Our Favorite Halloween Books for Kids

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Over the years we have collected a number of Halloween books for our kid’s library. Finn has always loved Halloween, and he has passed that joy on to Penelope. Throughout the year, Penelope will randomly ask, “what do you think you will dress as for Halloween?” or “What costume do you want for Halloween this year?” It’s so adorable! Needless to say, she was so excited to pull out our Halloween books again this year. After a few readings through our favorite books for Fall, I added these to the book basket too.

No Such Thing

No Such Thing is hands down my favorite Halloween book. I love Ella Bailey’s illustrations, and the storyline is really sweet. There are so many details to the illustrations, and Penelope and I had a lovely time looking closely at every page to spot the little ghosts causing mischief. Sadly, it is out of print, but sometimes copies come available on eBay. I also highly recommend checking if your library has a copy! That’s where we first discovered it.

Ghosts in the House!

Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara is such an adorable book! I really like the simplicity of the color palette, which really enhances the illustrations. It’s a simple story for toddlers/preschoolers. Penelope originally planned to dress up as a witch for Halloween this year, so she liked that the little girl was wearing a witch’s hat. Finn loved this one when he was younger.

Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party

I discovered Mr. Pumpkin's Tea Party by Erin Barker at the library last year, and it is so cute! Penelope is big into setting up tea parties, so this was perfect for her for Halloween. It is a simple counting book with beautiful illustrations. It’s fun and festive but not overly spooky.

The Scariest Book Ever

When Finn got home from school and saw The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea one in the book basket, he declared, “Oh yes! I love this book!” and promptly sat down and read it. He giggled all the way through. :) I read it to Penelope as well, and she liked all the illustrations. It’s been a favorite for a few years now.

Little Blue Truck’s Halloween

Penelope loved the Little Blue Truck books so much when she was younger. I added Little Blue Truck's Halloween to our collection two falls ago. She was excited to pull it out and read it this year, but I think it is geared much more toward toddlers and preschoolers. It is really cute, and I am excited for Azelie to enjoy it as she gets a little older.

Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show

These—Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show and Grimelda the Very Messy Witch—have been a very fun addition to our library. They each have a fun, festive, rhyming story featuring Grimelda, a little witch with big hair and a messy house. My personal favorite is the Spooktacular Pet Show, but both are good. (I bought my copies on eBay, but you can also check if Amazon has them.)

I have one honorable mention, not pictured above, that I would be remiss to leave out. Finn went through a big Curious George phase, and one of his favorites (year-round) was Curious George Goes to a Costume Party by Margret Rey. It is included in A Treasury of Curious George. It is a cute story for toddlers and preschoolers and definitely captures the magic of dressing up in costume!

Do your kid’s have any favorite Halloween books we should add to our collection?

Our Favorite Fall Books for Kids

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Autumn: Leaves Fall From the Trees

I first discovered Autumn: Leaves Fall From the Trees by Lisa Bell book at the library, and it is so fun! Not only are the illustrations wonderful and totally evoke feelings of fall, but the best part about it is that it comes with a cd to listen to the book sung as a song. My son loved this book as a preschooler, and I just got a copy for our home that I’m so excited to share with my daughter, who is 4. It seems to be out of print (sadly), but I have seen some copies floating around used on Amazon and eBay. You could also check out the publisher’s website, Cantata Learning, to see if they are still selling copies.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pan is a really simple book with pretty illustrations. It definitely brings fall to life across its pages, and of the author’s “Goodbye, Hello” series, this one is by far my favorite! It’s worth an addition to any toddler or preschooler’s bookshelf.

The Artists

So many books that I love have come from the library, and The Artists: Tales from the Hidden Valley by Carles Porta is no exception. One day while I was browsing the children’s section, I came across it, and I love, love, love the whimsical story of this book! Plus, the illustrations are so beautiful! It is really colorful and definitely evokes feelings of fall. I love the other books in this series as well: Hello Mister Cold, The Band, and Under the Water.

These next 3 are anthology books. They have stories/sections for each season.

Nature’s Day

Nature’s Day: Discover the World of Wonder On your Doorstep by Kay Maguire and Danielle Kroll is a nonfiction book with sections for each season. I really like the illustrations, and then it has little snippets about the different topics in that season. Fall focuses on the changing leaves, birds and butterflies that go south for the winter, and harvest items. Penelope’s class was talking about butterflies going south for the winter, and we saw a big flock of geese earlier this week, so I’d like to pull this one out again to look at and talk about. The nice thing is that each page is pretty self-contained, which I like because sometimes I only want to read one page at a time, rather than feeling like I have to read the whole book at once.

Little Witch Hazel

Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl was a gift for Penelope last Christmas. I recently added it to our pile of fall books, and I really enjoyed the Autumn story. The illustrations definitely evoked fall, and I thought it was a very sweet version of a spooky story for kids. I think Finn and Penelope enjoyed it. :)

A Year in Brambly Hedge: Autumn Story

I don’t have any photos of this one because I got this from the library a few years ago and then forgot about it. Then, earlier this summer I got a copy of Wilfred’s Rescue from the library, and I could not shake the feeling that I had seen this book before. Well, it turns out I had not seen this particular book before, but I had read a different Brambly Hedge story, the Autumn Story. All of Jill Barkley’s Brambly Hedge books are adorable! There is a beautiful 40th Anniversary edition, The Complete Brambly Hedge, that I put on our Christmas wishlist, but you can also get a set with just the four seasons books—A Year in Brambly Hedge.

Do you have any favorite kid’s books for the fall season?

Spooky Stick Wreath

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Years ago, I saved an image of a spooky wreath made from sticks. Last year I came across it again and decided it was high-time I make my own. Here is the inspiration image…

From Earnest Home Co via Pinterest.

All said and done, this was a really simple project that I made over the course of an afternoon. I’m really happy with how it turned out! I haven’t put it up quite yet, but I wanted to share it for anyone who wants to make their own in preparation for the spooky season ahead.

Spooky Stick Wreath

Supplies

  • Sticks, in varying sizes, see step 1 below

  • Glue gun and extra glue sticks

  • Cardboard or kraft paper (to work on)

  • Sharpie or other black marker

  • Black spray paint

  • Ribbon or a wreath hanger

Directions

First, collect sticks to use for your wreath. In general, I recommend thinner sticks. I think they add to the aesthetic better than a big, thick stick would. Our yard is full of sticks on any given day, so I spent a little time wandering around to pick up a few armfuls. I found it was helpful to get a bunch and then I sorted them later.

Second, sort your sticks. I put them into 3 piles—short, medium, and long. Each size range is a bit arbitrary, but it was helpful to start with the longer sticks, then add in medium sticks, then add the final touches with the smallest sticks as I was gluing. I also broke some sticks to better fit into my three categories and make them all a bit more uniform. I chose to use individual sticks, not branches, for my wreath.

Third, lay out a big piece of cardboard or kraft paper, grab a sharpie or other black marker, and get your glue gun ready. I chose to do my project outside on our big patio table, but you could definitely do this inside at your dining room table. You just need somewhere you can spread out a bit to work and that you don’t mind if it gets some dirt/mess on it.

Fourth, draw a circle on your cardboard to use as a guide for your wreath. I chose a circle that is about 14” in diameter. Then, lay out an initial layer of sticks to get your wreath started and your circle size set. I started with the longest sticks for the base of my wreath. Using your hot glue gun, glue sticks together where they touch. Continue to add sticks until you get to the size and fullness you desire for your wreath.

Fifth, once you’ve got your wreath glued, you’re ready to paint! I took a minute to remove lingering strings from the glue gun, and then gave it a light first coat of glossy black spray paint. I let that dry while I did a few other things, came back and gave it another coat to make sure I had covered all the nooks and crannies. Once you’ve gotten coverage you are happy with, set it aside to dry. I let mine sit overnight.

Sixth, using a ribbon or a wreath hanger, put your new Spooky Stick Wreath on display! I used mine in our dining room, but I also think it would be super fun on our front door.

Cheers to fall nights and spooky vibes!

Savor the Season: Fall Vibes

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Do you have any fall traditions? We usually try to make it to the apple orchard and make a batch of Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips. (A pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks is my guilty pleasure. Shhh! 🤫 )

And here are a few other inspiring fall favorites—

If you’re in the mood for pumpkin, this Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Coffeecake looks amazing! Or if pumpkin isn’t your thing, this Apple Cinnamon Bread looks tasty!

Need a date night idea? Make some Monster Cocktail Stirrers, mix up your favorite cocktail, and then Listen to a Spooky Radio Program. (Or if movies are more your thing, pick one from my sister’s list of Spooky Halloween Movie Favorites.)

It’s not too late to decorate your front door with a Spooky Stick Wreath, or go all out and recreate this fireplace scene—Drilled Galactic Pumpkins.

If you want to get the kids in on the fun, here are several book recommendation lists, or make your family dinners a little bit spooky with a Simple October Tabletop.

And since the chilly nights are begging for a warm bowl of soup/stew, you should definitely make The Only Chili Recipe You Will Ever Need, or go for a non-traditional chili approach with One-Pot White Chicken Chili, or our favorite Potato Soup with warm, crusty French bread. Yum!!!

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

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Beautiful fall foliage arrangement via the Kirkland’s blog

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s low-key and full to the brim with comfort food! What’s not to like?! I also really like that it feels like an exclamation mark to the end of fall, and from there I can turn my attention to Christmas and winter-time. Without further ado, here’s what’s on our menu this year.

Thanksgiving Menu

I am really digging the idea of a Cheese and Fruit Tray as a late lunch / appetizer on Thanksgiving Day. We have guests coming, and I think this would be a great option to have in the fridge for when they arrive.

In terms of the main meal, we will make a Blue Moon Brined Turkey. We have made this for years, and it always turns out well. Naturally, we have to make mashed potatoes and stuffing (because is it even Thanksgiving without it?!)

I’ve been thinking about a kale salad with blue cheese for a while now, so this Kale Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese seems like a great opportunity to make a big one with festive cranberries.

We make this Orange Bourbon Cranberry Sauce every year. It is so good! I recommend you serve it warm.

I am thinking about making this classic Green Bean Casserole as a side dish as well.

For dessert, we will make our beloved cheesecake, but I seriously considered trying to talk Dylan into this Rustic Pear Baked Custard. It looks tasty, and I like that it’s different than the traditional pumpkin pie. I might find an excuse to make it another time this holiday season.

So tell me, what’s on your must-make list this Thanksgiving?

And in case you are interested, here are my Tips for Throwing a Party and Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas if Pumpkin Pie Isn’t Your Thing.