Going Fright-Free: 23 Halloween Books for Little Pumpkins
by Dena McMurdie
Are you looking for Halloween books that won’t frighten the tiniest of trick-or-treaters? If so, I’ve got you covered! From board books to picture books, these reads for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers alike are a surefire way to get your little monsters into the Halloween spirit without giving them nightmares.
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Babies & Toddlers
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Little Pumpkin
Available from:This delightful board book is the perfect introduction to autumn for the littlest readers. Follow along as Little Pumpkin and Big Pumpkin greet their nighttime friends and express the unique love between a parent and child.
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Happy Halloween from The Very Busy Spider
Available from:Tag along with your favorite arachnid as he celebrates Halloween with characters from Eric Carle’s books. Appearances by new and familiar characters make this not-so-spooky board book a hit with babies and parents alike.
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Where Do Diggers Trick-or-Treat?
Available from:Go trick-or-treating with your favorite machinery! Babies and toddlers that love things that go will adore this seasonal installment of the Where Do… Series. From monster trucks to tractors, follow along and get a sneak peek into the lives of vehicles when they’re not at work.
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One, Two…Boo!
Available from:Little readers count their way through a spooky house, lifting flaps and finding a few bats, ghosts, and witch’s brooms along the way. This fun board book is the perfect treat for those still too little for candy.
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This Is the Way We Trick or Treat
Available from:My babies loved sing-along books, and this one is as cute as can be! Written to the beat of “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush,” this adorable board book features rhyming text and colorful illustrations. Babies will love watching the characters pick out costumes and go trick-or-treating.
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Dr. Seuss’s Spooky Things
Available from:There’s no world like the world of Dr. Seuss, and the littlest of readers will love to observe Thing One and Thing Two dress up in classic Halloween costumes. With bright colors and simple rhymes, this board book is a Halloween hit.
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Llama Llama Trick or Treat
Available from:Get excited for the holiday with Llama Llama, his Mama, and all his friends. With short rhythmic text and bright colorful images, this is the perfect introduction to Halloween and to the entire Llama Llama series that your child will love!
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Monsters Play...Counting!
Available from:Fun-to-read rhymes, colorful monsters, and plenty of things to count make this board book the perfect Halloween read for babies and toddlers. If you enjoy this book, pick up the companion book, Monsters Play…Peekaboo!
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Pop-Up Peekaboo! Monsters
Available from:Little readers will love lifting the flaps to discover adorable little monsters playing hide-and-seek. The creepy critters are all styled to look like stuffed toys, making them appear to seemingly jump off the page.
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Pre-K
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There's a Witch in Your Book
Available from:The latest in Tom Fletcher's popular interactive series, There's a Witch in Your Book is pure Halloween fun! When a little witch lands in the book, she's ready to cause some magical mischief. Little readers will love using their magic finger wands to block her spells and keep her from causing too much havoc.
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Uni the Unicorn: The Haunted Pumpkin Patch
Available from:Uni the Unicorn fans will adore her Halloween adventure. Uni and her friends are excited about their pumpkin patch until strange things start happening. Suddenly, everyone worries that the pumpkin patch is haunted. It’s up to Uni to figure out what’s really going on.
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Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo!
Available from:Get ready for another charming Duck & Goose adventure as they gear up for Halloween. Duck is a ghost and Goose is a superhero, but both are terrified of the swamp monster searching for them. Should they be?
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Leila, the Perfect Witch
Available from:From the author of the bestselling picture book Gustavo, the Shy Ghost, comes a new story for children who love Halloween. Leila the witch is a perfectionist who excels at everything she does, except cooking. When she enters a baking competition, she asks her sisters for help and discovers something better than perfection—friendship.
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We’re Off to Find the Witch’s House
Available from:When a group of kids set out on Halloween night to find the witch’s house, they come across a host of creatures like a skittle-skattling skeleton and the herky-jerky Frankenstein along the way. Colorful illustrations and a singsong-like rhythm make this the perfect Halloween read-aloud.
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We're Going on a Goon Hunt
Available from:This spooky-silly parody of the perennial kids’ favorite, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, is a Halloween delight. Ever-so-creepy illustrations pair with hilarious rhyming text about a family that treks through graveyards, swamps, and pumpkin patches in search of a goon.
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No Such Thing
Available from:Kids who get spooked easily will appreciate this story about a girl who finds logical explanations for strange events. Readers will enjoy the retro-style illustrations, hunting for cute ghosts, and learning the actual reasons behind spine-tingling happenings.
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The Haunted Mansion (Disney Classic)
Available from:Take a tour of the Haunted Mansion with this frightfully fun Little Golden Book. Follow the Ghost Host through the portrait gallery, the séance room, the grand hall, and more. Entering this house of happy haunts is easy. The chilling challenge comes with finding a way out.
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Sir Simon: Super Scarer
Available from:Ghosts hate doing chores, so it’s not surprising that Simon the ghost convinces Chester the human to swap chore lists with him. Unfortunately, neither ghost nor boy performs the other’s chores very well! Young readers will adore this hilarious and not-so-spooky story about an unlikely friendship.
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Room on the Broom
Available from:Join the witch as she makes friends with one animal after another and learns that sharing can bring unexpected results. With rollicking rhyme and a surprise ending, this story is a hit with tiny book lovers.
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How to Make Friends With a Ghost
Available from:Have you ever wondered how to become friends with a ghost? This how-to guide has all the info you need to make it happen. From caring for your ghost to spending quality time together, this quirky and funny picture book is a delightful Halloween story and an excellent primer on friendship.
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Find Spot at the Halloween Party
Available from:No tricks here! This lift-the-flap board book is definitely a treat for little ones. They’ll love finding Spot and all of his friends in their spooky costumes at the Halloween party. With fun surprises on every page, what’s not to love?
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The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat
Available from:It’s Halloween in Bear Country and Brother and Sister are getting ready to go trick-or-treating with their friends in the neighborhood. But when someone suggests that they play a trick, the night takes a turn for the worst and feelings get hurt. This is a great introduction for first-time trick-or-treaters on how to be a good friend and neighbor. This edition also comes with 50 bonus stickers, so the fun can continue throughout the Fall.
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The Crayons Trick or Treat
Available from:From the team behind everyone’s favorite, The Day the Crayons Quit, comes a hilarious story following the Crayons as they get ready to go trick-or-treating. They are all ready to go in their costumes, but they don’t know what to say when they ring their neighbors’ doorbells! Luckily, Purple Crayon teaches everyone the magic words!
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More Halloween Stories for Little Monsters
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Pumpkin Patch Party (Sesame Street)
Also available from: Pop-Up Peekaboo! Pumpkin
Also available from: Ladybug Girl and the Dress-up Dilemma
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Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2022.