Top Ten Tuesday #8: Top Ten Halloween Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list that one of the bloggers there at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join!

Today’s topic is the Top Ten Books to Get You Into the Halloween Spirit. Now, I’m doing this a little different, because I actually can’t think of any books to fit this description. So instead I’m doing my Top Ten Halloween Books for Children. Most of these are picture books, but there are two others that wouldn’t necessarily fit that description.

   

1) The 13 Days of Halloween by Carol Greene :: A Halloween book in the spirit of The 12 Days of Christmas. Really great for teaching repetition to young readers.

2) The Ghost-Eye Tree by Bill Martin, Jr. :: Look, any Bill Martin, Jr. book is fabulous, but I particularly like this one because it’s 1) great for read-alouds and 2) helpful to young ones who are scared of the dark. Two thumbs up from this librarian!

3) Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara :: A girl moves into a spooky old house only to find that it’s full of ghosts. But this is no ordinary girl… I also love that the ghosts in the book are textured!

4) The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving :: This particular edition was edited by Robert San Souci, who is known for his spooky books. The tale of the Headless Horseman is a classic that everyone should hear at one point, and this one is perfect for younger readers.

   

5) The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams :: My all-time favorite Halloween book! This little old lady is one tough nut. And also, because this book never specifically mentions Halloween, it’s perfect for those students who don’t celebrate the holiday.

6) Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz :: I’m pretty sure every single person has heard of this, and has probably read it at some point in elementary school. My students ADORE spooky stories, and there are some truly scary ones in this book. Add in a flashlight and a dark room and your kids’ slumber parties are set!

7) Sheep Trick or Treat by Nancy Shaw :: The “Sheep” books are perfect for emergent readers. They’re leveled at a low first grade level, which means even your beginning readers can pick them up and get through them without too many struggles. This one is slightly more difficult, but if you have young ones who want to read a Halloween book by themselves, this one is perfect.

8) Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White :: When a woman who can’t stand pumpkins suddenly gets a bumper crop, she has to figure out what to do with all of her pumpkins. This is a great story about sharing and helping your community, and is good for teaching little ones life lessons.

 

9) Y is for Yowl!: A Scary Alphabet by Laura Purdie Salas :: While being an ABC book, this one is not for super young kids. The topics (trolls, witches, etc.) can be frightening for the under-3 crowd, but older kids – if they can swallow listening to an alphabet book – would like the different and spooky letter choices.

10) Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth :: I love the “Zen” books, particularly when the cousin visits from Japan and speaks in haikus. This is a great addition to the series, and kids will really love the illustrations.

What books did you choose this week? Please link me!