Not-so-spooky Stories

Our friendly scarecrow, Oct. 2010

I love Halloween!  I love "spookifying" my house from top to bottom.  I love dressing up in costumes.  I love watching scary movies.  I love taking my kids trick-or-treating.  And I love reading Halloween stories!  Here a few not-so-scary books for young children that I found at the library and on our bookshelves here at home:

The Curious Little Witch, written and illustrated by Lieve Baeten, 2010... A young witch crashes into an attic window, and -- being curious -- explores the mysterious house that belongs to several older witches.  The illustrations are filled with fun details.  Each spread contains an extra, narrower page that kids can flip back and forth to see changes in the scene.

Halloween ABC, written by Sarah Albee and illustrated by Paul Meisel, 1993... It's time for trick-or-treating, and a whole alphabet of costumes parades by in this book.

Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness, written and illustrated by Calef Brown, 2010.  This book is filled with amusing Halloween poems and bright, whimsical artwork -- a delight to look at and read!

Skeleton Hiccups, written by Margery Cuyler and illustrated by S. D. Schindler, 2005...  This silly book cracks me up every time I read it!  It's hard to have the hiccups when one is a skeleton -- none of the usual remedies work.

Jeepers Creepers: A Monstrous ABC, written by Laura Leuck and illustrated by David Parkins, 2003... Twenty-six strange-looking creatures make up this odd alphabet.

The Little Pumpkin Book, written by Katharine Ross and illustrated by Katy Braten, 1999...  A sweet story for little ones, this book follows two children as they grow pumpkins in their garden all summer long, make jack-o-lanterns and pumpkin pie in the fall, and then wait through winter to plant the seeds they've saved for next spring's garden.

Most Loved Monster, written by Lynn Downey and illustrated by Jack E. Davis, 2004...  This story revolves around that age-old question: Which child does Mom love most?  Of course, Mama Monster loves all of her little monsters!  Kids (and adults) will get a kick out of hearing the unique qualities that Mama loves about each of her monsters.

The Littlest Pumpkin, written by R. A. Herman and illustrated by Betina Ogden, 2001...  The littlest pumpkin at the pumpkin stand dreams of becoming a jack-o-lantern.  She waits and waits, but all the children who come to the stand are looking for bigger pumpkins.  Will anyone ever choose her to take home?

Skeleton Bones & Goblin Groans: Poems for Halloween, written by Amy E. Sklansky and illustrated by Karen Dismukes, 2004... Though I thoroughly enjoyed the poems in this book, I was most impressed by the incredible illustrations created with fabric and beads!  (My photos do not do them justice at all.) I checked this one out from the library, but have since put it on my "to buy" list -- this book is a treat!

Spooky Night, written by Natalie Savage Carlson and illustrated by Andrew Glass, 1982... A witch's black cat wishes to become a family's pet cat.

The Teeny Tiny Ghost and the Monster, written by Kay Winters and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, 2004... All the ghosts at school are excited about the upcoming Make a Monster contest.  All except one -- the teeny tiny ghost, who is frightened by the idea.

Wee Witches' Halloween, written and illustrated by Jerry Smath, 2002...  The wee witches have been to Scaring School, preparing for Halloween night, but their attempts at scaring others go awry....

Who Said Boo?: Halloween Poems for the Very Young, written by Nancy White Carlstrom and illustrated by R. W. Alley, 1999...  This book is filled with simple rhymes and colorful illustrations that will appeal to toddlers and preschoolers.

Witches' Holiday, written by Alice Low and illustrated by Tricia Tusa, 1997...  A lighthearted rhyming tale, this story describes what happens when three witches escape from a young boy's bedroom closet on Halloween night.

For even more Halloween picture books, please check out my 2012 post, Bootiful Books for Young Children.

What are your favorite picture books for Halloween?