Great Read Alouds: Friendly monsters & ghosts

The past few years have seen a huge surge in the popularity of Halloween as a holiday. Who doesn't love dressing up, pretending you're someone else and getting lots of treats. It's especially fun with the children. Check out my recommendations for books with ghosts, witches and monsters to read aloud.

Why Did the Monster Cross the Road? written by R.L. Stine & illustrated by Marc Brown

This is a laugh-out-loud picture book written by children's horror legend R.L. Stine and illustrated by the creator of Arthur. You'll find fun monsters telling hilariously spooky jokes your kid can share with friends. The bold detailed illustrations bring the monsters to life.

Little Ghost Makes a Friend by Maggie Edkins Willis

Little Ghost happily haunts a creaky old house with his mom. Then one day he notices a little girl moving in next door. He wants to make a friend but he's shy. With Halloween right around the corner, he decides to invite her to a party at his house. Little Ghost puts a lot of time into preparing for the party by trying out costumes, baking treats and decorating. Will the new girl come to the party and be his friend?

"As cozy as a hug.... A sweetly spooky tale that reminds us that reaching out to others doesn’t have to be scary." –Kirkus Reviews

Spooky, Scary Skeletons written by Andrew Gold & illustrated by Polona Lovsin

This is an adorable sing-along picture book based on the TikTok viral song by Andrew Gold (best known for writing The Golden Girls theme song Thank You for Being a Friend). Five little skeletons go trick-or-treating and have lots of scary fun singing and dancing.

"The illustrations loosely take inspiration from the lyrics and serve as the primary driver for the storytelling. They make excellent use of fall colors and exude a sunset glow that truly evokes Halloween." —Kirkus Reviews