Halloween-Theme Picture Books and Free Printables for Kids!
Halloween-Theme Stories and Printables for Homeschool and Classroom
As the days grow shorter and cooler weather arrives in the Northern Hemisphere, October is a wonderful month to share a variety of Halloween-theme picture books with children. Halloween is also a great time to enjoy concept books with children and more than one of our featured books highlights counting.
Here are some of our favorite stories exploring themes of friendship, tolerance, learning about others while trick or treating, wearing costumes and enjoying the fun of Halloween.
Scroll down for our free Halloween-theme printables for children
Halloween-Theme Picture Books and Free Printables for Kids!#kidlit #halloweenforkids #earlyed Share on X
A Very Brave Witch written by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Harry Bliss
Halloween-theme picture book published by Simon & Schuster / Paula Wiseman Books
A Very Brave Witch is the tale of a green-skinned, broomstick-flying, costume-loving witch. She thinks she knows all about humans and decides that Halloween night is the perfect opportunity to take a closer look. After a flying mishap, she meets three, costumed human trick-or-treaters including one girl who is dressed up as a witch. Together, the pair manages to shatter stereotypes as they discover friendship and celebrate Halloween together.
Young readers will enjoy investigating a recently-decorated haunted house and collection of costumes. The witches’ fear of humans is good fun.
Well-suited for a group read-aloud, the colorful watercolor illustrations nicely match the tone of the story.
Suitable for preschool and older
Scare Factor = 1
A Very Brave Witch at Amazon.com
A Very Brave Witch at Amazon.ca
A Creepy Countdown written by Charlotte Huck and Jos. A. Smith
Halloween-theme picture book published by Harper Trophy
Beautifully detailed, dark and creepy illustrations are a highlight of this Halloween-theme counting book. The rhyming text includes alliteration and guides readers as they count from one to ten and back down to one.
Five furry bats hanging upside down
Six skinny witches flying through the town
Recommended for children aged 5 and up. Illustrations are well-suited to a group setting and could be used to inspire young artists to work primarily in black.
Scare Factor = 2
A Creepy Countdown at Amazon.com
A Creepy Countdown at Amazon.ca
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt
Halloween-theme picture book published by Kids Can Press
Scaredy Squirrel is a fun series of picture books written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt. In Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween, Scaredy has put together eight short chapters featuring panels with maps, lists, illustrations and diagrams intended to keep trick or treaters safe and happy. Best-suited to independent readers or a one-on-one read aloud, this is a fun book with rich vocabulary and detailed, engaging illustrations. Not great for a large group setting, this will be a very satisfying “chapter book” for a child in grade one or two and will produce lots of giggles when read by a parent to a child.
Scare Factor = 1
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween: A Safety Guide for Scaredies at Amazon.com
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween: A Safety Guide for Scaredies at Amazon.ca
Ten Timid Ghosts written and illustrated by Jennifer O’Connell
Halloween-theme counting book published by Cartwheel Books, an imprint of Scholastic
When a moving truck pulls up to a haunted house, the ten resident ghosts watch nervously. Before too long, a green-skinned witch is scaring the ghosts with a skeleton
The repetitive, rhyming text adds to the fun in this counting book. Young children will love finding the ghosts in each of the illustrations.
Scare Factor = 1
Ten Timid Ghosts at Amazon.com
Trick or Treat written by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson, illustrated by Paul Meisel
Halloween-theme picture book published by Aladdin Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster
It’s Halloween night and time to trick or treat in a ten-story apartment building. A young, wide-eyed boy goes from floor to floor, meeting all sorts of costumed neighbors with wonderful names like Wiggle Waggle and Limbler Lamber. When the boy reaches the top floor, Merlin answers the door and waves his magic wand and tells the boy that everything is “WackBards“, sending the boy back to each apartment for Belly Jeans and “Twicorice Lists“
Great use of alliteration and wordplay along with colorful, fun illustrations make this an excellent read-aloud for kindergarten and older children. In a classroom setting, children could have fun illustrating a favorite candy WackBards.
Scare Factor = 1
Free Printable Halloween Theme Learning Resources for Kids
Writing paper for kids - Witch Hat
Halloween, Witch theme interlined paper for beginning writers.
Writing paper for kids - Pumpkin
Fall theme interlined paper with pumpkins for beginning writers.
Halloween Picture Dictionary
Free printable Halloween picture dictionary for readers and writers in kindergarten and grade one.
Five Little Ghosts
Use as an action chant or a felt board story
Five Little Pumpkins
Use as a action chant or a felt board story
The Wheels on the Halloween Bus
