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Whoa!!! Where did this month go?? October 31st is almost here!! This is an extra special day for us not just because it’s one of my FAVORITE holiday seasons BUT also because our youngest son was born on HALLOWEEN day!! He will be turning 7 this year and I can’t hardly believe it!!! So it only made sense to share some of our favorite Halloween books to get this season rolling!
My three kids and my ninja kicking nephew before heading out to trick- or- treat.
I started reading to my kids at a very young age. It not only sparked a love for reading in them but it gave me extra cuddle time! : ) After 20 years we now have quite the book collection which I am about to share with all of you and because it’s my son, Manny’s, birth month I am going to start out with his picks first.
Manny’s picks (age 6)
1. Trick or Treat with Elmo by Brian Houlihan
Ages: 3 and up Grade Level: 1- 2
This was the very first Halloween book I bought for my son Manny. It features a toy doorbell and five sound buttons. Illustrated icons on the book’s pages match the five buttons on the audio panel attached to the book. As you read along you ring the doorbell to “trick-or-treat” and press the buttons to add sound effects. Too cute!! The recommended age for this book is for children ages 3 and older but Manny was an infant when I purchased this and the sounds and bright pictures had him mesmerized. It still is one of his favorites!!
2. Funny Faces Halloween Jack by Roger Priddy
Ages: 3- 6 Grade Level: 1-2
This book has a lot going on! The googly eyes that follow you are just too cute and my son loved rubbing the velvet pumpkin so much it’s starting to wear in some parts. The story rhymes throughout and the different textures are great for tactile learning.
3. The Monstore by Tara Lazar
Ages: 4- 7 Grade Level: Preschool- 2
Next on our must read bootastic book list is not necessarily about Halloween but about monsters! When I think monsters, I think scary. This book however is more friendly and funny than scary. It still fits in with the ghost and goblin theme for Halloween though. This storyis about how an older sibling tries to get his pesky younger sister to stay out of his room with the help from some friendly monsters. It doesn’t go quite as planned. The illustrations in this book are so bright, colorful, and monsterific!
3. Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 by B.C.R. Fegan
Age Range: 3 – 8 years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3
I was lucky enough to review this book over the summer which you can read all about here. It is one of Manny’s new favorites! I will have to admit I love too! The magical Hotel of Hoo is a mysterious place with some very unusual occupants. With something new behind every door and a stern reminder to never look behind door 32! This imaginative and very colorful picture book aims to take children beyond the first ten cardinal numbers, and introduces them to the patterns of counting in a fun way. It has an unexpected surprise twist at the end that still makes Manny and I laugh out loud each time we read it!
Now on to Kaitlyn’s picks! (Age 16)
1. A Halloween Scare in Ohio by Eric James
Ages: 4 and up
This book, though way below her reading level now, is on her list because it was her first Halloween book. Now, she enjoys reading this one to her little brother. It’s rhyming rhythm makes it appealing as well as the fact that this particular Halloween adventure takes place in the state of Ohio in which we live. It also mentions a few nearby cities. Just in case you are not from Ohio, there are a few other versions of this story in other states.
2. Miss Peregrines’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Grades: 9- 12
is one is a little more her age that’s also fan to read during the Halloween season. The Miss Peregrine’s series starts out with a tragic family accident which sends a boy on a mission to find out what really happened to his beloved grandfather. On his journey he finds an old abandoned orphanage, some very peculiar children, a few haunting old photographs, and a trip down memory lane through his grandfather’s eyes. My daughter has read the first two books in the series, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Hollow City, and is now working on number three, Library of Souls. You can purchase the whole series here. Mom may have to join in on the fun. : )
Harry Potter!!! In this series you will read all about witches, wizards, ghost, goblins, werewolves, and more. Perfect for this time of year. I know this is my oldest son’s favorite pick but I do have to admit it is mine as well. I was super sad to see this story come to an end. It’s not only an amazing imaginative series but it also brings me back to some special memories of mother and son bonding. I can still remember how excited Caden and I would get waiting for the next book and movie to come out. As soon as the movie was in theaters we were there. We would then anxiously await for the movie to come out on DVD so we could own it for ourselves and watch it all over again. Once we saw the movie we would then read the book. The books have so much more detail in them so it was exciting to see what the movie left out. As I type this my almost 6 year old is looking at me like I’m a crazy person. It might be because I keep saying “Harry Potter” in my fake, very bad British accent. I really do wish there were a Hogwarts!! I would so go live there!!! You can buy the whole series here!
This is another great series for teenage readers that I also enjoyed myself. I am also a huge fan of anything James Patterson. Like Harry Potter, the Witch & Wizard involves a teenage witches and wizard who also happen to be brother and sister. One terrible night they find they find themselves being ripped from their parents and thrown into a secret prison for reasons they do not understand. Well, I can’t tell you anymore because I haven’t gotten any further than that!
If you would like to enhance your Harry Potter experience you might try by making one of the 150 British cuisines in The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook. Each recipe has been inspired from JK Rowling’s novels such as pumpkin juice mentioned in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in chapter 5 after Harry gobbles down a bag of toffee and wishes he had some pumpkin juice to wash it down with. Or about make some bangers and mash that Harry eats for dinner before meeting Dumbldore’s Army in the America version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in chapter 6. If your kids like to cook this is one great way to inspire them to get into the kitchen!
If you love entertaining, decorating, and making cosutmes like I do then this book is for you! Halloween Pumpkins & Parties: 101 Spooktacular Ideas has some really great and simple ideas for you to create such as goulsih recipes, spooky costume ideas, and bootiful decorations! Not much of a crafter? No problem! This book comes with simple step-by- step instructions and dozens of patterns that are easy to follow! The price is spooktackular too!!
This was the very first book I read when I became the librarian at Greenville Senior High School. I am not a huge fan of scary movies but I love going to haunted houses. Weird I know but I am still fascinated with the paranormal. I had no idea until I read these books that you can actually visit some of these “real” haunted houses mentioned in these books!!! The series is also filled with tales dating back from Native American ghost-lore to a haunted swimming pool! I’ve now read all 6 of Chris Woodward’s Haunted Ohiobooks while writing down every place I hope to visit someday! I had no idea there were so many hauntings right here in Ohio!!! Spooky!!!
Well that about wraps it up!! I hope you enjoyed our Halloween Booktastic book list and were able to find something new to read! We hope you have a happy Halloween! Until next time! Jess
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