Mock Newbery 2026 discussion

When I was young my mother used to fill the house with magic and mystery for the fall season. Occasionally she would read the chapter about Halloween from Me and Caleb by Franklyn E. Meyer, or the chapter in A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck. I have continued the tradition reading The Spider and the Fly, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi, Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds and The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.

What Halloween books/chapters/poems elevate your spooky season?

I loved Halloween books growing up, as well. Although some of these may no longer be in print, my favorites were the Georgie series by Robert Bright, Gus was a Friendly Ghost by Jane Thayer, The Witch who was Afraid of Witches by Alice Low, The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark trilogy by Alvin Schwartz, Arthur's Halloween by Marc Brown, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown by Charles Schultz, Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes, of course anything by R.L Stine and the picture book Halloween by Jerry Seinfeld. My daughter adored this picture book as a child. It is hilarious!

I used to read the Halloween chapter from Jennifer, Hecate, MacBeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth (E. L. Konigsburg) to my students. I never forgot that technique for trick-or-treating!

Our first grandchild arrives in December- I’m looking forward to reading her the Lauren Thompson books- Mouse’s First Halloween is wonderful!

Forgot to mention Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff. It has a great gothic horror feeling throughout. One of my favorite middle grade readers of 2021 to boot!

I loved the Dorrie the Witch series, one of which is:
Dorrie's Magic by Patricia Coombs

I love reading Picture books at Halloween to my classes The Halloweiner by Dav Pilkey and Creepy Pair of Underwear by Peter Brown are so much fun!

Oh, my grandson, Ben, Loved, loved , loved "Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance" by Keith Graves (Frank was a monster who wanted to dance. So he put on his hat, and his shoes made in France...and opened a jar and put ants in his pants!)

Halloween books were the most popular in our elementary library. When teaching the very young classes, Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman was so appreciated. I'm now reading Halloween books to my grandson. He absolutely loves Dav Pilkey's Hallo-Wiener, and wants to dress up as the scary Pumpkin Head character. Other huge favorites are Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, and we're also savoring Kate DiCamillo's, Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise.

I loved the “Little Witch” books as a kid. My kids enjoyed our reading “The Hallow-wiener” book each year, as they had a dachshund pup growing up (still do!)

I love David Catrow’s illustrations in Monster Mash and show the American Bandstand you tube with it. Kids still love Carl Reiner’s Tell Me A Scary Story…But Not too scary,

Has anyone read Bonaparte Falls Apart? It's very cute about a skeleton who keeps losing his bones because he gets nervous. Great at Halloween or the start of a new school year for Kindergartners, especially.

Kirsten wrote: "Has anyone read Bonaparte Falls Apart? It's very cute about a skeleton who keeps losing his bones because he gets nervous. Great at Halloween or the start of a new school year for Kindergartners, e..."

Yes, I read it several years ago and really liked it.

My son fell in love with the Eerie Elementary series last year, we had to read all 10! This year we're going to read Klassen's The Skull to get the spooky started.

Our kids loved the book “The Hallow-wiener”. It’s a delightful picture book!

My grandkids and I are enjoying Skeleton Hiccups, The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt, A Spoonful of Frogs and Give Me Back My Bones.
As a kid, I loved many of the ones already mentioned- little ghosts and little witches seemed to be very popular characters!

I've enjoyed It's Halloween by Jack Prelutsky; Space Case by Edward (James) Marshall; Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann; The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, and King of the Cats by Paul Galdone.

I almost forgot about Spook by Jean Little. I don't know if it is still in print. Worth getting a copy on the second hand market if it isn't. A treasure of a book!

I love the discussion about Halloween favorites and look forward to future comments!

Now I have some new spooky books to read.

Another great one I always read to my kids when they were little is Bone Soup!

Oh, and Dear Vampa!

Other picture book favorites are One Halloween NIght by Mark Teague and Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth.