11. What was I Scared of?
What Was I Scared Of? by Dr Seuss is a new picture book edition of an old Dr. Seuss story that first appeared in The Sneeches and Other Stories. Subtitled: A Glow-in-the-Dark Encounter, this children's book is a sweet story of two creatures who start out scared of one another, even though one is "A pair of green pants / With nobody inside then!" The narrator is scared of the pants, but ends up comforting the pants when he realizes the pair of pants is very scared of him. While not a Halloween story, it's a good very slightly scary story for ages 4-8 during the Halloween season, particularly since special ink makes some of the artwork on every page glow in the dark. (Random House, 2009; ISBN: 9780375853425)
12. The Berenstain Bears Trick or Trick
This book is part of Stan and Jan Berenstain's First Time Books series. For the first time, Brother and Sister Bear are going trick or treating without an adult along. While the authors emphasize the rules for Halloween safety, they also tell an entertaining story about not judging by appearances. (Random House,1989 ISBN: 0679800913)
13. Boo Who? and Other Wicked Halloween Knock-Knock Jokes
This clever book works on several levels. It's a book of funny Halloween knock-knock jokes; it's a fun interactive lift-the-flap book, and it's the amusing story of a boy's and girl's adventure in a haunted house.(HarperCollins, 2000. ISBN: 0694013595)
14. Moonlight: The Halloween Cat
If you are looking for a warm and gentle book about Halloween for a very young child, Moonlight: The Halloween Cat is it. Halloween is Moonlight's favorite night, and author Cynthia Rylant describes how he enjoys walking around the neighborhood, watching the children in costume and seeing the jack-o-lanterns glow. Illustrator Melissa Sweet's full page artwork provides a window on a magical Halloween night. (HarperCollins, 2003. ISBN: 0060297123)
15. The Monster Trap
This delightful picture book features the wonderful oil paintings of Dean Morrissey. Although not a Halloween story, it features some of the most delightfully odd looking monsters you will ever see, perfect for the Halloween season. A little boy, Paddy, spends the night at his grandpa's place, which includes a shop filled with antiques and equipment. When Paddy worries about monsters, his grandpa builds some monster traps for him, with surprising results. (HarperCollins, 2004. ISBN: 0060524987)
16. Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden
The rhythmic text and the colorful photography make Pumpkin Circle a very appealing science book for a wide range of ages. The author, George Levenson, covers the life cycle of pumpkins, from seeds to pumpkins to jack o' lanterns back to seeds. At the end of the book, there is a page of additional information about pumpkins, including planting tips. The engaging photographs by Shmuel Thaler, which cover a year in the garden, complement the text. (Tricycle Press, 1999. ISBN: 1582460787)
17. Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt
This entertaining detective story by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, with illustrations by Marc Simont, is written at the 2.1 reading level and will appeal to beginning readers. On Halloween night, Nate's friend Rosamond comes to his house to ask him to help find her missing cat, Little Hex. Nate the Great and his dog, Sludge, are on the case! (Yearling Books, reissue 1990. ISBN: 0440403413)