25 Best Kids’ Books for Halloween
As Fall arrives, and the leaves turn colours, Halloween is quickly approaching. We at Common Deer Press love this time of year. And to celebrate it, we've gathered up the 25 Best Kids' Books for Halloween. Prepare to hide under the covers and keep the lights on with these spooky reads!
The Boatman by Kat Hawthorne
To cope with the death of a family member, Isabel (Izzy) Wixon retreats into a fantasy world where she meets ghosts and a talkative ventriloquist’s dummy and befriends a gentlemanly spider. But a terrifying foe arrives. The Boatman lures children and traps them in a sleep illness that never lets them wake.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz
Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang are excited to play some tricks and to get their treats. As everyone prepares for the night, Linus eagerly waits for the Great Pumpkin to rise from the pumpkin patch and hopes it’ll bring joy to this spooky holiday.
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
Eight boys must race against time to save their friend Pip. The spirit Moundshroud soon leads them on a magical journey chronicling the beginnings of Halloween.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
When Coraline takes a step through a door that transports her to a different yet strangely similar house, she can’t believe everything is better. But looks can be deceiving. When she finds children trapped there, she must find a way to save them and herself before it’s too late. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
As his mother's medical treatments progress, Connor suffers from nightmare after nightmare. But one night in his backyard, he sees a monster he's not expecting. And it wants something from him: the truth.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
When children at the Biltmore estate start to disappear, Serafina, a girl who no one knows exists, is the only one who figures out who has taken the children: the man with the black cloak. Serafina and her only friend Braeden must discover the man's true identity so they can save the children.
Welcome to the Dead House by R. L. Stine
As Josh, Amanda, and their family move to a new town, the two siblings believe there's something different and weird about their new house. But no one believes them. Instead, Josh and Amanda are told to go make friends. Only the kids here want to be friends...forever.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
The highly popular series Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark explores eerie and spooky folklore that will haunt any reader.
A Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) by Lemony Snicket
This book isn’t charming or pleasant, yet kids love it. As three siblings lose their mother and father, they must fight to survive and to protect themselves from a greedy villain.
Ghoulia by Barbara Cantini
All Ghoulia wants is to find a real friend. Unfortunately, she's a zombie girl who spends her time with her albino greyhound, Tragedy. She fears the other children will be afraid of her. But she finds her chance at friendship when Halloween comes.
A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
As Hansel and Gretel explore eight other classic Grimm fairy tales, readers are taken on a wondrous journey and learn the stories behind the fairy tales.
City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
When Cassidy Blake survives a drowning, she realizes she can see ghosts. As her parents land a TV gig showcasing the most haunted places in Edinburgh, Scotland, she's introduced to another girl who shares her gift. But in the city of ghosts, she'll need to learn how to use it fast before she gets into danger.
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
When Catrina and her family move to Northern California, a neighbour tells her ghosts live among them. And Catrina's sick sister, Maya, is determined to see one. Catrina doesn't want anything to do with ghosts, but she must find a way to move past her fear for her sister and herself.
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
After saving a book from a crazed woman who wanted to throw it in the water, Ollie uncovers a scary story. The next day, she attends a school trip at Smoke Hollow and finds out that the story may be true after all. When the bus breaks down, she and two classmates travel into the woods before nightfall finds them.
Inkling by Kenneth Oppel
Ethan, the son of a famous comic artist, wishes he had artistic talent, but he doesn’t. When he's stumped on what to do with his graphic novel project, an ink-blot creation from his father's sketchbook appears and his entire life changes.
Where the Woods End by Charlotte Salter
Kestrel, a huntress, lives in a dangerous forest where Grabbers, deadly creatures that are born when you are, roam. Her mother, a powerful witch, instructs her to hunt one of them down. Along with a weasel named Pippit, she searches for freedom. But her own Grabber slowly stalks her along the way.
The Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery by Allison Rushby
Flossie Birdwhistle, a twelve-year-old ghost, is the caretaker of all spirits who reside in Highgate Cemetery. When another world war occurs, she worries about a dead German soldier who carries an artifact that exists both in the living and dead worlds. As she uncovers a scheme that may destroy her cemetery and country, she must find a way to stop the solider for good.
Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly
Emmeline is hidden from the world. Her power allows her to control shadows. When a noble family arrives, she realizes these people want to rid her of this power. Dar, a shadow friend, tells her he can convince the family to leave if she turns him into a human. But her plans go awry when the nobleman falls into a coma. She must find a way to clear her name, but she isn't sure if she can trust Dar after the incident.
The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast by Samantha M. Clark
When a boy washes up on an uninhabited beach, he doesn't know who or where he is. In order to go home, he knows he must uncover the truth even if it means he must face his fear.
A Festival of Ghosts by William Alexander
Rosa Ramona Diaz, the ghost-appeasing assistant librarian, releases ghosts in her hometown, which was once ghost-free. As they haunt the street, Rosa must solve a recent incident in which a supernatural being is stealing kids' voices. And her friend Jasper must deal with the ghosts taking over the Renaissance Festival. Now, both of them must find a way to set things straight.
The Bone Snatcher by Charlotte Salter
Sophie Seacove dreams of a better world. Her stories are what keep her company, while she’s forced to live in a decaying mansion filled with stories of its own. One tale of the Monster Box in particular sparks her interest. She believes it's the key to find her way back to her family. As she gets closer to finding this mysterious object, she finds hidden secrets that not everyone wants out.
A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting by Joe Ballarini
Kelley Ferguson decides babysitting is much better than party-going. What she doesn't know is that a secret babysitters’ society protects children from monsters, and she’ll need to call other babysitters to help save Jacob, a boy she babysits, or the boogeyman will make his nightmare come true. But as she finds out that the monsters' trail heads toward the school's Halloween dance, she has no other choice but to save her friends.
Monsterland by James Crowley
As Halloween rolls around, Charlie wants nothing more than to be alone. His cousin Billy isn't here anymore. But when bullies try to steal his candy, he escapes into the woods and gets lost. As he goes deeper in the woods, he sees a boy who looks like Billy and chases after him, entering Monsterland where dangerous creatures live. Charlie is determined to figure out what has happened to Billy.
The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie
When Tessa Woodward moves to rainy Chicago, she's homesick. And now, unexplained events start to occur. She then realizes a spirit wants to communicate with her and tell her of a long forgotten secret. Tessa and her new friends look to solve the mystery and see why the spirit has connected with her.
Emily and the Spellstone by Michael Rubens
When Emily discovers a stone that somehow looks like a cellphone, she doesn't realize that it contains magical powers that turn her into the Stonemaster. She will need to learn the Spellstone technology or people who want to use the stone for evil will steal it from her.