10 Great Books for October

I love this time of year. The cooler weather, changing colors, and great decorations are perfect. I’ve got some fall/Halloween books to tell you about. They aren’t all blatantly Halloween books, but they’re great for curling up to read with your little ones in this crisp autumn weather.

1. Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night

This book is a little bit nostalgic for me. My mom read it to us when she first got it. It was published when I was in Jr. High, so I wasn’t even a little kid. I still liked it. The narrator is a little boy who talks about knowing when it’s “pumpkin time” and how he chooses his perfect pumpkin. It’s a sweet, simple story.

2. The Spider and the Fly

“Will you walk into my parlour?’ said the Spider to the Fly.” I love the poem by Mary Howitt, and Tony DiTerlizzi took that classic poem a step further by adding incredible black and white illustrations. It’s an awesome combination and I love it.

3. Go Away, Big Green Monster!

This is a fun book for kids. The pages have cut outs and you watch the face of the monster appear as you read its description and then disappear. It has great colors and few words per page, so it’s great for little attention spans.

4. Happy Halloween, Little Critter!

I always liked Mercer Mayer books when I was younger. This is a classic Little Critter story, just focused around a Halloween party. The illustrations are great and the story is fun.

5. The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat

The Berenstain Bears are another childhood favorite. This is one of the first Halloween books I can remember reading. It finds a teaching opportunity in a trick or treating adventure.It’s a bit long for tiny kids, but it has a great message for those old enough to sit still.

6. My Monster Mama Loves Me So

This is a silly, but sweet story about a little monster whose “Monster Mama” loves him. He tells all the ways his mama takes care of him. Kids can giggle about “lizard juice” or fang brushing, but still get the message that all kinds of moms love their little ones.

7.Monster Mash

I think just about everyone knows or has heard this song. This book adds fun illustrations to well-known lyrics. It’s a fun book to read or sing together.

8.Skeleton Hiccups

This is the story of a skeleton with hiccups. He tries all kinds of things to make them go away. It’s a new angle on the typically spooky skeleton and lots of fun.

9.Mouse’s First Halloween

This is another good choice for truly tiny people. The book is full of bright pictures and sound effects as a little mouse experiences Halloween. Who doesn’t love a good onomatopoeia? (The word itself is awesome.)

10.Heckedy Peg

This one may be a bit of a stretch for this book list, but it is one of my favorites. It’s the story of a witch who turns seven children into food items and their mother who tricks the witch to get them back. It is clever and well-illustrated. Perfect for older kids.

What are your favorite books to read this season? I’m always looking for great new reads, so please leave a comment and share!