We love our spooky books here at West Music! These top halloween books make perfect additions to your classrooms during this season of fun! Before we dive into books, we invite you to watch this video featuring Ryan West demonstrating how puppets and spooky sounds can add a whole new level of engagement to story time!
Spooky Halloween Books
Halloween Hustle
by Charlotte Gunnufson, illustrated by Kevan J. Atteberry
Halloween Hustle By Charlotte Gunnufson Illustrated by Kevan J. Atteberry Hardcover book In the dark, a funky beat. Something white with bony feet. Skeleton dancing up the street, Doing the Halloween Hustle. Skleton is dancing his way to a Halloween party, but he keeps stumbling, tumbling, and falling apart! Can Skeleton stay in one piece long enough to make it to the party?
Monster Boogie
by Laurie Berkner, illustrated by Ben Clanton
Children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner’s fun song “Monster Boogie” comes alive in this vibrant children’s book. With playful illustrations by Ben Clanton, this book shows children that not all monsters are out to scare people….some like to boogie instead
Bedtime at the Swamp
by Kristyn Crow, Illustrated by Macky Pamintuan
It’s bedtime in the swamp and time to go home, but not everyone is ready – there’s a monster in the swamp! Children will love the catchy refrain and rhythmic speech pattern of this delightful story.
Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance
by Keith Graves
Introducing Frank – a fun-loving, slightly disgusting monster who just wants to dance! This is the hilarious story of a monster who follows his dream. The illustrations are delightfully detailed (and a little bit gross), and your students will be laughing out loud! An excellent selection for a sound story or a narrated story with class accompaniment.
Dem Bones
by Bob Barner
Colorful torn paper collages bring to life this classic African American spiritual. The frolicking skeletons will captivate children and adults while they sing along with this well-known, catchy song. Accompanied by interesting, informative “bone facts,” this book makes a wonderful addition to both home and classroom libraries and a fun treat for Halloween!
Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli
by Barbara Jean Hicks, Illustrated by Sue Hendra
Monsters eat a lot of things, but broccoli is NOT one of them! Children will be drawn in by the flow of the rhythmic, rhyming text, laugh at the humorous drawings, and just maybe they’ll be convinced that vegetables aren’t that bad.
Bundles
Some of our Halloween books just beg for some instrumental accompaniment! We’ve assembled some fun bundles with a few percussion instruments to enhance the “effect” of these books! NOTE: books are also sold separately if you’ve already got the instruments.
Monster Boogie with Red Baby Monster Bundle
by Laurie Berkner, illustrated by Ben Clanton
Children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner’s fun song “Monster Boogie” comes alive in this vibrant children’s book. With playful illustrations by Ben Clanton, this book shows children that not all monsters are out to scare people….some like to boogie instead! Our baby monster puppets are as large as a melon, with a huge mouth so they can talk, shout, and sing! An air-filled squeaker in each gives them an optional squawky, “monster” voice. Available in a variety of colors – each with its own unique personality.
Monster Boogie with Purple Baby Monster Bundle
by Laurie Berkner, illustrated by Ben Clanton
Children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner’s fun song “Monster Boogie” comes alive in this vibrant children’s book. With playful illustrations by Ben Clanton, this book shows children that not all monsters are out to scare people….some like to boogie instead! Our baby monster puppets are as large as a melon, with a huge mouth so they can talk, shout, and sing! An air-filled squeaker in each gives them an optional squawky, “monster” voice. Available in a variety of colors – each with its own unique personality.
It’s Halloween with Sound Effects
by Jack Prelutsky
Come march with the Skeleton Parade, visit a haunted house, or just bob for apples with 13 delightful spooky poems celebrating the tricks and treats of Halloween. Bundle includes hand-held plastic castanets and a vibraslap for extra fun!
Scary, Scary Halloween with Thunder Tube
by Eve Bunting
Everyone from witches to ghosts to fearsomely cute monsters is out enjoying a beautiful Halloween evening while four pairs of mysterious eyes stare out from the dark, wondering what to make of this fantastical event! This book helps teach children that this fantastic autumn holiday is full of far more fun than fear.
Bundle includes “lightening” Thundertube.
Featured in Our Halloween Sound Story Blog
Shake Dem Halloween Bones
by W. Nikola-Lisa, Illustrated by Mike Reed
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
by Linda Williams, Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Ten Orange Pumpkins
by Stephen Savage
Halloween is such a fun time in the classroom! Hopefully these “spooky” resources will bring as much enjoyment to your room as it did to our office when we put this together! Happy Halloween!
