Not-So-Scary Halloween Picture Books

 Halloween can be fun, but a bit overwhelming for young children.  To enjoy being frightened and frightening is not something that comes naturally!  Why not introduce your little trick or treaters to delicious shivers and joyful shrieking with these not-so-scary picture books?  A list of chapter books for children who prefer benevolent spirits may be found in our Staff Picks under Happy Helpful Ghosts.

 Five Little Monkeys Trick or Treat   That mischievous quintet  decides to play a trick on their chaperone when they go out trick or treating by switching costumes with their friends.  However, the trick ends up being on them.  Includes recipes  for eyeball cookies and worm juice!

 Click, Clack Boo   Farmer Brown,  not a fan of Halloween, sets out some candy, closes the curtains and goes to bed.   Leave it to his animals to pique his curiosity and draw him into their Halloween party.  Simpler in content, without the sly humor and references in other books from this series, a fun read aloud for 3 -5 year olds with all the “Creak, creak, creaking” and “Tap, tap, tapping.”

   Scaredy-Cat Splat  Splat’s ludicrous attempts to be the scariest cat at school provide lots of laughs.

Trick or Treat, Marley!  That rascally, fun-loving puppy does his best to help (?) get the house ready for a Halloween party. 

 Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween   Fans of Scaredy Squirrel, the humorously fearful and list making squirrel, will be reassured to know that he has prepared a Halloween safety guide for those who, like himself, find Halloween pretty nerve racking.  He has all the potential problems scoped out, with chapters on decorations (“Unscary black and orange decorations”), costumes (with a scare-o-meter),  trick or treating (“Getting to know your candy”) and what to do if all else fails (“Play dead”).  Scaredy’s preoccupation  with creating a non-threatening Halloween will give you lots of smiles and chase away the Boos.

 Hedgehug’s Halloween   It’s hard finding just the right costume when you are prickly.  Sheets rip and  balloons pop.  Discouraged because all his friends have Great costumes, Hedgehug is ready to give up when he figures out the Perfect costume.   The heart-warming story is enhanced by appealing forest characters brought vividly to life using  washes of color on a textured background.



    Just Say Boo!  Take charge!  When you’re confronted with all those Halloween terrors, just say “ Boo!”  You’ll find out they aren't really scary.