- gigi eligoloff
Five spooky Halloween kids books
Updated: Oct 6
Yes it's a few weeks away, but the excitement starts here. Also, come on, if the thrill of the chase ( both towards sweets and away from monsters ) can't encourage a child to read, then what can? Here's our spooky, kooky picks, and don't forget we're got crafts, videos and lots of
Halloween fun for your little ones on our dedicated Halloween page here.
1. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Age suitability: 18 months upwards
Once upon a time, there was a little old lady who was not afraid of anything! But one autumn night, while walking in the woods, the little old lady heard . . . clomp, clomp, shake, shake, clap, clap. And the little old lady who was not afraid of anything had the scare of her life! With bouncy rhymes and lovely illustrations, this is a classic Halloween story and is perfect for reading aloud and addig your own sound effects. Not really scary at all - it's also a good way to deal with what 'scary' is anyway.
The very Hungry Caterpillar's Creepy Crawly Halloween
by Eric Carle
Age suitability 6 months upwards
Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar on his spookiest adventure yet as he explores the woods by the light of the moon.
Lift the big flap on every page to discover which creatures are hiding in the woods tonight.
A new popular Halloween twist on one of the best loved children's books, perfect for little hands.
The Witch's Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe
by Kirstie Watson, illustrated by Magdalena Sawko
Age suitability 2 years and up
For fans of Julia Donaldson's Room on the Broom (another very good Halloween pick),
The Witch's Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe is a story of a cheeky cat and a whole lot of magic and mishaps.
The witch has gone out and inspired by the old cookbook, the cat is determined to knock up a super-scrumptious surprise lunch for her. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm far exceeds his cooking abilities, and he carelessly overlooks some rather important information.
But hey, what’s the worst that could happen?
Busy Halloween
by Louise Forshaw
Age Suitability toddler
Busy books are a lovely way to engage with your children as they search and pick for favourite things on the pages. This book let's you join in the Halloween fun by pushing, pulling and turning the tabs. Carve a pumpkin, get dressed up, get ready for trick or treating ( even if this year, it may well be at home) or just have a big old Halloween party1
Children will love playing with this bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Louise Forshaw.
The Hallo-Wiener
By Dav Pilkey
Age suitability 4-8 years
If you haven't heard of Davilas Pilkey yet, and this is especially true if you have the kind of child who enjoys rude jokes, you will. Another gem for parents of reluctant readers, the author of series like 'Captain Underpants' and 'Dog man' famously overcame his childhood diagnosis of ADD and channeled much of his energy into drawing. One teacher telling him that "I couldn't spend the rest of my days making silly books".
We're all having the last laugh as his book are worldwide bestsellers. The Haloo-Wieneer is a festive tale of Oscar, 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 littlewiener can be a real winner!
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