The Best New Halloween Picture Books of 2021
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And, no, I’m not starting to sing Christmas carols earlier than ever. It’s October! And Halloween is coming!
I really love Halloween, and I look forward to putting together this yearly Halloween picture book list more than any other list - even more than our annual best picture books of the year. I just love spooky things, and sharing them with my kids. For me, there’s nothing more special than a children’s book that captures that lighthearted but creepy feeling and mood perfectly.
Every year we gather up every new spooky picture book we can get our hands on. Of course being specifically about Halloween is worthy of bonus points, because I love beautiful 2-page spreads of trick-or-treating and explicit love of this wonderful holiday. But we always include all of the new spooky books of the season. Vampires, ghosts, monsters - it’s all fair game. As far as categorizing picture books as Halloween books goes, I think it’s safe to say you know it when you see it.
This year is our biggest Halloween list yet. We still countdown the list down to our favorite of the year, but I didn’t set any arbitrary limit this time. If we like the book it found a place on this list. And hopefully that makes it even easier to find something for kids of every age (and scare-ability!).
Personally I always gravitate towards books that actually flirt with the line between kid-friendly and actually spooky. And I think that typically reflects itself in my rankings. But, at the end of the day, this is a subjective list based entirely on which books get our family into that Halloween spirit! As always, I hope it proves itself useful for you, and I hope it helps you celebrate the most wonderful time of the year!
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20. Ten Little Jack-O’-Lanterns
Written by Applesauce Press and Illustrated by Robert Dunn
If you’re shopping for the littlest of readers this Halloween, this board book is a good one to check out. It’s a traditional countdown book practicing numbers and celebrating Halloween at the same time. Each page is a different child in costume, and the illustrations of the kids running around trick-or-treating are well done and add a lot of charm.
And what makes the book stand out are the physical pumpkins that poke out from the pages but still manage to disappear one at a time with each page turn. It’s a creative design and great tactile engagement for little ones. Even my 5-year-old still got a kick out of this one, and sitting down to read it with her is very cute. She still loves guessing and shouting out the rhymes on each page before you do.
19. Pig the Monster
Written and Illustrated by Aaron Blabey
We’re kicking off this year’s list with a very popular picture book series. Pig the Pug is famous far and wide for many books that feature him starting out rude and selfish, and eventually learning his lesson by the end of the book. Pig the Monster follows the same formula, and it’s safe to say that if you’re already a Pig the Pug fan then it’s a no-brainer.
Pig gets into trouble on Halloween to start this one out. He’s much more into the “tricks” than the “treats.” It’s definitely humor that’s appealing to kids, although not exactly crossing over to that mythical realm of being universally funny to both kids and adults. But the illustrations are great and it earns big bonus points for the Halloween focus and highlighting some classic pranks.
18. The Silly Sounds of Halloween
Written and Illustrated by Mike Petrik
Mike Petrik wrote one of our favorite Halloween picture books of all time - Sammy’s Spooktacular Halloween - so we definitely picked up his newest Halloween project. His art always shows a true love for the holiday, and very much makes me think of the game Costume Quest - which is a great thing to be reminded of! and this time he’s crafted a gift for the youngest Halloween fans out there.
This is a lift the flap book that consists of something kind of like Halloween riddles or jokes. For example, what says “Bleh, Bleh, Hisssssssssss?” A vampire with a flat tire. It’s an interactive book that works great with young readers, and it’s fun to have them try to guess the answer. But honestly where it truly shines is with Petrik’s art, because I think it’s incredibly how he’s still managed to squeeze in an obvious appreciation for dressing up and a love for Halloween. It’s an impressive feat to target toddlers and still come away giving off that strong Halloween spirit.
17. Peanuts: Countdown to Halloween!
Adapted by Tina Gallo et al. and Illustrated by Robert Pope
I definitely couldn’t resist this one. Halloween Advent calendars? Yes please! Who says December has to have all the fun? I love this concept, and what better way to do it than with Peanuts. You get a short story for every day of October, turning Halloween into the month-long celebration that it deserves! And the best part is that it also turns the book into a fun tradition that you can return to every year.
It’s put together very well and it’s a beautiful book. The stories are about 2 pages long each, and, as you can imagine, many of them have to do with The Great Pumpkin. I suppose that’s fair, because there isn’t a whole lot of other Peanuts Halloween material to work with, and I’m certainly not complaining. I could listen to Linus talking about The Great Pumpkin all day.
16. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Animated Classics
Adapted by Sally Morgan & Marilyn Easton and Illustrated with Original Concept Art
We’re starting to build up quite a collection of The Nightmare Before Christmas books. Of course, the original poem by Tim Burton himself is in a class of his own. But, at the same time, it’s nice to have a version that reads more like a traditional story. And this particular version also stands out for the illustrations as well.
This adaptation of TNBC is actually illustrated with various concept art from the movie - which makes it quite a collector’s item as well. It’s a lot of fun for fans of all ages to see the sketches and models used during brainstorming sessions on set. It’s a fun idea and a great way to share the story with kids. And, if you have the same problem I do with saying “no” to a new TNBC product, this creative illustration concept might get you off the hook when you have to explain that you bought yet another Jack Skellington book.
15. Ghostbusters: A Paranormal Picture Book
Adapted by G. M. Berrow and J. M. Kehoe and Illustrated by Forrest Burdett
There’s a trend going on in picture books that I’m enjoying quite a bit. There are lots of picture books being made based on movies from the 80s and 90s, and I’m fully in support of every single one of them. I wrote recently about my love for Kim Smith’s Pop Classics, and Ghostbusters is very much in the same vein as those books.
Even the art has a very similar feel to the Pop Classics - with the main characters aged down, almost in a chibi or Funko kind of way. It very loosely follows the plot of the original movie, but it’s actually more like a new story with children Ghostbusters that features the 2 most famous monsters - Slimer and the Stay-Puft Marshallow Man. I think it’s very well done and a fun way to introduce the Ghostbusters to your kids this October.
14. Frankenslime
Written by Joy Keller and Illustrated by Ashley Belote
The young girl in this book is known for creating and selling the most interesting slime creations in her laboratory. But one day she creates a slime that is actually alive - in what is a very loose play on Frankenstein. The illustrations are wonderful and I appreciate the obvious promotion of the fun of science as well. It’s also an engaging story with very cute characters and a brief moment of spookiness to enjoy.
Even though slime is the bane of teacher’s existence all across the nation, it’s still pretty cool that this Halloween book also features a few different recipes for slime in the back. Just don’t let them take it to school if you care for your teacher’s sanity at all. But, jokes aside, there’s great potential for falling in love with this one if you turn it into a project together too.
13. Trick or Treat Crankenstein
Written by Samantha Berger and Illustrated by Dan Santat
Crankenstein is a series of picture books about a grumpy kid that transforms into a cranky monster when things don’t go his way. While this might not sound to parents like something very funny or enjoyable to explore - perhaps a little too-close-to-home - it turns out that the attempt to turn crankiness into giggles is a noble goal! After all, it can be hard not too laugh when you have your own little Crankenstein around.
Personally, this book hit my radar because of the art of Dan Santat. I’m a huge fan of his work, and the special personality he’s capable of adding to a book is a sight to behold. He adds so much Halloween charm to this book - giving so much love to details like the Halloween costumes on display. Think Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day with bright and beautiful modern illustrations and a lot of Halloween charm.
12. The Haunted Mansion Little Golden Book
Adapted by Lauren Clauss and Illustrated by Glen Brogan
I am a huge fan of Glen Brogan’s art. He was a perfect choice to illustrate this Little Golden Book about the famous Disney ride. The ghosts and the children all look amazing, and this little book has so much character. It truly brings the story to life in a great way - and it really gets me excited for The Muppets Haunted Mansion coming out soon!
The story basically follows a kid as they experience The Haunted Mansion ride at Disney for the first time. Ultimately it’s a play-by-play of the ride, and it’s really very well done. It’s a perfect memento for fans, and a great reminder of everything that takes place on the ride. The book makes no direct mention of the fact that it’s a ride with animatronics and light tricks though, really leaning into the haunted aspects. The fact that they’re riding in a doom buggy is really the only thing that distinguishes this from a real haunted mansion adventure and I think that’s great.
11. Halloween is Coming!
Written by Cal Everett and Illustrated by Lenny Wen
Halloween is Coming! is a poem that quite simply is exactly what you think it is - it’s a love letter to everything Halloween. Pumpkins, tractor rides, climbing on hay bales, decorations, candy - everything leading up to Halloween that gets you in the spirit is here. The choice of details to highlight is very well done and I have high praise for it.
And, as is often the case for me, what really stands is the art. I adore this art style from Lenny Wen. The scenes scream fall and Halloween spirit. It’s really beautiful, and I love the details - especially the random goblin on the roof and the ghost by the hay bales. I’m a sucker for 2-page spreads of classic Halloween scenes like trick-or-treating, and this book has some of the best of the year.
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas Little Golden Book
Adapted by Lauren Clauss and Illustrated by Jeannette Arroyo
Did I mention that we probably have too many The Nightmare Before Christmas books? Well there’s always room for one more right? Honestly this Little Golden Book is probably my very favorite adaptation yet. Tim Burton’s poem is one thing, but if you want a book that reads like a normal story, this is probably your very best bet.
What’s particularly great about this Little Golden Book is that you get to see a talented artist’s interpretation of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Little Golden Book keeps hiring wonderful artist’s lately, an Jeannette Arroyo just nails TNBC. It’s a gorgeous little book and maybe the perfect way to read this classic story to kids.
9. Dracula: Featuring Mickey and Friends
Adapted by Grace Baranowski and Illustrated by Gonzalo Kenny
I just read Dracula to my son for the first time, so this version featuring Mickey and Friends came out at the perfect time for us. I’ve always been a fan of the way Disney (or The Muppets) inserts their characters into famous stories like this, and Dracula is so well done. It’s the newest part of a long, illustrious history of introducing kids to culture with a Disney skin on it.
Of course it’s naturally heavily adapted for a young audience, with deaths edited out entirely. Most names are also changed - sometimes simply to the characters playing the roles, like Daisy instead of Lucy. But, at the same time, it’s a pretty long story for a picture book and it goes into very enjoyable depth. What a special and spooky treat from Disney to share with the kids this October.
8. The Vampires Next Door
Written by Sigi Cohen and Illustrated by Patrick Corrigan
I applaud picture book authors and publishers that aren’t afraid to make spooky picture books that actually have an edge to them. Sometimes it seems like everything has to be lighthearted and risk-free, but lives are actually on the line in The Vampires Next Door, and I applaud them for it.
A young girl thinks her neighbors are actually vampires, and, in true scary story fashion, nobody believes her, and she has to take care of it on her own. Some kids even go missing, and our heroine is almost bit herself. The final battle might be a tad silly and lighthearted, but I’m just so happy that it was a battle at all - and it wasn’t something safe like an ending where she became friends with the misunderstood vampires.
7. Poultrygeist
Written by Eric Geron and Illustrated by Pete Oswald
Pete Oswald’s talent is on full display in this book, and it mixes incredibly well with Eric Geron’s humor. In this book, a chicken is crossing the road and is unfortunately hit by a truck - turning promptly into a ghost. The poultrygeist soon meets other ghost animals and tries to come to terms with being dead.
It’s certainly a bit of dark humor, and as huge animal lovers I had my doubts about how it would go over - but I think the book really pulls it off. It’s probably one of the funniest picture books we’ve read this year, and the art itself is truly great and really stands out. A great combination of silliness and style is on display here, and all of the ghosts make it a natural fit for this time of year.
6. Hardly Haunted
Written and Illustrated by Jessie Sima
This book is the result of a incredibly creative concept - a house is lonely and it’s afraid that nobody likes it because it’s haunted. Jessie Sima’s illustrations are beautiful and engaging (kids particularly appreciate following the cat around on every page), and all the noises that the house makes are perfect for read alouds.
I think it’s an impressive feat to turn a house into a character to empathize with, and Sima has pulled it off. It’s a great example of flipping the script and looking at things from someone else’s perspective. Of course we’re all scared of haunted houses, but have you ever considered how that makes the house feel? It’s funny when you think about it like that, but also a great chance to practice empathy. And, thankfully, there’s a happy, haunted ending for our house friend.
5. Vampenguin
Written and Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Vampenguin is a great example of that classic read aloud dichotomy of something entirely different going on in the illustrations as opposed to the words. It makes it a perfect choice for sharing with kids this year, and sets it up to be a true Halloween classic. The book follows a vampire family on their trip to the zoo. As an aside, I can only force myself to assume this was a special nighttime zoo event, otherwise trying to work out how this vampire family was walking around in the sun would drive me crazy.
The dichotomy that takes place is that their youngest child switches place with a penguin and nobody notices for the entire book. It’s really hilarious, and the illustrations themselves could have worked well as a wordless picture book. But the beauty of the humor is that the words make no mention of the switch at all, so kids know they are in on the secret the whole time. It’s such a funny concept and Cummins’ art is such a joy in every book she makes.
4. The Good, The Bad, and The Spooky
Written by Jory John and Illustrated by Pete Oswald
Another product of an extremely popular picture book series, The Good, The Bad, and The Spooky is easily one of the best Halloween books of the year. It receives lots of bonus points for actually being about Halloween, and I have to say I’m extremely impressed with both the writing and the illustrations - this is a great team and it’s obvious why this series continues to delight so many kids and parents.
Probably what makes this book stand out so much is that it’s funny for both kids and adults. The seed’s attempt to postpone Halloween for everyone because he didn’t have time to think of a costume yet is hilariously selfish. They manage to fit in a great lesson about thinking of others as well as not taking things too seriously. And there’s plenty of praise for the imagination and fun that Halloween is all about - which I love to see.
3. Boo Stew
Written by Donna L. Washington and Illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler
Boo Stew quickly stood out to me as one of the best Halloween books of the year, and I have to say the illustrations had a lot to do with that. I think it’s always a brave choice for publishers to allow artists to put something that’s actually spooky in a children’s picture book, and I absolutely adore the fact that the “scares” in this book actually have a legitimately spooky design. It’s wonderful.
The book is a loose play on the title Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but in this case we have Curly Locks and the three scares. But that’s honestly where the similarities with the classic fairy tale ends. In actuality this is a tale about an odd outcast that finds her place in the world when she rescues her town from monsters that nobody else knows how to get rid of. It’s actually a spectacular story, and I’ve already mentioned how fantastic the art is. If you’re hunting down new spooky Halloween books, you absolutely can’t skip this one.
2. Spooky Sleuth & Solve
Adapted by Ana Gallo and Illustrated by Victor Escandell
I knew my son was going to fall in love with this book the instant I saw it. The art style is unique and doesn’t hold back the spooky factor at all. Lots of bonus points for scary drawings to be handed out here. Plus, it’s full of riddles to solve - and it even includes a cryptograph to check your answers. If you knew absolutely anything about my son, you’d know that this was a recipe for true love at first sight.
The stories in the book are inspired by famous scary stories like Frankenstein, The Wolfman, and the Loch Ness Monster. It’s a fantastic combination of scary stories and puzzles, and readers are asked to pay close attention to the illustrations and the text in order to be able to find all the clues. I think it’s special when a book like this comes along, and it’s so easy for creative and curious kids to fall in love with.
1. 10 Spooky Pumpkins
Written and Illustrated by Gris Grimly
An original Halloween picture book written and illustrated by the one and only Gris Grimly was destined to finish high atop this list. Grimly even details in the back of the book why Halloween and all things spooky mean so much to him, and how sharing Halloween with his kids is such a big deal - it’s so very clear to see in his art. I’ve long been a fan of his legitimately creepy style, and I was ecstatic to see that he had a new Halloween book coming out.
Gris Grimly has a spectacular talent and a clear passion for serving up the macabre to children. 10 Spooky Pumpkins is a counting book - in a countdown from 10 style that you’ve seen many times before. But it’s so incredibly beautifully illustrated that it still stands out as one of the best Halloween picture books out there. It’s certainly still innocent enough to share with kids of all ages, but the pictures are just so original and so interesting. The countdown of various Halloween creatures is woven around the story of a little girl trick-or-treating, and it perfectly captures the Halloween spirit.
Honorable Mention for the Global Shipping Crisis
There’s a Ghost in This House
Written and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Oliver Jeffers’ newest picture book is a tragic victim of the global shipping crisis, and it’s now due to arrive on shelves in early November. I’ve had this one earmarked to finish high on this Halloween list for several months now, and it very well could have been in the number one spot.
I have no doubt that it’s going to be a special book, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. It’s a real shame it won’t be here in time for Halloween, but I have a feeling it’s one you won’t want to miss anyway - and I’ll update with thoughts once it’s here.
If you want even more new Halloween scares, make sure to check out the new Kid Classics illustrated chapter books of Dracula and Frankenstein. And make sure to peruse some of our past lists of Halloween picture books!:
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2020
The Best Halloween Picture Books of 2019
The Best Halloween Picture Books for Kids
Or if your kids like to be scared a little, try out our list of the best scary picture books for kids!
Have you found any new favorite Halloween picture books this year? Let us know all your spooky favorites in the comments!
