Preschool to Grade 2
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
With pie on her mind, a witch goes to her garden to pick a special pumpkin just hours before Halloween. But the witch has watered and weeded the pumpkin so well that it has grown gigantic and won't budge from the vine. A ghost comes along and offers his help, as do a vampire and a mummy--all to no avail. When a bat offers his services, they laugh because the bat is so small. But the bat has an idea.
Download Big Pumpkin, DB 38028. Read by Ilona Dulaski. Reading time 7 minutes.
Dragon Halloween Party by Loreen Leedy
Ma Dragon and her ten children are having a Halloween party! Woven into the story are directions for making costumes, decorations, and delicious treats; and suggestions for games and activities.
Download Dragon Halloween Party, DB 27806. Read by Ronald B. Meyer. Reading time 12 minutes.
Pumpkin Eye by Denise Fleming
Simple rhymes describe the sights, sounds, and smells of Halloween. Print/braille. 2001. BR 14012.
Scratch and Sniff Halloween
Would you like to smell a pumpkin? Witch's brew? Skull-shaped pizza? An apple? Some candy? Turn the pages to smell these Halloween surprises! Print/braille. Board book. BR 51313.
Six Creepy Sheep by Judith Ross Enderle
Relates in rhyme the adventures of six little sheep who go trick-or-treating on Halloween night. Print/braille. 1992. BR 51267.
A Tiger Called Thomas by Charlotte Zolotow
Thomas, a shy boy in a new neighborhood, finds that the tiger costume he wears for Halloween gives him unexpected help in making friends. 1963. BR 15029.
Download A Tiger Called Thomas, DB 56914. Read by Peggy Gilleland. Reading time 9 minutes.
Kindergarten to Grade 3
And Then Comes Halloween by Tom Brenner
When autumn chills the air and crunchy leaves fall from trees, it is time to prepare for Halloween: decorating the house, carving pumpkins, and making costumes. Finally you go trick-or-treating with your friends and share the spooky fun. Print/braille. 2009. BR 19024.
Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick by Jennifer Jacobson
Bad enough that bossy Dolores Starbuckle invites Andy to her birthday party, but also it's unfortunately on Halloween. After helping Dolores prepare for the event and plan a surprise for the mischief makers who smashed Dolores's prize pumpkins, Andy realizes he and Dolores are becoming friends. 2006. BR 18975.
Dorrie and the Halloween Plot by Patricia Coombs
Little witch Dorrie, making her first attempt to fly by herself, lands right in the center of a dastardly plot by the Halloween demons.
Download Dorrie and the Halloween plot, DB 10766. Read by Pat Jonietz. Reading time 18 minutes.
Fluffy's Happy Halloween by Kate McMullan
Fluffy the guinea pig joins in Mrs. Day's class celebration. As Count Fluffula, Fluffy leads the Halloween parade, impersonates the Pumpkin of Doom, and eats Monster Eyeballs. 1998. BR 18964.
Fluffy's Trick-or-Treat by Kate McMullan
When Fluffy the class guinea pig stays at Emma's house over Halloween weekend, he goes trick-or-treating. Dressed as a circus performer, Fluffy does some very fancy tricks. 2001. BR 19964.
Franklin's Halloween by Paulette Bourgeois
It's Halloween, and Franklin can't wait for the costume party with games, prizes, a parade, and a haunted house. Print/braille. 1996. BR 51243.
Ghosts! Ghostly Tales From Folklore by Alvin Schwartz
Presents seven easy-to-read ghost stories based on traditional folk tales and legends from various countries. 1991. LP 01042.
Grandmas Trick-or-Treat by Emily Arnold McCully
On Halloween, Pip's two grandmothers, who cannot agree on anything, take Pip and her friends trick-or-treating. The kids aren't having much fun, but their trick on the grandmas has a surprise ending for them all. 2001.
Download Grandmas Trick-or-Treat, DB 53914. Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time 7 minutes.
Gus and Grandpa and the Halloween Costume by Claudia Mills
Gus wants a store-bought Halloween costume to wear to school, but his parents do not believe in buying costumes. Grandpa is his last hope--and sure enough, in a dusty, musty trunk, Gus finds the perfect outfit. Gus and Grandpa series. 2002. LP 01151.
Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I Mean It! By Barbara Park
It's almost Halloween, but Junie B. is afraid to go trick-or-treating because Paulie Allen Puffer told her that real monsters and witches come out that very night. With some help from a friend, Junie B. gets an idea for her own scary costume. 2004. BR 15055.
Download Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I Mean It!, DB 59229. Read by Susan McInerney. Reading time 1 hour 14 minutes.
A Know-Nothing Halloween by Michele Spirn
The Know-Nothings want to go trick-or-treating, and all they need is a trick for getting treats. But it is a night for ghosts and witches -- and dressing up -- and the four foolish friends find that there is more to Halloween than candy. Pictures by R.W. Alley. I Can Read series, level 2. 2000. LP 02097.
Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes
Rhyming verse about Halloween night incorporates Spanish words, from las brujas riding their broomsticks to los monstruos, whose party in a haunted house is interrupted by what the monsters most abhor. Print/braille. 2006. BR 17018.
Mercy Watson, Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo
By promising her treats, the Watsons persuade their pet pig Mercy to dress up as a princess for Halloween. Mercy is hoping for her favorite, buttered toast. But the trick-or-treat outing turns out differently than expected. Mercy Watson series, book 4. 2007.
Download Mercy Watson, Princess in Disguise: Mercy Watson, Book 4, DB 65722. Read by Anne Hancock. Reading time 21 minutes.
Mouse's Halloween Party by Jeanne Modesitt
Mouse is excited about having a Halloween party. He invites Pig, who bursts into tears because she was also planning a party for the same day. Mouse feels sad until he figures out how he and Pig can both be happy. Includes instructions for two games. 2004.
Download Mouse's Halloween Party, DB 60030. Read by Anne Hancock. Reading time 10 minutes.
Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Nate and his dog Sludge try to solve a case on Halloween night and find themselves locked in a haunted house. 1989. BR 50808. LP 01184.
Orange You Glad It's Halloween, Amber Brown? by Paula Danziger.
At school Amber and her classmates celebrate Halloween by dressing pumpkins as favorite book characters and having a party. At home Amber's family has a special supper and Amber puts on her costume to go trick-or-treating. 2005.
Download Orange You Glad It's Halloween, Amber Brown?, DB 62494. Read by Madelyn Buzzard. Reading time 13 minutes.
Picnic at Mudsock Meadow by Patricia Polacco
At the annual Halloween picnic in Mudsock Meadow, William is tortured by Hester Bledden. At first sight, she pokes out her tongue and yells "peeeeeee youuuuuuu," to William's utter embarrassment. And she is right there when he loses the pumpkin-carving and seed-spitting contests. His efforts in the dress-up event seem equally doomed until he faces down the ghost of Quicksand Bottoms and Hester calls him "her hero."
Download Picnic at Mudsock Meadow, DB 39181. Read by Catherine Byers. Reading time 8 minutes.
Sir Halloween by Jerrold Beim
Surprised that his costume is not unique, Randy organizes the other knights to stage a make-believe battle at the Halloween party. BR 50244.
Spookier than a Ghost by Karen Gray Ruelle
Harry and his sister Emily are very much involved in the family's preparations for Halloween. A beginning chapter book. BR 14496. LP 00089.
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Scary Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman
Rhyming tales for Halloween or anytime you want to read about scary creatures such as mummies, witches and broomsticks, skeletons, dinosaurs, dragons and knights, or zombies. Also includes tales about trick-or-treating. For beginning readers or a child and adult to read together. 2007. BR 17445.
Grades 2 to 4
Arthur's Halloween Costume by Lillian Hoban
Arthur wanted to be a ghost for Halloween, but when his sister told him that three other kids in her class were coming as ghosts, Arthur changed his mind. How he wins the prize for the most original costume is the subject of this easy-to-read story. LP 01997.
Beast and the Halloween Horror by Patricia Reilly Giff
Halloween should be fun, but Beast is in big trouble when an unexpected guest shows up at the Halloween Parade! An "Early Chapter" book. BR 50179.
Halloween by Alice K. Flanagan
Explains how Halloween started; how it got its name; the custom of trick-or-treating; and why witches, black cats, and goblins are associated with this celebration. Offers ideas of things to do for others on Halloween. 2002.
Download Halloween, DB 55079. Read by Yolande Bavan. Reading time 20 minutes.
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve by Mary Pope Osborne.
After climbing into their magic tree house, Jack and Annie are invited by master magician Merlin to King Arthur's realm where invisible beings, giant ravens, and haunted spells have put a duke's castle in an uproar on Halloween night. Magic Tree House series, book 30. 2003. BR 14933.
Download Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve, DB 57233. Read by Gillian Green. Reading time 1 hour 13 minutes.
The Haunted Hotel by Ron Roy
As Halloween nears, strange sightings and bizarre sounds scare guests away from Green Lawn's hotel. Friends Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose approach Mr. Linkletter--whose family owns the hotel--and offer to help get rid of the ghost before it puts him out of business. A to Z Mysteries series, book 8. 1999. BR 17963.
Horrible Harry at Halloween by Suzy Kline
Miss Mackle's third-grade class is excited about Halloween and what costumes they will wear. They remember all of Harry's scary costumes since kindergarten and wonder what he will be this year. But Harry keeps his secret and surprises everyone. 2000. BR 13295.
Download Horrible Harry at Halloween, DB 51512. Read by Bob Angell. Reading time 27 minutes.
Meet Molly: An American Girl by Valerie Tripp
In 1944 Molly McIntire's father is a doctor serving in England. At home, her mother works for the Red Cross, and Mrs. Gilford, the housekeeper, takes care of Molly, nine, and her siblings. Halloween is soon, and Molly and her friends are planning their costumes.
BR 10931.
Download Meet Molly: An American Girl, DB 43831. Read by Pam Ward. Reading time 56 minutes.
Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Detective Nate takes a break from handing out Halloween candy to look for his friend Rosamond's cat, Little Hex. After searching a haunted house and thinking long and hard, Nate realizes where Little Hex must be. 1989. BR 12832.
Robert and the Back-to-School Special by Barbara Seuling.
Robert refuses a barbershop haircut before school starts, but having his best friend Paul cut his hair becomes a disaster. While his hair grows out, he makes a friend in a nursing home. Best of all, his father helps him plan a Halloween party. 2002.
Download Robert and the Back-to-School Special, DB 60234. Read by Erik Synnestvedt. Reading time 1 hour 5 minutes.
Snowed in with Grandmother Silk by Carol Fenner
Eight-year-old Ruddy is disappointed when his parents go on a cruise and leave him with his fussy grandmother. But an unexpected Halloween snowstorm strands Grandmother Silk's house without power, and the two must learn to survive--and to make their own fun. 2003.
Download Snowed in with Grandmother Silk, DB 58352. Read by Colleen Delany. Reading time 54 minutes.
Grades 3 to 6
The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Herdman children create mayhem every year, so the town mayor cancels Halloween and trick-or-treating. Instead, the principal plans a safe, controlled holiday party at school, underestimating the Herdmans, who make their own plans. 2004. BR 15793.
Download The Best Halloween Ever, DB 60024. Read by Constance Crawford. Reading time 1 hour 42 minutes.
A Ghost in the Family by Betty Ren Wright
While visiting his friend Jeannie's eccentric Aunt Rosebud in a boarding house that may be haunted, ten-year-old Chad comes across a mystery involving a missing diamond bracelet. LP 00780.
The Girls Get Even by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
As Halloween approaches, the three Malloy sisters find themselves continually trying to get even with the four Hatford brothers, who have been playing tricks on them since the Malloys moved from Ohio to West Virginia. The Boys-Girls Battle series, book 2. BR 50321, LP 00776.
Halloween Howls: Riddles That Are a Scream by Giulio Maestro
A collection of Halloween humor featuring vampires, mummies, and other creepy favorites.
Download Halloween Howls: Riddles That Are a Scream, DB 21632. Read by Mimi Bederman. Reading time 8 minutes.
The Halloween Party from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
You'd scream, too, if you had no costume for the scariest Halloween Party ever. Too bad you can't just go as the invisible man and stay at home. Plus, there will be a ton of monsters at the party. Black Lagoon Adventures series, book 5. 2003. BR 51958.
Hide and Seek by Sue Stauffacher
The Carter family's Halloween preparations are complicated by the antics of a recently rescued puppy that is part dog, part coyote, and by a call to save a deer with a pumpkin stuck on its head. 2010. BR 19272.
The Monster's Ring by Bruce Coville
As Halloween approaches, Russell wishes he could be Frankenstein and stand up to bully Eddie, who keeps beating him up. Then Russell finds a spooky shop and buys a monster's ring. At home, he's shocked to learn it works: Russell can turn himself into a monster! Magic Shop Book series, book 5. 1982. BR 51951.
A Newbery Halloween: A Dozen Scary Stories
A collection of thirteen scary stories by Newbery Medalists Beverly Cleary, Madeleine L'Engle, Paul Fleishman, Eleanor Estes, and E. L. Konigsbury, among others, provides thrills and chills, ghosts and witches, to make any Halloween perfectly spooky. BR 50626.
Piper Reed, Campfire Girl by Kimberly Willis Holt.
Fifth-grader Piper and her sisters are thrilled about their first-ever camping trip--until they learn it will be over Halloween. But other navy kids join them, including talkative Stanley Hampshire, who picks poison ivy with Piper. 2010.
Download Piper Reed, Campfire Girl, DB 73751. Read by Kate Kiley. Reading time 1 hour 49 minutes.
Grades 4 to 7
Attack of the Jack-o'-Lanterns by R.L. Stine
Three years ago, Tabby and Lee scared Drew and her friends at a Halloween party. Since then, Drew has been desperate to get revenge. After failing for two years, Drew finally agrees to the last-resort plan concocted by twins Shane and Shana. What she doesn't realize is just how scary it is. BR 11148.
Download Attack of the Jack-o'-Lanterns, DB 42898. Read by Ilona Dulaski. Reading time 2 hours 16 minutes.
Bernie Magruder and the Bats in the Belfry by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
As Halloween approaches, Bernie Magruder, of the Bessledorf Hotel family, is determined to identify some dangerous new bats in Middleburg. They are roosting in the church belfry, whose annoying bells ring hourly, night and day, as requested in wealthy Mrs. Scuttlefoot's will. Edgar Award. 2003. BR 51982.
Download Bernie Magruder and the Bats in the Belfry, DB 58518. Read by Gary Tipton. Reading time 2 hours 45 minutes.
Callie's Rules by Naomi Zucker
Sixth-grader Calliope Jones looks forward to Halloween and especially to her family's way of celebrating it. So when the town council bans traditional Halloween and replaces it with an Autumn festival, Callie feels obliged to protest. 2009.
Download Callie's Rules, DB 70332. Read by Jill Fox. Reading time 4 hours 7 minutes.
The Case of the Screaming Scarecrow by Judy Katschke
The Olsen twins are planning a Halloween party with their friends when things start going awry. Spiders crawl out of the candy and someone sends scary warnings. Mary-Kate and Ashley think it's all fun until they hear a creepy, scarecrow-sounding scream. 2001.
BR 13730.
Dare to Be Scared: Thirteen Stories to Chill and Thrill by Robert D. San Souci
Thirteen horror stories involve ghosts, a boogey woman, and creatures from outer space. In "The Caller," ungrateful Lindsay is haunted by phone calls from her dead aunt. In "Space Is the Place," Mark and his mother board a bus to escape an alien invasion. 2003. BR 15429.
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
On Halloween night, eight boys arrange to meet their friend, Pipkin, at the haunted house outside of town. Before the others reach him, though, Pipkin is grabbed by a dark Something. BR 10971.
Download The Halloween Tree, DB 44005. Read by June Carter. Reading time 3 hours 8 minutes.
Headless Halloween by R. L. Stine
Brandon Plush loves to scare people and make them scream. Halloween is just a few days away, and he plans to dress up as a headless person. But on Halloween night, Brandon's plans become quite real. BR 12091.
Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. Konigsburg
On Halloween night, Elizabeth, a lonely new student at William McKinley Elementary School, meets Jennifer, who claims to be a master witch. The two girls become friends, practice chants and spells, but have a falling-out when Jennifer wants to put their pet toad in a potion. LP 00387.
Download Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, DB 44792. Read by Carole Jordan Stewart. Reading time 2 hours 25 minutes.
Save Halloween! by Stephanie S. Tolan
Johnna, a sixth-grader, is helping write a script for the class Halloween pageant. Knowing that her family does not approve of celebrating a holiday associated with the devil, especially after her uncle preaches about it at the tent meeting, Johnna thinks through her ideas about what is right and what is wrong. Prayer and reflection lead Johnna to a decision about her values. 1993.
Download Save Halloween!, DB 40364. Read by Kimberly Schraf. Reading time 4 hours 15 minutes.
Trick-or-Trouble by Franklin W. Dixon
The Bayport Merchants Association is sponsoring a mystery contest for Halloween. The prizes are so grand that some people will do anything to win, leaving it up to the Hardys to keep the competition fair. 2002. BR 14958.
Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth
Discusses the origins of this popular end-of-October holiday. Explains symbols associated with Halloween such as the witch in her pointed hat, black cats, bats, the Jack-O'-Lantern, and the tradition of trick-or-treating. 2000. BR 13900.
Grades 5 to 8
Full Moon Halloween by R. L. Stine
While Tristan, Rosa, Bella, and Ray wonder what to do on Halloween, they are invited to a party given by their strange new science teacher, Mr. Moon. His house becomes a trap, and Mr. Moon won't let anyone go until he determines who is a werewolf. 2001. BR 12863.
Oddest of All: Stories by Bruce Coville
Nine tales of the supernatural, featuring ghosts, half humans, unicorns, and other unusual creatures. In "The Mask of Eamonn Tiyado," pudgy Harley Burton acquires a Halloween mask that resembles a boy who mysteriously disappeared fifty years ago. 2008.
Download Oddest of All: Stories, DB 68345. Read by Jack Fox. Reading time 4 hours 35 minutes.
Pay the Piper: A Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen
After Callie interviews Gringras, the flute player of the Brass Rat band, for her school newspaper, she feels uneasy. When her younger brother Nick and all the other children in town disappear on Halloween, Callie follows her hunch to rescue them, journeying into Faerie realm. 2005.
Download Pay the Piper: A Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale, DB 63376. Read by Victoria Gordon. Reading time 4 hours 19 minutes.
Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man by Wendelin Van Draanen
Halloween night turns out to be especially frightening for seventh grader Sammy and two girlfriends when a skeleton rushes by them near a creepy house. The front door opens, revealing a fire. Sammy puts it out and finds a tied-up masked man. Now Sammy has a mystery to investigate. A Sammy Keyes Mystery. BR 51434.
Download Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man: A Sammy Keyes Mystery, DB 49112. Read by Abigail Dorn. Reading time 4 hours 38 minutes.
Grades 6 to 9
All Hallows' Eve: Thirteen Stories by Vivian Vande Velde
Presents thirteen tales of Halloween horrors, including ghosts, vampires, and pranks gone awry. In "Cemetery Field Trip," a ninth-grade girl is tricked into a crypt by a homeless man and rescued by ghosts. Some violence. 2006.
Download All Hallows' Eve: Thirteen Stories, DB 64862. Read by Carol Dines. Reading time 4 hours 34 minutes.
Gallows Hill by Lois Duncan
When her mother marries, Californian Sarah Zoltanne is forced to spend her senior year in a small Missouri town. At the Halloween festival, Sarah reluctantly agrees to play fortune teller. Using her Hungarian grandmother's crystal ball, Sarah really sees things that frighten her--especially when they happen. Some violence. BR 11590.
October Moon by Michael Scott
Rachel Stone, fifteen, and her parents are in Ireland to visit the four-hundred-year-old house and horse farm they have just bought, and Rachel looks forward to the chance to do some riding. Then some rather strange accidents begin to happen, and they all seem directed toward Rachel. Rachel slowly discovers that members of an ancient clan plan to pass a curse on to her on Halloween. BR 10552.
When the Whistle Blows by Fran Cannon Slayton
West Virginia, 1940s. Portrays seven Halloweens in the life of Jimmy Cannon, who grows up worshipping his father and two older brothers, all of whom work for the railroad. Jimmy plays pranks and football and spies on the train workers' secret society. Commercial audiobook. 2010.
Download When the Whistle Blows, DB 70090. Read by Peter Berkrot. Reading time 3 hours 59 minutes.
Junior and Senior High
Halloween Party: Fear Street by R.L. Stine
When beautiful new transfer student Justine Cameron throws a Halloween party at her old, haunted mansion, her fellow students don't know what to expect. But after they discover a corpse at the party, the true terror begins. 1990.
Download Halloween Party: Fear Street, DB 71787. Read by Mike Stefanelli. Reading time 3 hours 33 minutes.