Looking for a Halloween Read? Kids Are Obsessed With These 10 New Books

Bird grows five pumpkins, but Squirrel notices that each one has mysteriously disappeared. Then bird goes missing too! Expressive illustrations highlight Squirrel's plight to find Bird and the pumpkins. Spoiler alert: Bird wasn't missing after all! "The storyline was great," said one parent. "The book is about sharing the things you love with those who are close to you." Ages 3-7

By the author of the blockbuster book Wonder comes a slightly spooky, rhyming Halloween tale. Ghosts from all around town take a break from being scary on Halloween night and converge at a playground to have fun. But this year two human kids want to join the party. Will the ghosts allow them to stay? "I'd tell a friend that the book is great," said one 7-year-old tester. Ages 5-9

A pet adoption story has a spooky twist: Six cats are born at the cemetery, and the one with black fur and long fangs gets the attention of Victor. He's smitten with the cat who can fly and hypnotize people. The other five cats are adopted, and Victor asks his dad if he can take home the black cat. It's more suited to their household than you realize at first! "The entire story has a fun, glow-in-the-dark feel," said one parent. Ages 4-8

This eerie, interactive book contains letters and spells that will engross the whole family. Read it together the night before Halloween. "My 6-year-old thought it was so cute and loved the interactivity of it," said one parent. "She was excited to pull out the letters and spells from the envelopes on every other page and discover a new spell." Ages 5+

The vibes are 100% at this trunk-or-treat with costumed kids and decorated vehicles helping to create the chill atmosphere. Flaps on each spread conceal what's inside each vehicle and rhyming text encourages kids to guess what's hidden. Ages 2-5

A spin-off of the mega-popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this short story collection focusing on Greg's BFF Rowley will give kids chills and thrills. Twelve stories, including ‘The Haunted House’, are fun to read around the fire or at sleepovers. As one 11-year-old put it, "It's just as good as Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I especially liked the story called ‘The Pinkie.’ The character is a pianist and his pinky gets mashed when he’s closing a car door. The story is about the pinky finger trying to find his way back to the pianist." Ages 8-12

Everyone knows Jack O'Lantern, but what about his younger brother Jeff? In this picture book, Jeff, whose "boo" sounds more sweet than spooky, gets out of Jack's shadow. "The book itself is a cute story about being true to yourself, but the Reader's Note added an extra layer of meaning and made the overall experience more impactful," said one parent. Ages 4-8

A cat and a raven who don't get along set out on their own journey to find the witch they love and reunite their family. "I like that the book has magic, witches, and talking animals," said one tester. Added his mom: "It's a good fit for my son because it connects his love of magic and animals." Ages 7+