Frightfully Fun Stories To Get Your Kids in the Halloween Spirit
by Devon A. Corneal
Get ready for goblins, witches, ghosts, and great Halloween reads! From silly stories to terrific tales with just the right amount of fright, these spectacular scary books are sure to get your little trick-or-treater excited for the big night. So don’t be scared — get reading!
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There’s a Ghost In This House
Buy from:Help a little girl search her home for ghosts in this one-of-a-kind picture book. With transparent overlays, Oliver Jeffers’s signature humor, and quirky illustrations, this unique and humorous picture book will get you into the Halloween spirit before you can say, “Boo!” Both you and your child will want to read it again and again.
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Diary of an Accidental Witch: New Girl
Buy from:Young readers will love this charming early chapter book series about a girl who mistakenly ends up in a witch school. Follow her adventures at school and home as she tries to learn spells and keep her new skills a secret. The diary-style narration and plentiful black-and-white illustrations make this book an excellent pick for newly independent readers.
Readers can also enjoy Halloween Ball, Flying High, and Secret Spells.
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In the Dark
Buy from:When a group of newcomers appears in the dark woods, everyone thinks they’re witches. But one little girl refuses to let prejudice cloud her judgment and goes to meet them. This book shares a beautiful message about first impressions and open-mindedness when faced with something new.
RELATED: Magical Books About Witches for Kids
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Cookie & Broccoli: Scariest Halloween Ever!: A Graphic Novel
Buy from:Growing readers who love humor and Halloween will enjoy this installment in the Cookie & Broccoli series. Broccoli scares easily, and jumps sky-high anytime one of his friends spooks him. After one scare too many, Broccoli runs away into the forest, where he meets someone tall and hairy with extra-large feet. This early graphic novel is entertaining for young readers and weaves a lesson in acceptance and kindness into the story.
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Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire
Buy from:Vlad the vampire’s bright pink cheeks make him look almost alive! Cursed with such a shocking appearance, Vlad does everything he can to look more dead. This adorable and humorous picture book is perfect for kids who love Halloween, secrets, and surprises!
Also check out Gustavo, the Shy Ghost and Leila, the Perfect Witch.
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Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly
Buy from:Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of everything, and trick-or-treating on Halloween makes the little rodent want to pass out from fright. On the big night, he hangs up the cutest decorations, has plenty of lighting, and turns on cheerful music. But Halloween has plenty of surprises in store for Scaredy Squirrel that will have young readers giggling as they turn the pages.
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The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo!
Buy from:This picture book is a must-read if you love classic Halloween stories like Room on the Broom and Tilly Witch. Written in rhyme and accompanied by energetic illustrations, this upbeat story will be a seasonal read-aloud favorite for readers young and old. Follow it up with The Little Witch Who Lost Her Broom.
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Stitch Head Series
Buy from:Mad Professor Erasmus makes monstrous creatures and then leaves them to fend for themselves in the creepy halls of Castle Grotteskew. Thankfully, his first creation, Stitch Head, is there to help them. Join Stitch Head and an endearing cast of misfits in this humorous, no-so-scary chapter book series.
RELATED: Books That 6- to 8-Year-Old Boys Say Are Must-Reads
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Pizza and Taco: Scariest Sleepover Ever!
Buy from:Your child’s favorite snacks are having a sleepover, and it gets spooky! Their parents won’t let them watch a scary movie, so Pizza, Taco, and their friends turn off the lights and tell ghost stories. As they soon discover, telling ghost stories can be just as eerie as watching a scary movie!
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The Princess in Black and the Trick-or-Treating Trouble
Buy from:It's Halloween, and Princess Magnolia dons her Princess in Black cape and mask over her regular clothes for trick-or-treating. When she notices a little orange-horned monster yelling "GOAT!" and eating things like soap and rocks, she realizes she has a real emergency on her hands — and only half her hero gear!
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Maud and the Very Eventful Week
Buy from:Newly independent readers will love this scary-cute chapter book that follows a young vampire named Maud throughout her week. With humor and the right amount of spookiness, Maud shares her daily adventures, from discovering a possessed teapot to finding an enormous tooth in the woods.
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How to Make Friends with a Ghost
Buy from:This whimsical guidebook to lifelong friendship presents a few essentials to keep in mind when befriending a ghost. Perhaps most importantly: make sure no one mistakes your new friend for a marshmallow! Charming and sweet, this one’s great during any season.
RELATED: 9 Fun Halloween Ideas for Kids That Go Beyond Trick-or-Treating
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Amelia Fang and the Barbaric Ball
Buy from:Amelia Fang tries to be nice to the Prince of Nocturnia, a land where all things sparkly are the stuff of “daymares,” but he’s just so mean! Enough is enough when the spoiled prince claims her beloved pet pumpkin, Squashy, as his own. Filled with hilarious puns, quirky characters, and wonderful illustrations, little monsters will love sinking their fangs into this delightfully creepy series.
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Shiver-by-the-Sea Series
Buy from:Kids who can’t get enough hair-raising thrills will want to crack the spine on the first book in this chilling series. It’s about two friends who help supernatural creatures in any way they can. Whether they’re helping a young vampire find his family or realizing that a new puppy is a werewolf, Bella and Cooper have no shortage of spine-tingling fun in store.
Don't forget to check out book #2, The Were-woof.
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Fairy House Halloween
Buy from:This Choose Your Own Adventure Jr. book takes young readers on an exciting Halloween adventure, letting them decide how the story goes. Written in second-person perspective, the story starts when you move to the countryside and build a fairy house. But the fairy that shows up is a substitute, and he needs your help to save Halloween. You face numerous choices in the book, which makes the story unique each time you read it.
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The Ghost in the Tree House #7
Buy from:This entire chapter book series is a ton of fun for kids looking for a not-so-scary Halloween read. In this installment, Claire’s friends suspect that their tree house is either haunted or being used by a rival club. With her best friend and ghost, Kaz, in tow, Claire sets out to solve the mystery.
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The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose: A Graphic Novel
Buy from:If your child loved The Gingerbread Man Is Loose picture books, then this early graphic novel series is the perfect next step. In this Halloween edition, the Gingerbread Man makes a bat costume to go trick-or-treating with his classmates, but an owl mistakes him for a snack. Thankfully, the Gingerbread Man knows what to do, and he hatches a (hilarious) plan to save himself.
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A Super Scary Narwhalloween (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #8)
Buy from:Kids who love this early graphic novel series will want to read this Halloween installment. Narwhal can’t wait for Halloween and tries on several scary and silly costumes. On the other hand, Jelly doesn’t like the holiday and has no plans to dress up or go trick-or-treating. But when a monster swallows Narwhal, Jelly must face his fears and save his friend.
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Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2026.