As a parent, children’s book author, and fan of all things Halloween I have searched the globe for the best of the best when it comes to Halloween books for kids. Ok not really “the globe” but when the bookstore starts stocking the featured shelves with children's Halloween books around mid-August, I can’t resist either browsing or purchasing. These 5 are near and dear to my heart because instead of just a simple bedtime read, they all have something special and a memory attached to them. These are the books that are brought out year after year and still enjoyed by the kids, even when they are probably getting too old for bedtime stories.
This book is a part of The Night Before series which is such a brilliant and cute idea.
The Night Before Halloween also tells its tale in rhyme form, but is in the pattern of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Natasha Wing really has a grasp on keeping to the original style while telling her story in an adorable way that is written in a language that kids can easily follow.
The story itself includes all of the classic monsters as they are getting ready for Halloween and trick or treaters. It is the perfect book that has all of the Halloween monsters without any of the scares!
It's time for Halloween! Celebrate the holiday with this this family fun read-aloud, a delightful seasonal entry in Natasha Wing's best-selling series.
Little monsters and goofy goblins take center stage in this silly, spooky spin on Clement C. Moore's beloved poem. But what will happen on Halloween when the monsters come face to face with human trick-or-treaters in this fun-filled book by the author of The Night Before Easter?
A perfect gift to get young readers excited for this festive fall holiday!
I’ve always loved retellings of all kinds, but my favorites subvert expectations, and I believe queer retellings provide the richest opportunities for subversion. In my own writing, I try to balance honoring the source material while also providing new perspectives, and nothing helps me achieve that more than reading widely. Retellings were also the subject of my master's critical thesis for Hamline University’s writing for children and young adults program.
No novelization of “The Goblin Market,” a poem by Christina Rosetti, has convinced me of the market’s allure like Not Good for Maidens. Lou, the novel’s main character, reflected my feelings in the beginning of the story, expressing confusion as to why anyone would enter the market knowing its horrors.
But as the past timeline of the novel developed, in which Lou’s Aunt May visited the market and began an unexpected sapphic romance, and as Lou had her own experiences related to the market in the present timeline, it was easier to understand why someone would be tempted.
In their respective timelines, Lou and May search for themselves, desperate to forge identities unbound by family and duty. The market, in a way, grants them unique paths toward freedom, and I found that to be a compelling take on a classic I was never enchanted by before. Bovalino’s prose, illuminating…
I've been reading Horror and Dark Fantasy books since I was twelve and prefer this genre over any other. The depths of the human psyche explored in these genres expose the core of storytelling itself and the themes that make the best stories really come alive!
For Fantasy readers who wonder why goblins are always at war with humans.
The three books together are epic in scale and the friendship between the leader of the humans and one of the old wise ones among the goblins will be awesome for Dark Fantasy readers who recognize that goblin culture is very different from humans.
Some recognizable mythology is worked into the story and makes perfect sense, especially the purpose of changelings. Also there are dragons, especially in the second book. A strange symbiotic relationship between dragons and goblins is very original and the diversity of different types of goblins makes this Fantasy world one of a kind!
The cult Fantasy book that started it all!Discover a dark world where legends begin and natural magic reignsThey say that the earth shifts on its axis every 200,000 years...When the planet shifted, most of the surface dwellers were destroyed. The few pockets of survivors were left without technology and little supplies, but they built a simple feudal society on the rubble of the city.Meanwhile the creatures in the deep places moved closer to the surface, taking over the old underground transport tunnels abandoned by the humans. Their own Shamanic way of life had survived only by staying out of sight…
Born in Poland, I have fond memories of sitting on my Grandma’s lap listening to stories and poems. A favorite poem was about a crow who ate Swiss cheese and only left the holes. The concept made my noggin spin and spurred my imagination. When I immigrated to the U.S. at age seven, I learned English by reading a Mother Goose collection. Captivated by the fun rhyming sounds and art, I dreamed of making children’s books someday. Years later, my dream came true, I became an author/illustrator, with the majority of my books being extensions of the nursery rhymes which inspired me when I was a child.
This Halloween rendition of the traditional Over in the Meadow counting rhyme is so well done. The finely crafted verses feature goblins, ghosts, skeletons, and other spooky creatures. Beautiful, colorful, atmospheric scenes by Jane Manning compliment the story inviting the reader to pause on each page to admire the art, count the characters, and smile. As an illustrator myself, I appreciate the wonderful design and compositions. Both the story and characters are sweet and hardly scary, so it’s a great pick for younger children, especially those who might be easily frightened.
From author Pamela Jane and New York Times bestselling illustrator Jane Manning comes a delicious Halloween treat for readers to enjoy! Perfect for fans of The Spooky Wheels on the Bus and Ten Timid Ghosts. Now in paperback!
Over in the forest
Where the trees hide the sun
Lived a big mommy monster
And her little monster one.
From monsters to ghosties to goblins, everyone's favorite beasties haunt and howl and rattle their way through their forest home in this silly, spooky twist on the beloved nursery rhyme "Over in the Meadow."
Growing up as an only child, books and animals were hugely important to me – they were my friends and I really wanted to believe in a magic that would allow me to talk to animals and them to me. I have now written over 250 books and pretty much all of them have either magic or animals in or a combination of both – unicorns, ponies that turn into magical horses, star animals who teach the children they bond with how to do magic, mermaids with sea creatures as pets. I really love to write – and read – about magical animals and their very lucky human friends!
I was lucky enough to be given an advance copy of this book written by debut author, Skye Mackenna and I instantly fell in love with the characters and the story. Perfect reading for middle-grade readers who like longer, more challenging magic books. It is set in a world similar to ours which also has witches, scary fairies, goblins, and talking animals. Cassie, the heroine, sets out to discover why her mother disappeared seven years ago and in the process starts a new life, makes new friends (not least the wonderful talking cat, Montague), learns more about her witch-family heritage, and encounters terrifying faeries. This is the first book in the Hedgewitch series and is due to be published in 2022 - I can’t wait to read the rest!
Step into the magical world of Hedgewitch, where the land of Faerie lies just beyond our own, in this enchanting new series for children age 9+ and readers of Nevermoor, The Worst Witch and The Dark Is Rising.
Cassie Morgan has run away. After seven years spent waiting for her mother to return, she flees her dreary boarding school and sets out to find her. But the world outside her school is full of hidden magic and children have been going missing.
Although I was a little scared of Halloween as a kid, I’ve grown to love the silly side of spookiness. Growing up with Pee-Wee’s Playhouse every Saturday morning, I learned that silliness is a superpower. Now, when working on kids books, my ultimate goal is to put work into the world that will delight kids, and won’t make the parents groan and say, “that one again?” Finding the sweet spot of being fun to read, fun to hear, and fun to look at is what I love most about creating kids books. I hope you and your little ghouls and goblins enjoy my spooky board Boooook list!
Don’t Push the Button! A Halloween Treat, written and illustrated by Bill Carter is an entertaining and engaging read.
I always love when a monster is scared of the potential of other monsters. This one reminds me a bit of my favorite kids book of all time, The Monster at the End of This Book, but with more reader/listener participation. The format that worked so well with the original Don’t Push the Button book works just as well here.
Go trick-or-treating with Larry in the hilarious Halloween companion of the USA Today bestseller Don't Push the Button!
Whether you're looking for a Halloween book for toddlers or an interactive book for preschoolers, Don't Push the Button! A Halloween Treat is a must-have for any household!
From the brilliant mind of author and illustrator, Bill Cotter comes one of the year's best Halloween books for kids. Everyone knows that trick-or-treating is the best part of Halloween. But that one house looks kind of scary...wait, why are you walking toward the creepy house?! Whatever you do, do NOT ring that doorbell!…
I remember being gifted a copy of a fairy tale book for children by someone my dad worked with as a kid. "Wow, these are really close to the originals," Mom murmured under her breath. "Wait, there are originals?" That set off a chain reaction of a lifelong love of fairy tales, myths, legends, and folk stories. Writing The Tooth Fairy forced me to double-check my lifetime of accumulated knowledge. Plus, being trapped indoors with audiobooks during a global pandemic left me a lot more time to learn! In short: I simply love the old legends.
This is a story about a girl with a port-wine stain under her eye. Looking different, people treat her differently. The main character, Sophie, copes by carrying around a book called "The Big Book of Monsters" and identifying the monsters and humans around her. I found Sophie pretty knowledgeable on the subject of old legends! There were a few I hadn't heard of and had to look up myself. I also like her character development, and how she becomes more empathetic. Overall, it was entertaining and informative.
There are trolls, goblins, and witches. Which kind of monster is Sophie?
Sophie is a monster expert. Thanks to her Big Book of Monsters and her vivid imagination, Sophie can identify the monsters in her school and neighborhood. Clearly, the bullies are trolls and goblins. Her nice neighbor must be a good witch, and Sophie's new best friend is obviously a fairy. But what about Sophie? She's convinced she is definitely a monster because of the "monster mark" on her face. At least that's what she calls it. The doctors call it a blood tumor. Sophie tries to hide it…
My name is Kelly Fernández (she/her) and I’ve been making comics since 2014. I’vealways been fascinated by stories about ghosts, monsters, and witches because I grewup in a family that believes in them. While writing my graphic novel Manu,Iresearchedand spoke to Latinx friends and colleagues about their personal experiences withbrujería (the Spanish word for witchcraft) to try and learn more about it across differentcultures. I love comics because, like oral storytelling, it’s just another way for people toshare their stories with each other!
This is a funny and beautifully drawn love story about two preteen witches– What elsecan you ask for? Beetle is a goblin living in a magical world and studying sorcery underher grandmother. The fast-paced plot revolves around her and her childhood BFF Kattrying to free Blob Ghost, who is spiritually bound to a local mall that is about to bedemolished. Beetle and Kat sweetly and awkwardly fumble around as they try to solvethe mystery behind Blob Ghost, and watching them navigate their feelings and workthrough their insecurities is the highlight of this book.
An enchanting, riotous, and playfully illustrated debut graphic novel following a young goblin trying to save her best friend from the haunted mall—perfect for fans of Steven Universe and Adventure Time.
In the eerie town of ‘Allows, some people get to be magical sorceresses, while other people have their spirits trapped in the mall for all ghastly eternity.
Then there’s twelve-year-old goblin-witch Beetle, who’s caught in between. She’d rather skip being homeschooled completely and spend time with her best friend, Blob Glost. But the mall is getting boring, and B.G. is cursed to haunt it, tethered…
A few years ago, I read the Sword of Truth Series. I thought that it was well-written, but the tone was so horrifically, irredeemably dark, and miserable, with such truly horrible things happening to just about everybody in them that it actually put me off reading for a while. It was books like these that brought me back, that showed me that modern literature could show the best of mankind. They reminded me that even though bad things happened, human beings were inherently good, and that they tried to do their best, that the world was a bright place, not a dark one.
The world-building in this series is simply spectacular. You can tell by reading just how much effort Mr. Mancour put into understanding how a medieval world works and how magic might have fit into it. Castles, cavalry, swordsmen, wizards, goblins, building a town, sieges, all of this and more is here. There is nothing else quite like it. It’s Game of Thrones for people tired of all the misery and your favorite characters snuffing it every fifteen pages.
Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese.
For six months things went well: he found a quaint little shop, befriended the local lord, the village folk loved him, he found a sharp young apprentice to help out, and best yet, he met a comely young widow with the prettiest eyes…
My bookshelves sag under the weight of novels crammed between fat books of theology. The Gospel kindles my imagination, and my writing grows from exegetical seeds. The Christian story begins, after all, with the Word who spoke the universe into existence, the Word who became flesh, the Word who raises the dead and gives life to the world. Each of my recommendations thrums with this heartbeat, and I trust that these books will offer you courage, companionship, and hope while reminding you that Jesus has indeed made right all that is wrong in this world. Look for his coming, for he is our happily ever after.
I first discovered George MacDonald’s work in a church library, where his books took up several shelves! The Princess and the Goblin is a great introduction to his fantasy novels. This charming story builds on familiar fairy-tale tropes and offers us ingredients that fantasy readers love: homey characters, growing peril, mysterious magic, and events that require uncommon courage and sacrifice. Follow it up with The Princess and Curdie for more delight.
In doing so you will join a great company of beloved Christian authors who appreciated George MacDonald’s genius: C S Lewis felt that Phantastes “baptized [his] imagination.” My favorite author L.M.Montgomery often reread At the Back of the North Wind. G.K. Chesterton felt "[The Princess and the Goblin] . . . has made a difference to my whole existence . . . ” And even J.R.R. Tolkien thought well of The Golden Key. And I…
Princess Irene lives in a castle in a wild and lonely mountainous region. One day she discovers a steep and winding stairway leading to a bewildering labyrinth of unused passages with closed doors - and a further stairway. What lies at the top? Can the ring the princess is given protect her against the lurking menace of the goblins from under the mountain?
