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Children’s Book Blog: October 2025

Spooky Season is Back!

It’s officially spooky season! From loyal ghostly pets to party planning witches and a bear who discover that independence isn’t always what it seems, these Halloween characters capture the fun of the season without sending little ones running for the covers (no nightmares, I promise!). 

October’s children’s book recommendations have spooky vibes but are still very accessible to all ages (and scare levels!). 

– Michelle 

Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann

Cue the tears – at least for us whose beloved canine family member is getting older…and weaker each day. 

Bone Dog balances grief and comfort beautifully—loss is acknowledged, but the love between Gus and Ella transcends even death. 

It’s a great Halloween read for spooky fun without being overly frightening. The skeletons, while they do try to eat Gus, are illustrated in a friendly manner. 

Beanie the Bansheenie by Eoin Colfer and Steve McCarthy

In Irish folklore, banshees are spirits who foretell death. In this tale, young banshees are “bansheenies,” who bond to a human. Beanie is one such bansheenie, meant to be paired with a girl named Rose. But things don’t go as expected— and Beanie discovers a different path for her and Rose.

As folklore fans, we all LOVE this book about friendship and breaking the mold. 

Given it’s length and slightly darker fairy-tale elements, it might be better for ages 5+. 

Grizelda the Green Hates Halloween by A.A. Livington and Katya Longhi 

A witch who doesn’t like Halloween?! Meet Grizelda the Green! 

Grizelda is the Halloween version of the Grinch. She tries to ruin Halloween but a group of kids endless optimism, enthusiasm, kindness and acceptance change her mind. 

The rhyming text is bouncy and playful, making it especially good for read-alouds. The illustrations are bright and whimsical, making it a great Halloween choice for younger kids.

*This is a new book to our shelves as of fall 2025. 

Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party by Dan Murphy, Aubrey Plaza & Hannah Peck 

Another great book that keeps a playful Halloween mood without being too spooky. 

When she meets Pheenie, a witch whose Halloween parties always flop, Luna proposes a deal: she’ll help Pheenie plan the best Halloween party ever, and in return, Pheenie will teach her magic.

As a parent, I really liked the themes of ambition, open-mindedness and cooperation. Luna and the witch both have knowledge and insights to share with each other – just like children and adults. 

*This is a new book to our shelves as of fall 2025. 

Little Bear’s Big House by Benjamin Chaud 

Like the house, this book is BIG.  It sticks out awkwardly on our shelves. And that’s one of the reasons kids love it! 

With so much page space to work with, Chaud’s art is full of detail. Kids can spend a long time observing all the animals, rooms, curious objects and more. It’s a great book for an impromptu game of eye spy. 

If you like this one, our shelf does have more big book adventures featuring Chaud’s bear family. 

 

A note on this blog: Michelle Milford is the Office & Marketing Manager at Town Hall Library.  She has two young children – Joanna (7) and Connor (5).  All three have a deep love of books and voracious appetites for reading.  Here they’ll share their monthly book recommendations.