but this time with a bunny as a protagonist. Because my littles adore anything cute and fuzzy, this is a total winner.

To be fair, my older ones do too!)

From the book description:

“In this Caldecott Honor–winning picture book, The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a rabbit fears his favorite treats are out to get him.

Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots.
He eats them on the way to school.
He eats them going to Little League.
He eats them walking home.
Until the day the carrots start following him…or are they?
Celebrated artist Peter Brown’s stylish illustrations pair perfectly with Aaron Reynold’s text in this hilarious picture book that shows it’s all fun and games…until you get too greedy.”