Danielle Moss

As sweet as my daughter’s first holiday season was, she was so little and not exactly into it. And Halloween has never really been my thing. You’ll never find me in a haunted house and it the only time I dressed up in my 30s was after I became a mom and my daughter was old enough to want me to be a part of it. Now that I’m a mom, I’m all about the pumpkin patch, a good Halloween costume (or Halloween theme) and just love this time of year. But this holiday season, I’m a mom to a 2 and 4 year old, and it’s already so much fun. My first year as a mom, I bought the best books for spooky season. No, they’re not too spooky (no scary stories here) and are all quite sweet. 

The Best Fall and Halloween Books for Kids

I realize there are a lot of books on this list, but we love them all. And In my defense, we’ll read them every year as my kids grow up. I plan on putting them away when the season ends (like I did with her Christmas books) and will bring them out next fall. I also bought this “Boo” garland that again, we’ll use year after year. So here are our favorite Halloween books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. I’ve included a mix of board books and picture books that your family will treasure each fall.

The Best Children’s Books for Halloween and Fall

We read at least 2 of these every night (plus “Be Kind” because she always asks for “kiiiii”). Starting with the ones we love most at the top, here are our favorite books for fall and Halloween.

You’re My Little Pumpkin Pie

This very thick board book a great book for babies and toddlers who try to destroy their books. There are hearts and flowers on the cover (two of Margot’s favorite things) and she loves pointing out the pumpkins, bats, and stars. It features everything Halloween from a little bat and black cats, and is a fun book for little ones. 

Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin

This book is short and sweet and a search for a pumpkin ends with duck and goose finding the biggest pumpkin in the patch. Great when you don’t want to skip the tradition of reading a book before bed but baby needs to go to sleep ASAP. It’s pretty cute, too.

Ollie’s Halloween

My 2 year old loves the Ollie book series. If you’re looking for great Halloween books for your kids, you need to add Ollie’s Halloween to your list. It is simple and just a little spooky (but not scary) and ends with the message of Halloween being a time to share so you know I’m into it.

Goodbye Summer Hello Autumn

This book is so beautiful and so, so sweet. We have goodbye autumn, hello winter, too. It’s such a sentimental book to read this time of year – so beautifully written and illustrated. 

Pick a Pumpkin

Nothing will get you in the Halloween mood like Pick a Pumpkin. I love this one so, so much. We have Pick a Pine Tree and that one is a lot more magical and beautiful (because Christmas) but this book is really sweet, too. 

Mouse’s First Fall

I’ll be the first to admit that this isn’t exactly well-written and it’s a little cheesy for my taste. It isn’t a good book by any means, but it’s cute, short and sweet, and simple for babies and young toddlers, so it made the cut. 

Cats’ Night Out

This isn’t that Halloween-y but it’s a good book, and I really like the illustrations. I’m also a cat person (don’t you dare judge me) and really wanted to have this on my daughter’s bookshelf for Halloween. 

Gilbert the Ghost

Oh, I love Gilbert. He’s a sweet little ghost who goes off to ghost boarding school but doesn’t want to be (and isn’t scary). It’s a great way to get kids talking about kindness, being different, and staying true to who they are.

Room on the Broom

This best seller is one of our favorite classic Halloween books. It’s the perfect read-aloud for little kids, so much that we have the Room on the Broom Tonie for our Toniebox. A little witch goes on an adventure and makes new friends along the way. It’s a cute story for little kids, and is perfect for little kids during the Halloween season. 

Bear Has a Story to Tell

This sweet story is the perfect fall book about a bear who wants to share a story with his friends, but has to hibernate for winter. 

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

B is for Boo

Learn the alphabet and all things spooky this halloween. 

Sophie’s Squash

This is the perfect book for ages 3+ and is perfect to read this time of year. I really love the main character – she falls in love with and becomes a mother to a squash that starts to rot, but plants it in the ground and grows baby squash. The perfect way to talk about waiting, love, and and how seasons change. It’s such a great conversation starter for little kids. 

The Leaf Thief

This is an adorable book The main character is a touch neurotic and so relatable, and some helpful animals help him realize it was, in fact, the wind that stole his leaves. 

Eek! Halloween!

This book about chickens noticing strange things happening during spooky season is short, sweet, and a little weird. And my 2 year old absolutely loves it. 

The Little Kitten

Another really sweet (and not spooky) story. Ollie and Pumpkin are out enjoying a beautiful fall day when they find a tiny kitten. They go on an adventure to take the kitten home, and there’s a magic twist at the end when you see the kitten flying on a witch’s broom.