Thanks to cooler temps, shorter days, and the Halloween spirit, spooky stories are a fun & simple way to celebrate the month of October! Check out some of our favorite stories for bringing on the shivers… without letting them last too long!
Love Monster and the Scary Something by Rachel Bright
As Love Monster snuggles into bed, he listens to the outside noises. One night, he hears a noise he doesn’t recognize. Love Monster is convinced the scary noise is a terrifying monster—but will he find the courage to face his fears? This sweetly scary book is a great reminder that when we face our fears, we often find that they weren’t so scary after all!
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
Jasper loves eating every kind of carrot in Carrothopper field, until… creepy carrots start following him! Even though Dad and Mom never seem to see them, Jasper hatches a BIG plan to keep creepy carrots from ever following him again. This fun story has a surprising ending that will leave you and your little one giggling!
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
As Mouse makes his way through the forest, he’s met by all kinds of predators hoping for a tasty treat. But when crafty Mouse tells them he’s meeting a terrible, horrible gruffalo, they’re more than happy to leave him alone. Mouse chuckles at his trick—there’s no such thing as a gruffalo! Until he actually meets one—and finds out that mouse is his favorite food! How will Mouse get out of this predicament? Readers can’t help but smile at this clever rhyming story!
The Dark by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen
The Dark lives in Laszlo’s house. It hides in corners and behind shower curtains, and its favorite place is the basement. Laszlo never goes in the basement—until the Dark invites him down the stairs to open a basement cupboard that nobody ever opens. What will Laszlo find? Wonderful illustrations add to the spooky tone of this (very relatable!) story!
The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen
A skull lives in an old house, deep in the woods. When Otilla finally runs away from her own house, the skull invites Otilla to stay the night. But a headless skeleton chases him every single night! Will Otilla be able to save the skull from the skeleton, like he helped her escape the woods? With multiple Parts to the story, this book is perfect for older children who are looking for a little extra spookiness!
The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree by Stan & Jan Berenstain
Three little bears enter a spooky old tree, but once they’re inside, do they dare… climb a rickety stair? Enter a creepy hall? Climb over Great Sleeping Bear? Or will they all fall victim to the shivers? This classic Berenstain Bears story is full of all the rhymes, repetition, and fun Bear Country illustrations that kids love!
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean
When Lucy hears rustling in the walls of her big, old house, she’s certain it’s the wolves! And “when the wolves come out of the walls, it’s all over!” But is it? Lucy and her family are about to find out! Paired with perfectly eerie illustrations, this clever story’s twists, turns, and quirky details will keep readers guessing (and chuckling!) until the very last page!
Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley
In this entertaining story, the big, green monster appears one colorful feature at a time, with yellow eyes, a big red mouth, squiggly purple hair, and more. And when the reader orders each feature to go away, the big, green monster slowly disappears, one colorful item at a time. Perfect for the youngest readers, this book is a fun way to practice color recognition and build confidence with a spooky twist!
No Such Thing by Ella Bailey
Things keep moving around Georgia’s house, and some might call that spooky! But Georgia can always figure out who (or what) created each mysterious mess and disappearance. That’s because Georgia knows there’s no such thing as ghosts. This book is a great way to help kids work through common fears—and as a fun added twist, there’s a ghost on every page for readers to discover!
Bone Soup by Cambria Evans
When Finnigin the Eater comes to town, all the town’s creatures lock their cupboards—because there’s not enough to share! But when clever Finnigin boils a magic bone in a huge cauldron for bone soup, the villagers are curious—and somehow find all the ingredients Finnigin needs to make a delicious Halloween feast for the whole town! Kids will love watching Finnigin work his “magic”!
I hope you enjoyed these Ten Favorite Scary Picture Books!
For more great ideas, feel free to check out 10 Favorite Identity Picture Books or 10 Favorite Picture Books for Older Kids!
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