It’s not often I have guest posts on the blog, but when I find out that one of my oldest blogging friends has written a super cute children’s book I have to make an exception! My sweet friend, Kailei Pew, has written the perfect children’s book for the Halloween season. Not only that, but she was kind enough to compile a list of 12 of her favorite picture books perfect for October! Some links contain affiliates.
Picture Books Perfect for October
Thank you so much for hosting me, Justine!! I am super grateful for this chance to share some favorite October picture books with your readers!
But first, there are two things you need to know about me.
- I am obsessed with picture books. When we brought my oldest child home from the hospital, we read a picture book. And it’s been a huge part of our lives ever since. We are the kind of people who will sit and read a giant stack of books and wish there was time to read even more. The kind of people who max out their library card limit. And the kind of people whose bookshelves are sagging under the weight of one too many books. So I feel like I have a pretty good pulse on the current picture book market and have created a list of books you are SURE to love.
- I am obsessed with Halloween, October, and all things fall! Granted, I’m a terrified little girl when it comes to anything super scary, so I don’t do anything with horror, but I love all things cute and slightly spooky. And all the fun fall traditions from pumpkin patches to hay rides and beyond are definitely favorites for me.
This list is super fun, because some are Halloween specific, but many aren’t specifically about Halloween and can actually be enjoyed year round. They are just the perfect October reads (maybe slightly spooky) and will help you get in the Halloween spirit!
With this list, you’ll be able to enjoy a different book each day during the rest of October! So fill up your cart or head to my FAVORITE place full of FREE books–the library! Your kids are sure to love this list of 12 picture books perfect for October.
Creepy Crayon by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown
This is the final book in an incredible group of three. So am I already cheating on my choice of “twelve” by actually meaning three here? Yes, yes I am. But this entire series is just SO good that you must read all three, but I just couldn’t give up three spots on this list for them. This series follows Jasper Rabbit who seems to be surrounded by creepy things! The creepiness is masked in some major humor and these books will have your kids giggling as Jasper desperately tries to get away from creepy carrots, creepy underwear, and finally a creepy crayon.
A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall and Vera Brosgol
This book is SO much fun. A witch is trying to make her favorite treat live on her own cooking show, but the most important ingredient also happens to be the most difficult to catch! As she tries more and more desperately to get the pesky little frogs onto the spoon, things get sillier and sillier. Kiddos will love this funny read, perfect for Halloween.
There’s a Ghost in this House by Oliver Jeffers
This book is incredibly unique and unlike anything I had seen before. It uses vellum paper to make ghosts appear on each spread in such a fun and surprising way. Readers see the ghosts, even when the main character can’t seem to see them. Kids absolutely love finding the little ghosties and pointing them out.
If Your Babysitter is a Bruja by Ana Siqueira and Irena Freitas
This bilingual story is a must read at Halloween. I love the Spanish words weaved in throughout as a cute little girl realizes that her babysitter is actually a witch and she must get rid of her! Each page is full of surprises and funny antics. This structure might remind you of books like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie where each spread builds on each other and circles around at the end.
Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire by Flavia Z. Drago
Here I am again with another full series that you really can’t miss. These books weave fun stories with messages of self love and acceptance. This one, specifically about Vlad, is all about a little vampire with a passion for fashion who worries what others will think if he shows who he truly is. So he hides his rosy complexion and love of pink. Until he realizes that he isn’t the only one who is just a little different… and he might be able to embrace what makes him unique. This book is truly fabulous!
The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler
Another book about someone who is just a little different, this book is a special one. The little ghost feels like he doesn’t fit in with his family of sheets. He is heavy, slow, hot, and sweaty. He can’t twirl and whirl like the others. And he can’t escape the terrifying people the other ghosts can run away from. But when he goes on a brave adventure, he finds that it was only possible because he was just a little different.
Frankenstein Doesn’t Wear Earmuffs by John Loren
This is one of my very favorite Halloween-specific books. Frankenstein does NOT want to trick or treat with earmuffs on! But when he gets out in the cold, he realizes that mom and dad just might have been right! The illustrations are so incredibly fun, (and in my opinion, make the book what it is), showing what is happening in real life and what is happening in the little boy’s imagination.
Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes and Yuyi Morales
Another bilingual read, this rhyming story follows some creepy monsters on Halloween. It’s a really fun read aloud that kids will enjoy. And the twist at the end, that human kids are actually the scariest of all, will have kids giggling.
The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater
This book is silly and fun and will have kids giggling over Squirrel, who is CONVINCED that somehow has stolen his beautiful leaves. They seem to be disappearing every single day and showing up with someone else!! Maybe mouse is the thief? Or bird! In the end, Squirrel finally remembers that this happens every autumn, and maybe no one is to blame after all. With nonfiction backmatter, readers will enjoy learning more about the true leaf thief!
Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima
This book is absolutely charming and a favorite for sure. House is slightly creepy. Slightly creaky. Maybe even a little haunted. But House is sure she can overcome that. Maybe if she holds her breath and stands as still as possible, a family will finally move it. Luckily for her, a family comes to love House for exactly who she is, no changes needed. Of course, that family might be a little different than House expected too.
The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijo
I love the word play in this book! Written like a true cowboy is speaking, this book is a joy to read aloud. The Halloween Kid has to come save the right to trick or treat from the Goodie Goblins who want to ruin the day. With fun, retro illustrations, this book is a joy for grown ups and kids alike.
The Monster Above the Bed by Kailei Pew and Steph Lew
I’m absolutely giddy to be including my own book on this list of October reads! The Monster Above the Bed follows Blossom, a regular girl who loves to jump snake, swim in the bog, and play slime ball. But Blossom does not love the creepy sounds coming from above her bed. When no one believes her when she claims there is a monster up there, Blossom must take matters into her own claws to discover the truth. A wholesome twist on a classic fear, The Monster Above the Bed will make you wonder—what do the monsters under our beds think about us?
So there you have it! Twelve of my very favorite picture books perfect for October! And let me tell you, it was difficult to cut it down to just twelve! So tell me in the comments below, what are some of your favorite October picture books, be they Halloween themed, spooky, fall, or just cozy reads.
Thank you again to Justine for hosting me today! I hope that you enjoy this list and find a lot of new books here today!
Find Kailei online at:
KaileiPewBooks.com | IG: @KaileiPewBooks | Twitter: @Kailei Pew
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