A picture book with a Halloween theme. Popular picture books you’ll want to read aloud.
Before Halloween arrives in October, you probably want to teach your child what Halloween is.
But explaining it in words can be quite difficult.
That’s where Halloween picture books come in handy.
There are many options: books that explain what Halloween is, stories featuring lots of friendly ghosts, and books with a mysterious, slightly spooky atmosphere.
Choose according to your child’s age and interests, and show them that Halloween is fun.
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- [Fun] A Collection of Children’s Songs Featuring “Ghosts”
- Cute Halloween Song Collection! A carefully selected lineup of adorable tracks that both kids and adults can enjoy
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- Songs to Listen to and Play on Halloween! A Selection of Recommended Piano Pieces
- [From Kids to Adults] Dance Songs You’ll Want to Groove to at a Halloween Party
- Songs that amp up Halloween: a roundup of perfect tracks for party BGM!
- Halloween songs for seniors to enjoy at events: from nostalgic classics to exciting new favorites
- Recommended children's songs and hand play songs for October! Music time in childcare that feels like autumn.
- Anime songs to listen to on Halloween: Theme and insert songs from anime about yokai and ghosts
- When it comes to Halloween songs, this is the one! A special feature on Japanese tracks that hype up the karaoke crowd
- [Yutori Generation] Looking back on nostalgic Halloween songs and memorable tracks
A Halloween-themed picture book. Popular picture books you’ll want to read aloud (1–10)
Happy Halloween!
Many picture books put the spotlight on the kids who go from house to house collecting treats.
But there are also a few that flip the perspective.
One of those is “Happy Halloween.” In this book, each page is designed like a front door, and the story is about welcoming various costumed characters who come knocking.
Naturally, the visitors are full of personality, so it’s fun right up to the end.
What’s more, the book includes a special feature that lets readers dress up and become a little ghost themselves.
Be sure to enjoy it together with your child!
Halloween, a heart-throbbing day of ghosts!
It’s something we tend to forget as adults, but Halloween is supposed to be scary and thrilling, isn’t it? That feeling is the theme of the picture book “The Heart-Pounding Ghost Day of Halloween.” The protagonist is a timid boy who meets a ghost that’s just as scared as he is, and they become friends.
Together, they team up to stand up to a bully.
With its elements of friendship, the ending is sure to be moving.
And while it’s a fantasy, it’s packed with practical tips you can use in real life, like simple costume ideas.
Halloween! Halloween!
Toshio Nishimura is a popular picture book author.
His first work themed around Halloween is Halloween Halloween.
The story follows the main character, who dresses up with friends and goes to Grandma’s house to get treats.
At first glance it may sound familiar, but the friends are actually quite unique.
Be sure to check out which friends wear what costumes.
With its charming illustrations, you’re sure to enjoy it with a warm heart.
A Halloween-themed picture book. Popular read-aloud picture books (11–20)
Hide-and-Seek at Halloween
If you’re looking for a picture book that even very young children can enjoy without getting bored, “Halloween Hide-and-Seek” is perfect.
This picture book has a slightly unusual structure.
When you open it, the left page is in color, and the right page is cut out in the shape of something.
Then, when you turn the page, the two sides overlap and something appears.
It’s set up like a quiz where you guess what it is.
Another point that keeps it engaging is that the questions get harder as you move toward the latter half, and elements for learning English are introduced as well.
What is Halloween?
Some children don’t really know what Halloween is to begin with.
In such cases, reading “What Is Halloween?” aloud is perfect.
While it’s a picture book, it’s packed with basic knowledge about Halloween.
Children can learn all kinds of things, from the origin of the word “Halloween” to how to dress up in costumes and how to decorate a room.
It also has a proper story, designed to naturally spark interest in Halloween.
Why not use this picture book to share the fun of Halloween?
Ghost Train
For young children who can’t yet follow complex stories, “Obake Densha” (Ghost Train) is recommended.
This picture book has relatively few words and is designed to let readers mainly enjoy the illustrations.
It portrays the scenery seen from the train windows in a world of ghosts.
There are surreal elements that adults can enjoy as well.
Another highlight is the twist ending that appears only at the very end.
I encourage you to pick it up and see for yourself what kind of views are depicted from the train windows.
Lots more fun Halloween!
Do you know the “Flap-and-Learn Picture Book” series? It’s a set of educational picture books, and titles like “Fun with Multiplication” are well known.
Among them, the one I recommend is “Even More Fun: A Halloween Full of Surprises.” It’s a picture book created to teach children about Halloween.
Why do we celebrate Halloween? Is Halloween the same all over the world? It’s packed with facts even adults might not know.
Be sure to explore Halloween together with your child.