Halloween Reads for grades 3-5

Happy Halloween!

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Halloween Beginning Readers

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Horror Stories for Grades 6-8

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The Picky Little Witch

by Elizabeth Brokamp

Summary: Mama Witch tries to get her daughter to eat some Halloween soup before going out to trick-or-treat, but Picky Little Witch finds many reasons to refuse. Includes a recipe for soup.

This is a cute picture book about trying new things (namely food). Towards the end of the book, there is an amusing twist of events.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

Horror Stories for Young Adults

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Night of the Pumpkinheads

 by Michael J. Rosen

Summary: Determined to make Halloween a frightening night of the pumpkinheads, the pumpkins transform themselves into a variety of scary monsters and then head for town hoping to terrify everyone they meet.

This is an excellent Halloween story. The illustrations are drawings and photographs of pumpkins the illustrator carved. It is most appropriate to read this story to young children, but older children may choose to look at the illustrations for carving ideas. This story is humorous because the characters are not frightened of the pumpkins. I thought some of the pictures were frightening!

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 6
Reading Level: grade 4

Mouse and Mole, a Perfect Halloween

by Wong Herbert Yee

Summary: As Halloween approaches, Mouse helps her friend Mole get over his fear and enjoy the holiday.

This beginning reader is a recipient of the American Library Assoication’s Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor award. This is a nice story of friendship that is most appropriate for first and second graders to read to themselves.

Interest Level: grades K-3
Reading Level: grade 2

Zombie in Love

by Kelly DiPucchio

Summary: When all his efforts to find a sweetheart fail, Mortimer the zombie decides to place an ad in the newspaper.

This book will appeal to both romantics and children with a silly or gross sense of humor. This book is great for celebrating Halloween or Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, the book is narrow compared to other picture books, which does not make it an ideal read aloud.

Interest Level: grades K-3
Reading Level: grade 2

What Am I? Halloween

by Anne Margaret Lewis

Summary: A rhyming text provides clues for the various Halloween themed pictures hidden under the flaps.

This is a terrific interactive book. The illustrations under the flaps have parts of the pictures sticking out on the page before; this makes it easier for little ones to guess what the picture is.

Interest Level: ages 2-4
Reading Level: grade 2

Halloween Picture Books

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The Haunted Hamburger and Other Ghostly Stories 

by David LaRochelle

A ghost father tells his children three frightening stories to help them go to sleep at night.

This is a humorous collection of a few short stories. Though the book is lengthy, if the stories are read separately, it is an excellent read aloud. The stories are meant to scare the children who are ghosts, but as a human, they are laughable. This is a wonderful book for students who want to celebrate Halloween but do not want to hear scary ghost stories.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 3

What's in the Witch's Kitchen?

by Nick Sharratt

Summary: The contents of the witch's kitchen are hidden by flaps that can be opened either to the left or right to reveal pop-up illustrations of either a delight or a nasty fright.

This is a really fun book and is great for celebrating Halloween. The story is fabulous for young children with a silly sense of humor or children who enjoy gross things.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

Gibbus Moony Wants to Bite You!

 by Leslie Muir

Summary: A young bat is eager to sink his newly-emerging adult fangs into a neck, although his parents and grandfather remind him that they only bite fruit.

This is an amusing story that can be used to discuss appropriate behavior, specifically not biting anything but food. I recommend sharing this book with young children on Halloween because it is not scary but the characters are vampires.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

Pumpkin Cat

by Anne Mortimer

Summary: Mouse shows Cat how to grow pumpkins, then turns one into a surprise. Includes facts about growing pumpkins.

This is a short Halloween story that is great for sharing with little ones. It is not scary in any way. The book is an excellent read aloud before discussing pumpkins or planting.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2

The Sleepless Little Vampire

by Richard Egielski

Summary: A young vampire, unable to sleep, tries to figure out whether it is the howling of a werewolf, the clacking of skeletons, or something else that is keeping him awake.

This is a wonderful read to celebrate Halloween without a horror story! I recommend this book as a read aloud for students in kindergarten through third grade. Children can join the reader by making the different sounds in the book. This book could be read with younger children who are not especially sensitive to the supernatural. The story is not scary; but the characters are classic characters displayed in a cartoonish fashion (ghost, vampires, skeletons, etc.)

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 2