11 Halloween Chapter Books {Kid-Friendly}
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My kids love everything about Halloween – the candy, the costumes, walking around the neighborhood after dark . . . everything. When they were young readers, we kept a basket full of Halloween picture books to read throughout the month of October. Halloween chapter books were the natural progression from picture books.
Now they are older, though, and not at all interested in listening to me read a picture book. I created a list of Halloween chapter books for kids who still want to read a Halloween story that is more on their level.
I think these are some of the best Halloween books for kids of all ages. There are a variety of reading levels included, so there is something for everyone.
These Halloween chapter books would be perfect for:
- Family read-aloud time
- Book club selections
- Assigned reading for schoolwork in October
Related: How to Start a Book Club for Kids
Halloween Chapter Books for Kids
Read through the synopsis and use your judgment to determine if specific Halloween chapter books are a good fit for your tween or teen. Scary stories are no longer fun if they cause nightmares. October is the perfect time of year to dive into Halloween stories.
Me and the Pumpkin Queen by Marlane Kennedy
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Eleven-year-old Mildred has been trying for years to grow a 1,000 lb pumpkin to enter in her local pumpkin show but never has any luck. Curious dogs and bad weather always ruin her hard work. Maybe this will finally be her year of good luck in the pumpkin patch.
The Best Worst Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Herdman family is well known around town for their naughty Halloween shenanigans.
The entire town is tired of stolen candy, vandalism, and general misbehavior, so the mayor decides to cancel Halloween for the entire town. The town children are gearing up for the worst Halloween ever, but can the Herdman children salvage the night?
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Grandmama has always warned to be careful of witches, but that doesn’t prevent her grandson from winding up in a hotel full of witches. Even the Grand High Witch herself is at the convention!
Check out a few discussion questions on the official Roald Dahl website. There is also a 1990 version of the movie to watch after you finish reading the book. A new edition of the movie was released in 2020. My family enjoyed reading this good book as a family before watching the movie.
There is even a graphic novel version!
Related: How to Teach with Graphic Novels
Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
It is Halloween night, and a demon huntsman is on the loose. He is headed toward Castle Karlstein. The Count has a plan to save himself, at the expense of his nieces. Can the girls outsmart their evil uncle?
The author recommends this book for middle school and up.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Stevenson (adapted by Kate McMullan)
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the ultimate story of good vs bad, yin and yang, and multiple personalities. This classic spooky tale is adapted for a younger audience.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Nobody Owens is a very unusual young boy. He lives in a cemetery and is cared for by ghosts and other supernatural beings. He has grown up comfortable with the world of the dead. Can he adjust to life among the living?
I know from book club experience that Neil Gaiman isn’t for everyone, but my daughter thought this was a great book.
Dracula: Kid Classics by Bram Stoker
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Count Dracula wants to move from Transylvania to England in order to have a fresh supply of blood and create new vampires. A small mob is trying to protect the people of England by fighting back against Dracula. Who will win? This adaptation of the original story is intended for kids in roughly 4th – 7th grades.
Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This short Halloween chapter book has it all – a pig dressed up as a princess, trick-or-treating, and a Halloween “parade” featuring a cat. It is only 80 pages long, so early readers who are just beginning to read chapter books will likely enjoy it.
It’s Halloween, You ‘Fraidy Mouse! by Geronimo Stilton
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Kids who love Geronimo Stilton books are sure to love this Halloween book. Many of the mice are looking forward to Halloween, but Geronimo is afraid that he is a fraidy mouse. He is sure that everyone is out to get him!
The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This is one of those scary books that might be best for older kids or children who don’t scare easily. The story follows two abandoned children who begin working as servants in an old Victorian mansion. Things are not as they seem, and their lives become full of mystery and ancient curses.
This scary story is described as a cross between The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving and the ghost stories of Henry James.
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve by Mary Pope Osborne
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Fans of Magic Tree House books will love this Halloween chapter book. Jack and Annie return to Camelot to explore a haunted castle in search of the Stone of Destiny.
Mary Pope Osborne has created teacher resources to accompany her books.
Little Witch by Anna Elizabeth Bennett
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Little Witch by Anna Elizabeth Bennett follows a young witch who is eager to prove that she is ready to attend witch school and learn powerful magic. When Little Witch’s curiosity and determination lead her into trouble, she discovers that being a good witch requires more than simply knowing spells. This book has been popular for 60 years!
The Pumpkin Head Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warren
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Who else loved The Boxcar Children books as a child? The Boxcar Children: The Pumpkin Head Mystery follows the Alden children as they investigate a mysterious pumpkin head that appears at a local Halloween festival. While searching for clues, they uncover a mystery involving hidden secrets and work together to figure out what is really happening.
Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt follows Nate and his dog, Sludge, as they search for a missing cat, Little Hex, on Halloween night. The investigation takes them through a neighborhood filled with costumed trick-or-treaters and eventually to a spooky haunted house, where Nate must use his detective skills to solve the mystery.
The Great Pumpkin Smash by Franklin W. Dixon
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Frank and Joe Hardy attend Bayport Zoo’s annual Halloween carnival, where they discover that the pumpkins in the display have been mysteriously smashed. With the future of the “Boo at the Zoo” celebration at stake, the brothers use their detective skills to track down the culprit and solve the pumpkin-smashing mystery.
Be sure to add these Halloween stories to your Halloween book lists.
Keep reading . . .
- Historic Salem Witch Trial Books for Kids
- Halloween Lesson Plans for Elementary School
- Halloween Lesson Plans for Middle School
- Halloween Tea with Poetry
- Halloween Boredom-Busting Basket
- Fun Halloween Homeschool Activities
- October Homeschool Activities
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