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?

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!!!

Glimpses, October 2020

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October was a busy, emotional month for our family, but it was also a good, good month. Here are some glimpses.

10.01.20—Painted some fall leaves as our afternoon activity

10.04.20—Sweet Penelope has been having a hard time with our move, and she has taken to sleeping in the hall rather than in her bed.

10.15.20—Said goodbye to our little house in Bloomington on a beautiful fall day.

10.16.20—Sweet boy sound asleep with his trusty sloth

10.18.20—Dylan’s parents had a huge bonfire to close out MN fall, and it was lovely! Finn was in awe.

10.22.20—Picking out faces for our pumpkins from Pick A Pumpkin.

10.26.20—Closed on our new house in Sioux Falls!

10.27.20—Ripped the carpet out of the living room and got our rug laid out and couch set. It’s starting to feel a bit like home.

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10.30.20—Carving pumpkins! Finn was supervising because he didn't want to get his hands dirty, and Penelope was game for all of it.

10.31.20—Halloween is Finn’s favorite holiday, by far. He looks forward to it all year. Back at the end of August he picked his costume—The Flash. He has been dashing around the house for weeks and weeks, so he was so excited for actual Halloween. We had friends over for a little party, and he was in heaven. Penelope wanted to be an orange super hero, so I got her adorable orange pajamas and a pink cape and mask. She was super excited to wear it for photos, and then promptly took off the mask and cape and had a great evening in her orange pajamas. Haha!

I hope you had a spooky month!

Our Favorite Kid's Halloween Books

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Halloween is by far Finn’s favorite holiday. He looks forward to it all year! He loves the pumpkins, he loves the costumes, he loves the spooky ghosts and skeletons decorated throughout the house, and he loves the books. So here are our favorites.

The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea—I think this one is Finn’s favorite. At the beginning of September, he asked me when we could read it. :) I love it too! (Amazon)

No Such Thing by Ella Bailey—Sadly, this one is out of print, but we put it on our library request list each fall so we can still enjoy it. The illustrations are really cute, and the story is sweet. We highly recommend it.

Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara—This is such an adorable book! Finn and I both love it, and I’m excited to introduce it to Penelope this year. (Amazon)

How To Make Friends With A Ghost by Rebecca Green—This one is cute and somewhat reminiscent of No Such Thing. It’s a little longer, though, and aimed at preschool to grade 3 kiddos. (Amazon)

Curious George Goes to a Costume Party by Margret Rey—Finn went through a big Curious George phase, and one of our favorites (year-round) from “A Treasury of Curious George” was the story where he goes to a costume party. It’s cute for toddlers, preschoolers, and even now as a Kindergartener, I think Finn would like it. (Amazon)

Little Blue Truck’s Halloween by Alice Schertle—Penelope loves the Little Blue Truck books sooooo much, so I picked this one up for her, and it’s super cute! (Amazon)

Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht (Amazon)—This is new to us this year, and it’s super cute! We are going to use some of the jack-o-lantern designs for our pumpkins to carve on Halloween.

One Spooky Night: A Halloween Adventure by Kate Stone—The description for this one says, “Intricately cut pages and shadowy sheets of vellum come together in this tale of a little monster’s moonlit stroll through the woods to a creepy old house and a festive, fold-out finale full of Halloween cheer.” I was highly impressed with it when we got it from the library last year. It’s great for toddlers and preschoolers. (Amazon)

And Then Comes Halloween by Tom Brenner—I remember this one being cute, and I’m excited to get it from the library to kick-off the month. (Amazon)

These are books on our list to check out this year (with our updates)—

  • Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins (Amazon): We were underwhelmed with this one.

  • Sir Simon, Super Scarer by Cale Atkinson (Amazon): This one has a bit of sardonic humor to it that both Finn and I enjoyed. It’s not my favorite ever, but I would get it again next year.

  • The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams (Amazon): I forgot that we got this last year. It’s a bit spooky the first time through, but I like that it has the rhyming and a surprise ending. We’ve talked with Finn about bravery, and he seemed to resonate with the lady choosing bravery. It’s definitely for preschool and kindergarten age kids, not toddlers, in my opinion.

  • Arthur's Halloween by Marc Brown (Amazon): This one is ok. The story is a bit forced. We returned it to the library after one read.

We’ve been trying to read some chapter books aloud to Finn, and I’m looking forward to reading A Good Night for Ghosts by Mary Pope Osborne to correspond with this spooky season.