Board books
Peppa’s pumpkin party
A jolly little board book filled with favourite characters from the TV programme.
Pumpkin party!
Toddlers who love the TV animation of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit will toddle along to borrow this book, even though there are rather a lot of words in it!
Boo!: a book of spooky surprises by Jonathan Litton
Yet another board book about pumpkins. This one would be great for very young children. It’s sturdy, brightly coloured and has die cut eyes on every page.
Picture books
Funnybones by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
Those playful skeletons are still in occupation down a dark, dark staircase in a dark, dark house. They’ve been there since 1980, but I suppose in skeleton years, 35 years is no time at all. If you enjoy this first episode, try Mystery tour and The ghost train.
Room on the broom by Julia Donaldson
An introduction in rhyme, witches, broomsticks and more. But be warned, it is rather long.
Spells by Emily Gravett
A beautifully illustrated book about a frog who uses the jumbled pages of a spells book to become a handsome prince.
Spot’s spooky fun by Eric Hill
Spooky it isn’t, despite the title, but then Spot is just too cute to be spooky, even when he dresses up.
Angelina’s Halloween by Katharine Holabird
Angelina goes trick or treating in beautiful costumes.
The haunted house by Kazuno Kohara
In a big old house at the edge of town, a little girl makes short work of the ghosts in this beautiful and unusual picture book.
Happy Halloween, Witch’s Cat! by Harriet Muncaster
A witch’s cat wonders what costume to wear for trick or treating on Halloween in this beautifully illustrated picture book, aimed originally at a US audience.
Ten Spooky skeletons by Garry Parsons
A counting picture book with cut outs for little fingers and a double page glow-in-the-dark ending.
Scaredy-cat, Splat! by Rob Scotton
Splat the cat is back, and this time he’s scared of mice. A perfect picture book for Halloween or anytime of year.
Winnie’s haunted house by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul
“When Wilbur the cat accidentally smashes one of Winnie’s vases he hides to evade suspicion and Winnie begins to think her house must be haunted. She instigates what she thinks is a spell to fix a haunted house but ends up instead filling her house with skeletons, ghosts, spiders, bats and owls.” The Times calls it “pure magic” and we think it would go down well with KS1.
Meg and the dragon by David Walser and Jan Pienkowski
“Meg is getting ready for her Halloween tea when disaster strikes and her teapot breaks! Meg uses her spells to magic a new teapot, but as usual, all does not go to plan.”
Short chapter books
Winnie goes batty by Laura Owen and Korky Paul
We’ve got lots of silly picture books about Winnie, a witch with a black cat, a cauldron and extraordinary legs, but this book is one for children to read to themselves.
Horrid Henry tricks and treats by Francesca Simon
Imagine what Horrid Henry could be like if he were supposed to be playing tricks and eating loads of sweets.
Junior novels
The Moon-Faced Ghoul-Thing by Barry Hutchison
If you followed Benjamin Blank’s adventures in The Shark-Headed Bear Thing or The Swivel-Eyed Ogre Thing, you’ll know to expect a slightly crazy and very funny 15th century world.
Junior non-fiction
It’s fun to draw creepy spooks by Mark Bergin
Bags of inspiration for how to draw skeletons, werewolves and all manner of spooky stuff.
10 minute Halloween crafts by Annalees Lim
A practical and well-illustrated book of simple craft projects to make with younger children.
Spooky poems by James Carter
“A haunted house, a pattering mouse, a spooky feeling, a spider-webbed ceiling, a squeaking door, a creaking floor, a swooping bat, the eyes of a cat, a dreadful dream, a distant scream. A ghost that goes ‘BOO’ and you!”