When the air turns crisp, leaves begin to fall, and neighbors line their steps with pumpkins, it’s time to break out great Halloween books. They're fun for all ages: Young kids love cutesy stories about friendly ghosts and witches, while older ones will get a thrill and spine tingle out of monsters and zombies.
Diving into a fresh slew of books will provide brand new excitement and anticipation for the Halloween season, and we think you’ll be just as excited about this year’s new spooky releases as we are!
Read on for 11 hot-of-the-press Halloween books (or jump straight to the shopping list). If you’re looking for more age-specific reads, check out these board books, newly independent reader books, and chapter books that all celebrate the haunting season.
Shop our entire collection of Halloween books and activities at The Scholastic Store.
Want even more book and reading ideas? Sign up for our Scholastic Parents newsletter.
1. Teeny Tiny Ghost (PreK)
In this sweet board book, a little ghost and an equally small mouse strike up a super cute friendship that takes them on a Halloween adventure throughout their teeny tiny barn. Preschoolers will love the fun, lyrical rhymes each page introduces.
2. Five Little Pumpkins on Halloween Night (PreK)
Your little one might love to show off beginner counting skills, and now they can do it with these joyful jack-o’-lanterns. This board book has just a few words on each page — a good thing for kids who are just building their attention span — and plenty of bright pictures to keep them engaged. Best of all, the story is all about spreading love, which is a beautiful message any time of year.
3. The Littlest Witch (PreK-K)
In this new release, Wilma (the littlest witch) sets her sights on the broom-flying routine at a Halloween party, but hits lots of hiccups during practice. Things don’t go as planned when she tries to help her sister make potions, either. After struggling to fit in during the celebration, she figures out how she can be a big helper and make the party extra special in her own way.
4. Boo, Boo, I Love You! (Pre-K)
Your littlest boo won’t be able to get enough of this adorable board book. The touch-and-feel and touch-and-lift pages (featuring cute critters like raccoons and cats) are a delight, and the fun rhymes include repetition that makes memorization easy. Don’t be surprised when your kids ask for more readings!
5. Super Monsters: Monster Mash (PreK-1)
The kids at Pitchfork Pines Preschool transform into their monster selves when the sun goes down, and that’s when the fun begins! However, Halloween can be trouble in the Super Monsters’ town — and they must learn to work together, groove to the same beat, and yes, even embrace the Monster Mash to save the day and have a fun Halloween.
6. Owl Diaries #11: Trip to the Pumpkin Farm (K-2)
Eva Wingdale just loves autumn! In this book from the fan-favorite Owl Diaries series, the resident cheery owl is taking a school field trip to the pumpkin farm. Just as she and her classmates are having a hoot picking apples, milking cows, and counting sheep, they discover that a special pumpkin has disappeared — and it’s up to them to play farm detective to crack the case before Owloween. The story is told in diary format with bright, colorful illustrations, and it’s difficult not to catch Eva’s enthusiasm for adventure and friendship when reading it.
7. I Spy Spooky Night (PreK-3)
Do you dare enter this haunted house? From the “Ghost of the Night” to the “Discovery in the Graveyard,” 13 picture riddles take little readers from room to room to explore spooky scenes and solve riddles. Each vivid Halloween scene captures their imagination, challenges their spy abilities, and sends a (tame) shiver up their spine. Once they’ve solved each story, they can go back and make up their own!
8. Eerie Elementary #10: The End of Orson Eerie? (Grades 1-3)
Students are getting ready for the Eerie Day celebration, and they have a feeling that the holiday will be extra scary this year. Mad scientist Orson Eerie, who built Eerie Elementary a century ago, is responsible for strange happenings around the school, like monstrous pumpkins. Can hall monitors Sam, Lucy, and Antonio stop the spookiness so everyone can have a fun (and safe) Eerie Day? This book is just right for newly independent readers (check out a full list of Halloween books for this age group here!).
9. Wolfie Monster and the Big Bad Pizza Battle (Grades 2-5)
Wolfie is the silly and fun-loving brother to the more serious Jackson and older Roy Monster. Together they run Magik Cheez Pizza, a place for good pizza (tuna and banana), magic, and great friends. Because of their differences, not everything runs smoothly. Pizza competition swoops in from Happy Leaf, which is run by the evil Lord Mudpant, who’s looking to turn everyone in Oak Hollow into zombies. It’s up to the squabbling trio of brothers to save the town in this vibrant graphic novel.
10. Dugout: The Zombie Steals Home (Grades 3-7)
Written for ages 8 and up, this graphic novel features twin witches Stacy and Gina, who are both little league pitchers for different teams. Being on rival teams causes enough problems, but when Gina casts a spell that accidentally raises a zombie, they have to work together to solve the monstrous mess.
11. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #1: Season of the Witch (Grades 9+)
You might know Sabrina Spellman as the sweet teenage witch from the 90s, but your kids know her from the snappy Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This prequel novel (set before the show) follows Sabrina the summer before she turns 16 as she performs a spell on boyfriend Harvey to discover how he really feels about her. As you can imagine, things go wrong — really wrong.
