Slightly Spooky, Surprisingly Philosophical

My Favorite Halloween Picture Books 🎃 🌚 🧟‍♀️ ⚡️

Halloween picture books are a mini genre that seem to be growing. Any time you can give a bookseller an obvious way to add a title to a display or put together a themed table, it’s easier to sell your book. Ten or twenty years ago, the Halloween books were probably mostly licensed or generic titles that didn’t feel special beyond helping parents and teachers celebrate the holiday without candy, but writers have found a way to make this mini genre surprisingly weird and philosophical. Readers might be more likely to pull these out in September and October, but most of them could be enjoyed any time of year. These are some of my favorites. Maybe one will make you want to try writing a Halloween book too!

Aggie and the Ghost

Aggie’s haunted by a ghost and she can’t get a second of alone time. She tries setting boundaries, but eventually misses the ghost a teeny tiny bit. The ending could be about Aggie and her ghost becoming BFFs but it most definitely is not. Their relationship is meaningful but hard to define, and that makes it a more sophisticated story.

How to Be a Witch

This nonfiction picture book is slipping onto the Halloween table, because it’s a respectful look at real witches. As a parent, I like whenever I can connect holidays to nature, and this picture book emphasizes the connection witches cultivate with nature. There’s also a spell for kids to work at the end.

Wolfgang in the Meadow

This book follows a traditional story arc, and if it wasn’t about a ghost who wants to become the great spirit of the Dark Castle and hang out with his friends in the meadow, it might come off as being a little predictable and saccharine. But because there are so many charming surprises and humorous moments sprinkled throughout the book, it feels like a one-of-a-kind take on the classic be-yourself theme.

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole

Format wise, this book stands out with a story being told within a story. There are short chapters, but the illustrations are integral to the story, so it’s definitely not a chapter book, and it is genuinely spooky, but not scary. Thematically this book is surprisingly deep and asks “Who is the real monster?”

How to Be Friends with a Ghost

I’ve been studying and teaching this book ever since it came out. It’s just perfection. At first glance it appears to be a pun-filled How To guide. It’s delightful at that level. But the ending! Oh the ending makes you think about mortality and our future selves in a way that’s rare in children’s books. It will stay with you whatever your age.

Room on the Broom

I’ve read this book with my son about five thousand times. (There’s also a Room on the Broom movie, a Yoto card, and an app, if you want to go deep into this universe!) Does this book have anything to do with Halloween? Not really. But it’s about a witch, and you can bet stores will put this bestseller on display. Julia Donaldson’s rhyming text is unmatchable and this silly story about friendship is just as heartwarming on the 5,000th read as it is on the 6,000th.

Want to add a couple titles to your Halloween collection?

XO