Childhood101 https://childhood101.com/ playing. learning. growing. Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:56:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://childhood101.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/cropped-C101-site-icon-32x32.png Childhood101 https://childhood101.com/ 32 32 Printable Children’s Calendar 2025 https://childhood101.com/printable-childrens-calendar-2025/ https://childhood101.com/printable-childrens-calendar-2025/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:56:18 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=46480 Inside: A free, printable children’s calendar for 2025! Printer friendly PDF. Our popular printable calendars for kids are back for 2025! I first developed the printable children’s calendar five years ago when our eldest daughter started seventh grade. Well, 2025 sees our second child starting seventh grade and, for both of our children, the use...

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Inside: A free, printable children’s calendar for 2025! Printer friendly PDF.

Our popular printable calendars for kids are back for 2025! I first developed the printable children’s calendar five years ago when our eldest daughter started seventh grade. Well, 2025 sees our second child starting seventh grade and, for both of our children, the use of a printable calendar where they can lay out the requirements for school classes, homework, study and out of school commitments for each month has been key to helping them stay organized!

So our children’s calendar is back for 2025 as a handy, printable PDF!

Children's Calendar 2025

Printable Children’s Calendar 2020

What makes this such a great calendar for kids?
1. It’s flexible – you can print out the whole year or a month at a time, either way it allows your child to map out due dates for assignments and other commitments they have each month.

Hot tip: Add a pack of fun, fine line colored pens to inspire your child even further

2. Each of the 12 pages features one month of the year, with weeks running Monday through Sunday, and plenty of space for recording daily entries.

Printing a month at a time makes the job of planning out their schedule a bit more manageable, and it is great for teens to see visually represented on the page what they have coming up.

Hot tip: Set time aside at the very end of the previous month to help them set up a new calendar for the upcoming month. Helping your pre-teen/teen start to identify where their busiest times are, and where they have more time available, is a great time management skill.

3. Once printed the pages can be kept singly in a folder, or stapled or bound together, or they can be hung up above your child’s study area.

Printable Calendar 2025

4. The black and white pages make the calendar very printer friendly.

5. Coloring the fun border on each page makes a great little mindfulness exercise!

6. If you print the calendar pages two-to-a-page you can create a handy, smaller version of the calendar that is great for children to take with them as they travel between school, home and out-of-school activities.

Printable Childrens Calendar 2025

Help your children get organized by printing this 2025 calendar today. We’re sure your kids will love them!

How to Download & Print Your 2020 Children’s Calendar

Click here to download: Kids Calendar Printable 2025 .  Save the 12 page PDF document to your computer. Open the PDF and print the pages you require. When printing, select “Fit to printable area” (or similar) to ensure the page fits with your printer type and local paper size.
Having trouble accessing or downloading the file? Please download onto a computer, not a phone or tablet. Still not working? Try a different internet browser.
Having trouble printing the file? Please ensure you are opening in Adobe Acrobat (not Preview on Mac devices). Your version of Acrobat may need updating if the file still does not print correctly.
Please note: All Childhood 101 printables are for personal use only, you may not use any part of this content for  commercial purposes-that includes selling the document, giving it away to promote your business or website, or printing the file to sell. You may not share, loan or redistribute these documents.

More Printable Organization Resources

For more printable resources, check out these related posts;

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Free Printable To Do List Planning Tool https://childhood101.com/printable-to-do-list-planner/ https://childhood101.com/printable-to-do-list-planner/#comments Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:00:57 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=19010 Looking to get organized at home, work or school? This free, printable To Do List is simple to use and can be adapted to any area of your life that you are trying to get better control over! I am very much a pen and paper girl when it comes to being organized, and I...

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Looking to get organized at home, work or school? This free, printable To Do List is simple to use and can be adapted to any area of your life that you are trying to get better control over!

I am very much a pen and paper girl when it comes to being organized, and I LOVE a good list! I think the physical act of sorting my thoughts as I write items onto a list helps to stick them in my brain so that I can remember what I need to do more easily – even when that list isn’t in front of me.

Printable To Do List

Printable To Do List

This printable To Do List includes two columns so that your list can be divided between home and work tasks, or home and school, or however you would like to sort your tasks. The list can be used for a day, a week, a month or a specific set of related tasks, it is completely up to you.

You can print a whole batch of sheets and write directly onto a fresh page as you need it, or use it with Post-it Notes that can be removed as each task is done. You could even laminate a copy and write on it with a whiteboard marker.

To Do List Printable

And, as there is nothing to say that a To Do List has to be ugly or boring, this cute page is available in three colors – pink, teal and black!

Free To Do List Printable

Printing Your To Do List Planner

Click the buttons below to save the PDF to your computer. Open the PDF and print the pages you require. When printing, select “Fit to printable area” (or similar) to ensure the page fits with your printer type and local paper size.

Having trouble accessing or downloading the file? Please try a different internet browser.

Please note: All Childhood 101 printables are for personal use only, you may not use any part of this content for commercial purposes-that includes selling the document, giving it away to promote your business or website, or printing the file to sell. You may not share, loan or redistribute these documents. Teachers may use multiple copies for students within their own classroom.

More Printable Resources

For more printable resources, check out these related posts;

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Printable Spin-a-Story Halloween Story Starters https://childhood101.com/halloween-story-starters/ https://childhood101.com/halloween-story-starters/#respond Wed, 02 Oct 2024 00:49:07 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=46459 Looking for a fun way to encourage your students’ creative writing attempts this Halloween? Look no further than tour Spin-a-Story Halloween Story Starters! Available as a fun, free printable this is a cool way for children to generate their own scary writing prompts. Great for students in grades 3-6, the story starters pack includes two...

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Looking for a fun way to encourage your students’ creative writing attempts this Halloween? Look no further than tour Spin-a-Story Halloween Story Starters! Available as a fun, free printable this is a cool way for children to generate their own scary writing prompts.

Great for students in grades 3-6, the story starters pack includes two Spin-a-Story pages. Each includes an opportunity for students to spin three narrative story elements – a main character, setting and problem. Each of these story elements features six different options and these are unique to each page. That is over 300 possible Halloween creative story writing combinations!

Halloween storywriting prompts

Spin-a-Story Halloween Story Starters

To use, provide each student with a printed copy of one page of the document. Students then use a paper clip and the tip of their pencil to create a DIY spinner. As they spin each story element – character, setting and problem, there is space provided for them to record each element in the corresponding box. Then they are ready to start writing their very own spooky Halloween story.

Halloween Storywriting Prompts

You can even pair this Halloween writing activity with the blank, Halloween themed decorative writing pages found in our other Halloween Writing Prompts Pack for students to record their stories onto. These will look great displayed in the classroom!

Halloween storywriting prompts for kids

And if you are looking for an awesome Halloween story to inspire your students’ writing even further, check out our collections of 35 Halloween Picture Books for Kids and 10 Halloween Picture Books for Middle Grades.

Printing Your Halloween Writing Pages

Click here to download: Halloween Storywriting Prompts. Save the PDF to your computer. Open the PDF and print the pages you require. When printing, select “Fit to printable area” (or similar) to ensure the page fits with your printer type and local paper size.

Having trouble accessing or downloading the file? Please try a different internet browser.

Please note: All Childhood 101 printables are for personal use only, you may not use any part of this content for commercial purposes-that includes selling the document, giving it away to promote your business or website, or printing the file to sell. You may not share, loan or redistribute these documents. Teachers may use multiple copies for students within their own classroom.

More Halloween Learning Resources

For more fun Halloween learning ideas and resources, check out these related posts;

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Halloween Writing Prompts Printable https://childhood101.com/halloween-writing-prompts/ https://childhood101.com/halloween-writing-prompts/#respond Tue, 01 Oct 2024 04:24:24 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=46442 Get kids writing super spooky stories with this super fun collection of printable, narrative Halloween writing prompts each matched with a cool, lined writing page featuring a Halloween character. Printable Halloween Writing Prompts Perfect for school Halloween story writing lessons, this printable writing prompts PDF is full of fun Halloween story ideas, including; RELATED: Looking...

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Get kids writing super spooky stories with this super fun collection of printable, narrative Halloween writing prompts each matched with a cool, lined writing page featuring a Halloween character.

Printable Halloween Writing Prompts

Printable Halloween Writing Prompts

Perfect for school Halloween story writing lessons, this printable writing prompts PDF is full of fun Halloween story ideas, including;

  • 8 different Halloween narrative writing prompts as full color, lined pages
  • The same 8 Halloween story prompts as black and white, printable, lined pages
  • 8 lined pages with full color Halloween border (without a story prompt) for general Halloween writing activities
  • 8 lined pages with black and white Halloween border (without a story prompt) for general Halloween classroom writing tasks
  • One additional printable lined page that can be added as extra writing space for students who like to write longer stories
Printable Halloween Writing Prompts for Kids

RELATED: Looking for an awesome Halloween story to inspire your students to get writing? Check out our collections of 35 Halloween Picture Books for Kids and 10 Halloween Picture Books for Middle Grades.

Fun Halloween writing prompts

The lined writing pages, each featuring a monsterific Halloween character, are also handy for other Halloween writing activities that you might have planned for your students, like our Halloween Story Starter Spinners which are a cool Halloween writing idea for students in grades 3-7.

Blank Halloween Writing Pages

Printing Your Halloween Writing Pages

Click here to download: Printable Halloween Story Prompts. Save the PDF to your computer. Open the PDF and print the pages you require. When printing, select “Fit to printable area” (or similar) to ensure the page fits with your printer type and local paper size.

Having trouble accessing or downloading the file? Please try a different internet browser.

Please note: All Childhood 101 printables are for personal use only, you may not use any part of this content for commercial purposes-that includes selling the document, giving it away to promote your business or website, or printing the file to sell. You may not share, loan or redistribute these documents. Teachers may use multiple copies for students within their own classroom.

More Halloween Learning Resources

For more fun Halloween learning ideas and resources, check out these related posts;

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10 Scary Stories: Picture Books for Middle School https://childhood101.com/10-scary-stories-picture-books-for-middle-school/ https://childhood101.com/10-scary-stories-picture-books-for-middle-school/#respond Wed, 18 Sep 2024 05:01:10 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=46371 I’ve been a long time advocate of the power of a well constructed picture book to teach, engage and entertain, but the use of picture books as a supportive learning resource doesn’t need to end in the early years classroom. Which is why I’ve collected together ten awesome scary stories for middle school – these...

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I’ve been a long time advocate of the power of a well constructed picture book to teach, engage and entertain, but the use of picture books as a supportive learning resource doesn’t need to end in the early years classroom. Which is why I’ve collected together ten awesome scary stories for middle school – these are creepy picture books with dark themes that are sure to captivate students in the later elementary or middle school grades, and invite lots of meaningful literary discussion!

Why Read Picture Books In Middle School?

At the most basic level, choosing a picture book as a middle school read aloud and actually making time for a story can offer a moment of respite in what students might find an otherwise stressful school day.

Beyond this, picture books can inspire students to think through abstract concepts and ideas, acting as a tool to stimulate critical thinking and discussion when selected to support classroom learning objectives, themes, or holidays – like Halloween!

The middle school picture books on this list are more complex than those you might choose for an early years classroom. As well as exploring dark themes, some feature more text per page, many include figurative language, some use poetic devices, and all include wonderful illustrations that are worth studying as part of any classroom art lesson. They make great Halloween books for middle school but are also awesome for literacy learning and investigation all year round.

Scary Stories: 10 Picture Books for Middle School

And if you are looking for even more spooky stories, check out our collections of Halloween picture books for kids for suggestions for earlier grades, or this list of Horror Chapter Books that are sure to scare the socks off you middle schooler!

10 Scary Stories: Picture Books for Middle School

As with all of the lists in our Best Books for Kids collections, each title in this list links to an Amazon page (these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you) where you can find more information and reviews for titles you might not be personally familiar with.

My Dead Bunny

My Dead Bunny: A Zombie Rabbit Tale by Sigi Cohen
A scary picture book aimed at kids who don’t mind reading about creepy things! When a boy’s pet rabbit chews through the TV cord he is electrocuted. But the boy misses his rabbit, Brad. and decides to dig him up to see him once last time. The boy later throws the corpse in the trash but late that night hears his sisters scream – it seems Brad is back and this time he’s not going to be thrown away!

Shared in clever rhyming couplets this is a fun tie in to a classroom poetry unit, or the conclusion of the story provides a great writing activity opportunity in the form of a sequel.

The Dark: Halloween picture books for elementary school

The Dark by Lemony Snicket
Laszlo is afraid of the dark. The dark lives in the same house as Laszlo but mostly it spends its time in the basement. It doesn’t visit Laszlo in his room. Until one night it does! Laszlo walks through his house, as the dark converses with him, on a journey to overcome his fear.

This is a great picture book for exploring personification, examining the different narrative elements that create suspense, as well as the interesting blend of dialogue and narration as a literary technique.

The Skull Scary stories for middle school

The Skull by Jon Klassen
Klassen’s retelling of an old Tyrolean folktale offers up a delightfully weird, dark fairy tale. When Otilla escapes from terrible danger she finds herself lost in a dark forest until she stumbles upon a large castle inhabited by a troubled skull. They develop a macabre but beautiful friendship as Otilla tries to find a way to save them both from their fears.

This would be a fabulous introduction to a literacy unit exploring fairytales from around the world, or if you are looking for a creative writing lesson tie in, consider inviting students to craft a back story for the skull.

The Wolves in the Walls: Halloween books for elementary students

The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman
Lucy believes there are wolves living in the walls of her home. Her father, mother, and brother continue to deny the reality of the situation, and ultimately choose to flee one night when the wolves do indeed come out of the walls to take over the home. But Lucy has other ideas, determined to retake her family’s home from the worrisome wolves.

The spookiness of this story is created through the combination of a narrative that feels like an old fairy tale you think you should already know and the eerie illustrations formed via a unique fusion of photographic and painted elements that would make a fun art exploration lesson for students.

Into the Goblin Market scary stories for middle grades

Into the Goblin Market by Vicki Vansickle
This fabulously illustrated picture book interpretation of a classic poem integrates familiar fairy-tale villains into a wonderful story about two very different sisters. Millie likes a quiet life but Mina longs for adventure. This longing for adventure draws her to the Goblin Market. When Mina falls under its spell, Millie must follow her in to the Goblin Market in an attempt to try and get her sister back. It is a cautionary tale of temptation and sacrifice, a perfect scary story for tweens.

As well as being a great Halloween story to share in the classroom, Into the Goblin Market makes a great addition to a classroom poetry unit.

The Watertower creepy books for kids

The Watertower by Gary Crew
Eerie and mysterious, The Watertower, is a complex, creepy picture book for older readers that uses text and images in equal measure to create a story that leaves the reader with many unsettling questions. When Bubba and Spike decide to explore the interior of the town’s dark watertower on a hot day, they know they are not supposed to be there. When Bubba climbs out of the water he discovers that his pants are missing. Spike agrees to run home and bring back another pair of pants, leaving Bubba alone at the watertower, a terrifying experience that changes him forever.

A great text for use with students in grades 5+ for developing inference skills and inviting readers to form conclusions and justify their choices.

The Tunnel scary picture books for middle school

The Tunnel by Anthony Browne
Rose and Jack’s constant bickering sees their mother send them off out of the house to the park. Jack finds, and crawls inside, a mysterious tunnel. When a frightened Rose receives no reply to her calls for him to return, she is forced to follow him inside. Through the tunnel is a strange, dark forest where Jack has been imprisoned as a stone statue. Can Rose save her brother?

A book that will convey greater meaning with each re-visit, it is a great story for exercising prediction and inference skills with students, and tool for inspiring a range of creative writing responses.

The Dangerous Alphabet creepy picture books for middle school

The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman
In this piratical ghost story shared through thirteen ingenious but potentially disturbing rhyming couplets, two children, treasure map in hand, and their pet gazelle, sneak past their father and out of their house to journey in a boat through the sewers beneath their home – a place filled with danger, where monsters, ghosts and pirates roam.

There is so much to discover through the detailed illustrations and this is a wonderful text for engaging students with poetry.

The Widows Broom picture books for middle school

The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg
When a witch falls from the sky, she leaves behind her apparently defunct broom as thanks to Minna Shaw for helping her recover. Minna discovers the broom still has some magical power as it sweeps her floors and chops her wood. Unfortunately, her neighbors believe the witch’s broom is the devil work and they conspire to confiscate and destroy it but the clever widow outwit them all, and the widow and the broom enjoy the last laugh.

The Widow’s Broom offers engaging opportunities for students to use their inference skills by analyzing textual clues, illustrations, character reactions, and themes.

Hansel and Gretel: scary books for elementary school

Hansel and Gretel: A Darkly Brilliant Fairy Tale by Neil Gaiman
Hansel and Gretel must be one of the darkest fairytales of all for children, and this is a brilliant, dark retelling of the classic children’s horror story of a brother and sister who must survive abandonment by their parents and being captured by a hungry, child eating witch.

A great picture book for inviting students to explore the combination of language choices with Mattotti’s dark pen and ink drawings to create suspense.

More Middle School Learning Resources

Love this list of picture books for middle school? Check out these related book lists;

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35 Spookilicious Halloween Books for Kids https://childhood101.com/halloween-books-kids/ https://childhood101.com/halloween-books-kids/#respond Fri, 13 Sep 2024 13:00:12 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=37714 Halloween is just around the corner and that means it is time for a great big list of … Halloween books for kids! This collection includes our pick of the best Halloween picture books that are sure to scare the pants off your kids! With 35 titles on this list, we have included Halloween picture...

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Halloween is just around the corner and that means it is time for a great big list of … Halloween books for kids! This collection includes our pick of the best Halloween picture books that are sure to scare the pants off your kids!

With 35 titles on this list, we have included Halloween picture book suggestions for toddlers, preschool and kindergarten children, through to early elementary grades. Many of these deliciously scary stories also explore important themes related to empathy, friendship, overcoming fears, and more.

Best Halloween Books for Kids

RELATED: If you have older children, be sure to check out our collection of 10 Spooky Picture Books for Middle School and Scary Halloween Chapter Books.

35 Best Halloween Books for Kids

As with all of the lists in our Best Books for Kids collection, each title in our Halloween picture books list links to an Amazon page (these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you) where you can find reviews and age recommendations for those you might not be personally familiar with.

I Want to Eat Your Books Halloween Books for Children

I Want to Eat Your Books by Karin Lefranc & Tyler Parker
In this hilarious rhyming Halloween book, a group of school children take on a zombie who only wants to eat… books! In the quest to try to save their school’s library, the children try to stop the zombie from consuming their favourite books with fun results!

Bone Soup Best Children's Halloween Books

Bone Soup by Cambria Evans
In this Halloween twist on the traditional story of Stone Soup, a cute little skeleton with a very big appetite manages to get all sorts of ghastly ingredients from his fellow ghouls to make his magic “bone soup!”

The Scariest Story You've Ever Heard

The Scariest Story You’ve Ever Heard by Ron Keres
The perfect, scary story for fans of The Book With No Pictures, this pictureless scary picture book will have children’s imaginations running riot through the night as they try to work out just what is that bump in the night!

Gustavo the Shy Ghost

Gustavo, The Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago
Gustavo the ghost is a talented spook who plays the violin. But when it comes to making friends, he’s simply too shy! And a little bit invisible. Feeling brave, he decides to hold a violin concert and invite all the monsters he wishes would be his friends. Will his risk pay off?

Stumpkin Children's Books for Halloween

Stumpkin by Lucy Roth Cummins
Stumpkin is a wonderful but stemless pumpkin, looking forward to the day that someone will take him home to make him into a Jack-o-Lantern for Halloween. But as the other pumpkins are sold, one by one, he slowly began to lose hope. With time is running out, will Stumpkin find a home in time for the holiday?

The Little Ghost Halloween Books for Kids

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason
When you’re a quilt instead of a sheet, being a ghost is hard! One little ghost, who is just learning how to be a ghost, is troubled by his quilt – it makes him feel hot, it’s hard to handle and heavy to move, and he cannot hover like his sheeted ghost friends. But one Halloween, everything changes. The little ghost has an experience that no other ghost could have, an experience that only happens because he’s a quilt! A great Halloween book for reminding children that it’s OK to be different.

For more books celebrating difference, check out our list of 65 Children’s Books About Diversity.

Fright Club Halloween Books for Kids

Fright Club by Ethan Long
One night, in the lead up to their busy Halloween event, a cute bunny comes knocking on Fright Club’s door hoping to join. Vladimir, Fright Club’s Vampire leader, says only monsters can be scary. But this one determined bunny, with a cute critter army by his side, sets out to prove Vladimir wrong!

Pig the Monster

Pig the Monster by Aaron Blabey
Pig is the world’s greediest pug and he is on a rampage for TREATS! TREATS! TREATS! But don’t even think about being stingy with the goodies, because this candy-fueled glutton has some terrible tricks up his sleeve.

Beast Feast: Halloween books for kids

Beast Feast by Emma Yarlett
A super fun, funny and interactive story, with real letters to open! Beast has found a tasty dinner, and he’s invited all his friends to a feast. Unfortunately, Dinner is a child who very much does not want to be eaten! As Beast’s friends send their instructions for cooking Dinner, is there any way Dinner can convince Beast to change his menu?

Poultrygeist: Kids Halloween Book

Poultrygeist by Eric Geron
A very funny and a creative take on the chicken crossing the road story with an appealing chicken hero, a clever premise, witty puns…and roadkill!

Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble: Halloween books for kids

Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble by Tracey Corderoy
The first in a wonderful picture book series, Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble asks if your granny were a little bit different from other grannies (even if she is, in fact, a WITCH!) would you want to change her? Or would you love her just the way she is?

A Very Brave Witch: Spooky books for kids

A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee
A little witch afraid of humans decides to spy on a human Halloween (from a safe distance!) to discover more about the scary spectacle but it all wrong when her broomstick crashes and she finds herself face to face with a human!

The Vampires Next Door: Spooky stories for kids

The Vampires Next Door by Sigi Cohen
A catchy, humorous Halloween tale about Lee’s fail-proof mission to get rid of her family’s bloodsucking neighbors…without being bitten!

Creepy Pair of Underwear: Halloween books for kids

Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper Rabbit is definitely not afraid of something as silly as underwear. But when the lights go out, suddenly his new big rabbit underwear glows in the dark! Jasper’s done with creepy underwear but despite trying everything to get rid of them, they just keep coming back!

How to Catch a Monster: Halloween picture books

How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace
A fun Halloween story with a special message about conquering fears and overcoming anxiety, reminding us that even monsters aren’t always as scary as they seem!

Room on the Broom

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
A witch and her cat encounter a series of animals who would love to join them on their broomstick – the friendly witch is welcoming, while her cat is more than a little skeptical! When they come upon a dragon who would like to eat the witch, she is saved thanks to the ingenuity of her collection of new (and old!) animal friends.

Room on the Broom is also a fun short film for kids to watch at Halloween, check it out in our list of fabulous short films from children’s books and check out our complete list of Halloween Movies for Kids.

The Witch's Cat: funny Halloween books for kids

The Witch’s Cat by Sonica Ellis
Little Pepper is no ordinary cat but indeed the blackest cat you’d ever meet. Pepper finds it hard to make friends. Is it because of how she looks – the black cat curse? Or is it because she’s a witch’s cat? The Witch’s Hat is great for inspiring discussion about friendship and building confidence.

Monster Mess: funny Halloween picture books

Monster Mess by Margery Cuyler
A sweet story about a tired monster who cannot sleep because of the mess in a small boy’s room.

Love Monster and the Scary Something

Love Monster and the Scary Something by Rachel Bright
The lovable Love Monster is afraid of the dark! All the sounds of the night make his imagination run wild! Will he be brave enough to stare his fears straight in the googly eye?

Monsters Love Underpants: Funny picture books for Halloween

Monsters Love Underpants by Claire Freedman
A super fun story of monsters of all shapes and sizes who love wearing underpants, even though they know that, if they’re caught, no one will ever find them scary again! Super cute and funny too.

Bonaparte Falls Apart: Halloween picture books

Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler
Bonaparte is falling apart! His bones keep falling off – whenever he plays catch, visits the doctor, even when he rides his bike! With the help of his friends, can Bonaparte find a way to stay together before school starts?⁣

Monsters Dont Eat Broccoli: Kids Books for Halloween

Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks
A rollicking, rhyming tale of monsters and their menacing meals – they certainly won’t eat broccoli! Or will they??!

Creepy Carrots

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper the rabbit loves eating carrots until one day he notices that he is stalked by… carrots! Unfortunately his stalkers disappear as soon as he tries to spot them, and none of his friends believe his story. What will Jasper do to rid himself of these creepy carrots!

At the Old Haunted House

At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketteman
A frightfully fun counting book for kids! Young readers will enjoy count the cast of creepy creatures as they prepare for their holiday celebration – the Halloween Fright party.

The Halloween Tree book for kids

The Halloween Tree by Susan Montanari
Most young saplings dream of becoming Christmas trees but one grumpy, old tree who doesn’t like lights, decorations, or people is determined to be different. He’s determined to be the Halloween Tree! A lovely Halloween story about finding your own place in the world.

The Good The Bad and the Spooky: Halloween Picture Books

The Good, The Bad and the Spooky by Jory John
Bad Seed LOVES Halloween! But what’s a seed to do when he can’t find a show-stopping costume for the big night? Can he get a costume together in time? Or will this seed return to his bad ways?!!

Benny J and the Horrible Halloween

Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween by Sivan Hong
A useful tool for helping children to understanding why some of their friends may not be looking forward to Halloween, as they find it scary or overwhelming. This is a great Halloween picture book for helping kids to understand kindness and empathy.

Hey Thats My Monster: Fun kids Halloween books

Hey, That’s My Monster by Amanda Noll
When Ethan looks under the bed for his monster, he finds this note instead: “So long, kid. Gotta go. Someone needs me more than you do. -Gabe” How will Ethan ever get to sleep without his monster’s comforting snorts? And who could need Gabe more than Ethan does?!!

Meg and Mog

Meg and Mog by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski
The first in the classic series of simple stories featuring a kind hearted witch, Meg, and her faithful companion cat, Mog, these titles have remained popular for over 40 years for a reason.

Goodnight Little Monster Halloween Books for Kids

Goodnight Little Monster by Helen Ketteman
Super cute and fun to read, young children will love reading about the little monster and how he gets ready for bed…which might be a little different to their own routine with howling at the moon, scrubbing his scales and enjoying a bedtime snack of worm juice and baked beetle bread!

Buy : Amazon
That Monster on the Block

That Monster On The Block by Sue Ganz-Schmidt
Monster is excited to see what kind of creature will move into Vampire’s old house. But when the moving truck pulls up, it’s not a greedy goblin, an ogre, or a dastardly dragon that steps out. Instead, Monster’s new neighbor is something more terrifying than Monster could ever have imagined!

Monster Trouble

Monster Trouble by Lane Fredrickson
Nothing frightens Winifred Schnitzel – but she needs her sleep, and the neighborhood monsters won’t let her be! They sneak in, growling and belching and making a ruckus. Even Winifred’s clever traps don’t stop these crafty creatures. What’s a girl to do?!

Halloween picture books for kids

Moldilocks and the Three Scares: A Zombie Tale by Lynne Marie
Papa Scare, Mama Scare and Baby Scare live in a spooky haunted house. One night, they go out to walk their dog to let their alpha-bat soup cool down but while they’re away in walks the zombie Moldilocks! A spooky twist on a hauntingly familiar story.

The Monster at the End of This Book

The Monster At the End Of This Book by Jon Stone
Sesame Street’s Grover will do anything to stop you turning the pages of this book.. you see, there is a scary monster at the end of the book!

Theres a Ghost in this House scary books for kids

There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers
Jeffers has created a fun interactive Halloween picture book about a haunted house. A little girl takes you through the rooms of the house searching for the ghost that she is sure lives there. Using a clever transparent page between each of the book pages, sees ghosts appear on each page! Watch the narrator closely, there is something ghostly about her too!

More Halloween Learning Resources

Love this list of Halloween Books for Kids? Check out these related Halloween learning tools and resources;

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25 Horror Books for Kids Perfect for Halloween and In Between! https://childhood101.com/scary-horror-chapter-books/ https://childhood101.com/scary-horror-chapter-books/#respond Fri, 06 Sep 2024 04:06:26 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=39964 Have a child who likes to be spooked by the stories they read? Check out this list of horror books for kids ages 9-12 years. The collection includes ghost stories, tales of the supernatural and paranormal, classic horror books, suspenseful mysteries and thrillers, making it great for Halloween and all the days in between! These...

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Have a child who likes to be spooked by the stories they read? Check out this list of horror books for kids ages 9-12 years. The collection includes ghost stories, tales of the supernatural and paranormal, classic horror books, suspenseful mysteries and thrillers, making it great for Halloween and all the days in between!

Kids Horror Books

These creepy horror chapter books are filled with ghosts, zombies, haunted houses, and more, perfect for scaring the socks off 9-12 year olds and keeping them turning the pages late into the night!

RELATED: For those on the hunt for scary picture books for kids, be sure to check out our collection of 10 Scary Picture Books for Middle School and 35 Spooky Halloween Picture Books for Kids.

25 Horror Books for Kids Age 9-12 Years

As with all of the lists in our Best Chapter Books for Kids collection, each title in this list links to an Amazon page (these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you) where you can find more information and reviews for titles you might not be personally familiar with.

Dust and Grim: Spooky stories for kids

Dust & Grim by Chuck Wendig
When her father passes away, 13 year old Molly discovers an older brother she never knew existed. And now that they’ve both been orphaned, Molly moves in with Dustin so they can figure out the details for managing the funeral home they’ve inherited from their mother. A magical funeral home with a peculiar clientele…it’s a mortuary for monsters!

Molly is really not sure how she will ever deal with talking wolves, their vampire accountant, the secrets hiding behind strange and mysterious doors, and a secret cemetery in this perfect middle grade mix of silly, gross, and scary! Age 9+ years.

Spirit Hunters:Scary books for pre-teens

Spirit Hunters (book 1 of the series) by Ellen Oh
Harper’s family has just moved from an air conditioned apartment in New York to a stuffy old house in Washington D.C. Harper knows the move has something to do with a fire at school and a serious accident that put her in hospital, but she has no memories of the incident. Harper is wary of her new home and when her new friend, Dayo, tells her the rumors that her new house has a terrible history of hauntings and evil deeds, she fears that the source of her memory loss may have been caused by a malevolent spirit.

When her little brother, Michael, begins to exhibit signs of plotting something terrible, Harper’s blocked memories begin to resurface. The accident she caused and the change in Michael both seem to have connections to supernatural beings. Harper has no choice but to engage with the spirit world in an attempt to stop another tragedy from tearing her family apart. Age 9+ years.

There are three books in the scary Spirit Hunters series.

Ghost Girl: Scary books for kids

Ghost Girl by Ally Malinenko
Ghost Girl explores the power of friendship when trio Zee, her best friend Elijah and her arch nemesis, Nellie, are trapped within a spooky, paranormal existence. Following a dark and stormy night, the people of their town have begun mysteriously disappearing, others are acting in strange and dangerous ways. Zee, who has always loved ghost stories suddenly sees all manner of things that frighten her – including… a ghost!

The trio must work together to defeat the evil forces that threaten them, and work together to save their town. Age 9+ years.

Scritch Scratch: A Ghost Story for kids

Scritch Scratch: A Ghost Story by Lindsay Currie
Blending Chicago history, a ghostly mystery and a story of friendship, in Scratch Scratch Claire’s start to seventh grade has been a challenge, thanks to her dad’s embarrassing ghost tour business and a new girl moving in to steal her best friend.

Claire doesn’t believe any of the paranormal nonsense her dad is pushing, until one night she’s forced to help him on his ghost tour, and a very troubled spirit follows her home. Now she must overcome a fear of new situations and new people, while using her tried and true love of science to solve the mystery of the ghost boy. Age 10+ years.

For more kids horror books by Lindsay Currie, check out her other spooky titles;
The Girl in White
What Lives in the Woods
The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street
It Found Us

THe Ghouls of Howlfair: Spooky horror books for kids

The Ghouls of Howlfair by Nick Tomlinson
Serious young historian Molly Thompson suspects that the creepy legends about her tourist town of Howlfair are beginning to come true. But when her mother bans her from doing any further research, bookworm Molly and her friends become covert monster-hunters to keep Howlfair safe. It seems that someone is secretly trying to summon Howlfair’s mythical monsters and to Molly and her friends everything, and everyone, is becoming increasingly suspicious! Age 10+ years.

Crater Lake: Spooky Horror Novels for Kids

Crater Lake: Don’t Ever Fall Asleep by Jennifer Killick
In this horror-sci-fi-humor inspired tale, friends Lance, Chet, Maksym, and Katja have arrived at Crater Lake, with all their year six classmates on a school trip. The new campground is called Crater Lake as is built in a huge crater formed when a meteor that crashed to earth many years prior.

Suddenly, their bus slams to a halt as they come across a strange, blood-covered man in the road. Is he a zombie? Is he an alien? Is he dead? Who is he and what is he trying to tell them? His warnings are garbled and unclear. From that moment on, things don’t seem quite right. Things take an even stranger turn when night falls as the those who have fallen asleep become bug-eyed and brainwashed, and begin heading into the woods on some strange mission – including the teachers. Those who haven’t fallen asleep yet remain still very much human.

The friends must work together in an attempt to stop alien entities from taking control of their classmates and teachers, all while making sure their minds are still functioning and their bodies are still moving, as apparently sleep is not an option! Age 10+ years.

There are two books in the Crater Lake series.

City of Ghosts: Horror books for middle grades

City of Ghosts (book 1 of the series) by Victoria Schwab
This spooky, atmospheric read follows Cassidy Blake, a young girl who can travel behind “the veil” to see the ghosts within. How is that possible? When Cassidy drowned, her best friend Jacob, himself a ghost saved her, and he now walks within the living realm with her.

When her author parents are presented with an opportunity to host a television show that takes viewers on a tour of the scariest cities in the world, Cassidy finds herself in Scotland. There she begins to feel that the pull on the veil is stronger here, and that the ghosts in Scotland are much more sinister than Cassidy has previously encountered.

With the help of a new friend, Cassidy finds out that there is a reason she can see ghosts, and a job she must do. She needs to help send the ghosts walking within the living realm permanently behind the veil, off to whatever lies beyond. And so beings the Cassidy’s adventure of trying to defeat an evil spirit, and save her own life! Age 10+ years.

There are three horror books in The City of Ghosts series.

This Appearing House: Horror books for kids

This Appearing House by Ally Malinenko
Jac is getting ready for a series of tests that will hopefully label her as No Evidence of Disease five years post disease. But Jac fears the disease is returning. She’s taken a couple of falls, her hands have started to twitch, and she might be experiencing hallucinations – how else can you explain the house that just appeared at the end of Juniper Drive? She also has to deal with irritating jerks John and Sam, who like to pick on her best friend, Hazel.

When John declares that he’ll leave Hazel alone if Jac goes in to the house, she does. The boys follow her, and then things start to go wrong. The doors lock behind them, every door leads back to the room they were just in, and voices call out to them. But Jac soon realizes that the house is meant for her. She feels that “the only way out is through,” and she and Hazel try to figure out the mysteries of the house as they’re taken on a dark adventure to find the truth. Age 10+ years.

Serafina and the Black Cloak

Serafina and the Black Cloak (book 1 of the series) by Robert Beatty
Serafina lives in the basement of the magnificent Biltmore mansion, the home of the wealthy and influential Vanderbilt family. She’s lived there all of her life with her Pa taking care of her, but the Vanderbilts have no idea she’s even alive.

With the entire estate to roam, she must take care never to be seen by the rich folks upstairs, and never to leave the estate grounds to venture into the forbidden forest nearby. But, when the children of the estate begin to vanish, only Serafina knows the truth. Her life is thrown into turmoil on the night that she witnessed the Man in the Black Cloak vaporize a child into thin air. And now, he wants her. With the help of Braeden Vanderbilt, the young master of Biltmore Estate, they must stop him before he strikes again. Age 10+ years.

There are four books in the Serafina series.

Doll Bones: scary childrens books 10+ year olds

Doll Bones by Holly Black
Zach, Poppy and Alice have an ongoing pretend game with dolls in which they act out fanstastical stories about pirates, mermaids and thieves. Until one day the dolls are thrown away, and in desperation to continue the game Poppy takes a creepy bone-china doll they call the Great Queen from her mother’s cabinet.

Then Poppy begins having dreams that Great Queen won’t rest until she’s buried in an empty grave! As the children make plans to lay the Queen’s ghost to rest creepy things begin to happen. Is the doll just a doll or something more sinister? Age 10+ years.

The Night Gardener: Halloween chapter books for kids

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Molly and Kip are two Irish orphans trying to make their own way in Victorian England. Desperate for work and a place to call home, the children take roles as servants to the Windsor family, who live in an isolated place people refer to with a shudder as “the Sourwoods.” When they arrive, they can’t help but notice that the estate is in a state of disrepair. However, what stands out more than anything is the huge tree that grows so close to the house that some of its branches have grown right through the walls.

The longer Molly and Kip stay, the more they realize there is an eerie connection between the tree and all the strange things they observe – the Windsor family’s sickly complexions, the nightmares that plague everyone at bedtime, a mysterious room upstairs that is kept locked at all times, and a mysterious nighttime visitor. But just as Molly and Kip decide they need to leave this dangerous place, the power of the mysterious tree lures them in. Will they be able to save themselves? Age 10+ years.

The Clackity: Scary Halloween Chapter Books for Kids

The Clackity (book 1 of the series) by Lora Senf
Blight Harbor is the seventh most haunted town in America, and a place where it’s normal to know by name the ghost who haunts your house or the local hardware store! So when things take a sinister turn, and a creature called The Clackity kidnaps the local paranormal expert from the abandoned abattoir at the edge of town, a little girl named Evie knows if she doesn’t go after her, she’ll lose everything. Because that expert is her Aunt and guardian, Desdemona, Evie’s only family.

The Clackity makes a deal with Evie to help get Des back in exchange for the ghost of John Jeffrey Pope, a serial killer who stalked Blight Harbor a hundred years earlier. Evie reluctantly embarks on a journey into a strange otherworld, with her love for her missing aunt propeling her forward through a host of horrors while her ingenuity and pluck allow her to navigate a world where skewed rules and half-truths run the game. Age 11+ years.

There are three books in the scary Blight Harbor book series.

The Nest: Horror books for kids

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel
“We’ve come because of the baby,” she said. “We’ve come to help.” Steve is worried about his newborn brother, born with multiple congenital difficulties and facing surgery, concerned for his parents and their stress at the situation, and anxious about the nest of strange wasps outside his window.

When Steve first dreams about what he believes is an angel with an offer to help the baby, he is eager to accept the plan. But this is no angel. The silvery winged wasps have tricked Steve into a horrible contract that will see him help the queen to take his defective baby brother and replace him with a perfect one that the wasps are manufacturing. When Steve realizes his mistake, he fights to do everything possible to keep the strange wasps away from his baby brother. And all the while, the wasps’ nest is growing, the angel keeps visiting him in the night and the adults can not seem to see the danger all around them, in a horror filled story about the dangers of perfection and wishing things were back to normal at any cost. Age 11+ years..

Small Spaces: scary chapter books for kids

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
11 year old Ollie spots a woman about to throw an old book in the water. As any book lover would do, Ollie snatches the book away. She discovers it is a personal history from the 1800s. Soon after she finds the book, Ollie goes on a field trip to a nearby farm, and begins to draw parallels between the book and the people around her.

The school bus breaks down on the trip home and Ollie and few of her classmates get thrown into a terrifying adventure as the strange bus driver offers them the strangest advice, “Best get moving. At nightfall they’ll come for the rest of you.” Nightfall is, indeed, fast approaching when Ollie’s previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN!!!  As Ollie and two classmates head into the woods that are bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them, the bus driver offers one final piece of advice to the trio, “Avoid large places. Keep to small.” Age 11+ years.

There are four scary books in the Small Spaces book series.

The Keeper: Halloween chapter books for kids

The Keeper by Guardalupe Garcia McCall
James’ family have moved to Oregon from Texas and he is feeling homesick, and still grieving the death of his grandmother. He and his sister, Ava, are in the middle of a prank war that their parents are sick of. When James starts receiving sinister letters from “The Keeper,” warning him that his home is being watched and that someone is looking for “young blood,” his parents think it’s just another prank between James and his sister. But when the siblings find out that the town has a history of missing children, they must work together to figure out who is sending the letters before they become the next victims of The Keeper! Age 11+ years.

The List of Unspeakable Fears: childrens horror books

The List of Unspeakable Fears by J Kasper Kramer
In this historical spooky story set in the early 1900s, we meet Essie, a fearful, anxiety-ridden girl who comes home from school to find her mother already packed to leave to a new home with a step-father her daughter has never met. Worse yet, he’s a doctor who lives on North Brother Island where patients with extremely contagious diseases are sent to be quarantined.

The island poses many dark secrets, and there is something terribly unsettling about her new home, and her stepfather, all things that add to Essie’s ever growing list of unspeakable fears. And when she sees the red door from her nightmares just down the hall from the bedroom of her terrifying new home, Essie is sure a true life nightmare is just about to begin! Age 11+ years.

Nightbooks: Horror books for kids

Nightbooks by J. A. White
Alex loves writing spooky stories but hates being called a weirdo, so late one night he goes out to burn the Nightbooks in which he has long recorded his hair-raising tales. Unfortunately, Alex is captured and imprisoned by a witch and must tell a scary story each night to stay alive. Alex knows that scary stories don’t typically have happy endings and on discovering that there have been other children before him that have now long disappeared, he is desperate for a different ending to the nightmare he now finds himself trapped in! Age 11+ years.

Lockwood and Co: Scary book series for kids

The Screaming Staircase (book 1 of the series) by Jonathan Stroud
In an alternative modern day London, the world is haunted by supernatural beings, and private agencies rely on child operatives to combat the ghosts, as they are the only ones with senses sensitive enough to detect them.

After a horrible accident in her home village, Lucy Carlyle flees to London and joins a small struggling agency, Lockwood & Co. She is soon they are embroiled in a mystery that may cost Lucy and her teammates their lives in this tale of ancient evil, unsolved murders, powerful ghosts and nefarious mortals. Age 12+ years.

There are five books in the Lockwood & Co horror book series.

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl horror book for children

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie
When Sunshine and her adoptive mother move to Washington from Texas, an oppressive, wet cold settles upon Sunshine. Everything is gray and creepy and stale. Almost immediately Sunshine begins to experience mysterious noises, hearing cries, footsteps, and even giggling in the middle of the night.

It quickly becomes clear that someone or something is haunting their home and, even more frightening, it seems that only Sunshine can sense it. What starts off as small shifts, quickly escalates into something else, something much scarier. Sunshine is enthralled by what’s happening, and with the help of a new friend, Nolan, is determined to unravel the mysteries that chill the air of her new home. Age 12+ years.

Classic Kids Horror Books for 9-12 Year Olds

The Witches: spooky stories for kids

The Witches by Roald Dahl
They live in ordinary houses, they look and behave like ordinary women. But witches aren’t ordinary at all. They have murderous, bloodthirsty thoughts and they absolutely hate children – and their leader, the Grand High Witch, is hatching a wicked plan to make every child disappear forever! Age 9+ years.

Coraline: Classic horror books for kids

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Coraline, feeling ignored by her overworked parents, finds an alternative world behind a previously locked door in her home where an alternative apartment just like hers exists. But in this other apartment she also finds an “other mother”  and “other father” who promise her everything she wants from life as long as she stays with them forever. Could this other life be just too good to be true? A classic horror book for children that will hook readers ages 9+ years.

See Coraline and other great horror books transformed into graphic novel format in our list of spooky graphic novels for kids!

The Spiderwick Chronicles: Scary Books for Middle Grade

The Field Guide (book 1 of the series) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
In book one of The Spiderwick Chronicles, twins Jared and Simon and their sister, Mallory, move into the decrepit Spiderwick Estate and discover a field guide for fantastical faeries (that was never intended for human hands) that leads them into a dangerous parallel world to their own!

Be aware that the first book in the series is milder than the content in the remainder of the series titles. Age 9+ years.

There are five books in The Spiderwick Chronicles spooky book series.

Goosebumps: Scary chapter books for kids age 8+ years

Goosebumps book series by R.L. Stine
If you grew up in the 90s, you are probably familiar with R.L. Stine’s spooky Goosebumps series! With more than 60 titles in the series, these short, horror books for kids continue to keep children turning the pages, and could just about keep young fans entertained forever!

With collections like the Classic Goosebumps 20 book set containing titles such as Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, The Haunted Car, The Scarecrow Walks at Night, The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, The Blob That Ate Everyone, Night of the Living Dummy and The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, you can see that Stine has re-imagined virtually every nightmare scenario into a page-turner for younger horror readers. Age 9+ years.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: Halloween Chapter Books for Kids

The Bad Beginning (book 1 of the series) by Lemony Snicket
Book one of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events series finds the three very intelligent and lovely but very, very unfortunate Baudelaire children sent to live with their distant cousin, Count Olaf, when they are orphaned. Olaf is despicably evil and who will do absolutely anything to get his hands on the children’s inheritance in this dark comedy that is both terribly hilarious and dreadfully irreverent. Age 10+ years.

There are thirteen books in the complete A Series of Unfortunate Events book series.

The Graveyard Book: Halloween chapter books for 10 year olds

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Orphaned Nobody Owens, known as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts, with a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead.

He lives there following the brutal murder of his family. Granted the Privilege of the Graveyard and taught how to fade into the background, Bod spends his entire childhood playing among graves, learning his letters from the gravestones, running into trouble with ghouls, being tutored by a werewolf with a taste for Eastern European food, and dancing with Death.

And all the while the evil that tried to murder him in the first place is still searching for him! A clever story that is both creepy and nostalgic with a bittersweet ending. Age 10+ years.

More Spooky Books & Resources

For more spooky stories, books and resources, check out these related posts;

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35 Best Picture Books About Families https://childhood101.com/families-books/ https://childhood101.com/families-books/#respond Mon, 02 Sep 2024 06:00:50 +0000 https://childhood101.com/?p=28524 Who is in your family? This is a common question explored in the classrooms and homes of preschool and kindergarten children the world over. Fortunately, there are books about families representing a diverse range of families available today (and it grows every day) and this list includes 35 of the best families books to enjoy...

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Who is in your family? This is a common question explored in the classrooms and homes of preschool and kindergarten children the world over. Fortunately, there are books about families representing a diverse range of families available today (and it grows every day) and this list includes 35 of the best families books to enjoy with children.

This is a very big and diverse list. It includes picture books about families that are suited to reading with toddlers through preschool and kindergarten and all the way through elementary/primary school. It includes books about different families, including multicultural families, books exploring different family structures, blended families, solo parent families, books about adoption for families, and more.

I hope that by offering such a diverse collection of families books I can help parents and teachers find books that offer more children an opportunity to find themselves and their family reflected between the covers of a book.

For those searching for diverse picture books, I suggest also checking out the companion booklist to this one – our best picture books about difference and diversity collection.

Picture books about families

35 Best Books About Families

As with all of the lists in our Best Books for Kids collection, each title in this list links to an Amazon (these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you) where you can find more information and reviews for titles you might not be personally familiar with.

RELATED: 101 Books To Help Build Friendship, Communication and Social Skills

The Family Book for kids

The Family Book by Todd Parr
In one of our favorite toddler family books, Parr uses hias signature unique and colorful style to celebrate the different family structures and the love we all feel for our families.

Families families families

Families, Families, Families! by Suzanne Lang
Dozens of combinations, demonstrating all kinds of nontraditional families, are depicted by fabulous animals in framed portraits in this warm celebration of family love, a perfect books about families for preschoolers.

An ABC of Families books for children

An ABC of Families by Abbey Williams
Whether you have two dads, an adopted brother, three stepsisters or divorced parents, every family is the perfect family! With A being for Adoption, B for Blended Families and C for Co-parenting, this important book helps the children explore complicated concepts in an accessible way.

What Makes a Family book for Children

What Makes a Family? by Hannah Bruner
A gorgeous book sharing the key message that families can all look very different on the outside but what makes them truly a family is the love that they share for each other.

Who's In My Family

Who’s In My Family? All About Our Families by Robie H. Harris
Join Nellie and Gus and their family for a day at the zoo in this funny, engaging story that makes it clear that whoever is in your family, it is perfectly normal — and totally wonderful.

Me and My Family Tree book for children

Me and My Family Tree by Joan Sweeney
In Me and My Family Tree a young girl, through simple text and diagrams, how the members of her family are related to each other and to her.

Families picture books

Families by Shelley Rotner
Celebrate diversity with this great picture book for young children about the many faces (and structures) of contemporary families.

Loves make a Family book cover

Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer
Love is baking a special cake, lending a helping hand, reading one more book! A sweet book showing different families busy together in happy activities. Whether a child has two moms, two dads, one parent, or one of each, this simple story demonstrates what’s most important in each
family’s life – the love the family members share.

a family is a family is a family

A Family Is A Family Is A Family by Sara O’Leary
When a teacher asks the children in her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways — but the same in the one way that matters most of all. One child is worried that her family is just too different to explain, but ultimately realizes that as long as her family is full of caring people, her family is special..

Remixed: A Book About Blended Families

Remixed: A Blended Family by Arree Chung
A clever book about blended families for school age children, exploring the way families change and reassuring them that love can continue to grow even through change.

Two is Enough books about single parent families

Two is Enough by Janna Matthies
A sweet representation of the love between the members of a family of two. The illustrations depict different combinations of two person families enjoying activities together, transforming through different seasons to different holidays. Includes great diversity.

Buy : Amazon
In This Family Childrens Book

In This Family by Shelly Anand
This lyrical story of a biracial family is a beautiful celebration of family, multiculturalism, identity, inclusion, and more.

For more books exploring themes related to diversity and difference, check out our Best Children’s Books About Diversity collection.

Let Me Fix You a Plate

Let Me Fix You a Plate by Elizabeth Lilly
A sweet story about a family who sets off once a year to visit their grandparents. First their white grandparents in West Virginia, and then to Florida to visit their Abuela and Abuelo. The story focuses on the different foods they eat at each grandparents’ home, and compared to their own home. Food is such an important cultural element of families and this celebrates its diversity.

Just the Way We Are childrens book about familiies

Just the Way We Are by Claire Robertson
Shares the wonderful message that children of all ages, backgrounds and family situations are normal. Five different children from diverse social and cultural backgrounds explain why each of their families is special. Includes a child who lives with her parents and grandfather, a child with two dads, a child with separated families and two homes, a foster family and a single parent family.

Family books for children

Family by Aunty Fay Muir
A sweet introduction for younger readers to Indigenous family and philosophy. Combines the importance of caring and sharing for both country and mob to create belonging and connection.

Our Table Book for Families

Our Table by Peter H. Reynolds
A wonderful story about a family who has gotten out of the habit of eating dinner at the table, and how one family member makes it her mission to bring them all back together.

The Great Big Book of Families

The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman
A celebration of all kinds of families and their lives together, each spread showcases the diverse customs and traditions of one aspect of home life-from houses and holidays, to schools and pets, to feelings and family trees, featuring families the world over.

families around the world books for kids

Families Around the World by Margaret Ruurs
Visit with fourteen children, each from a different country, to learn about their families. Based on real children, each one’s story fills a two-page spread and is told in the first person, beginning with a greeting in the child’s native language.

Home book for children about homelessness

Home by Tonya Lippertz
This thoughtful story follows siblings as they experience homelessness and uncertain housing – moving from their house, to a motel, to a shelter and finally to a more permanent home. A great addition to your collection of books about different families.

Still a Family books about families facing homelessness

Still a Family by Brenda Reeves Sturgis
A gentle, respectful tale of a family facing homelessness and dealing with separation when the father must stay in a different shelter than his wife and child.

Fred Stays With Me

Fred Stays With Me by Nancy Coffelt
A beautiful story of the incredible bond between a girl and her dog, Fred, who travels with her between her two homes.

Two Homes

Two Homes by Claire Masurel
At Mommy’s house, Alex has a soft chair. At Daddy’s house, Alex has a rocking chair. In each home, Alex also has a special bedroom and lots of friends to play with. But whether Alex is with his mother or his father, one thing always stays the same – Alex is loved..

For more books to help talk with children about divorce and separation, check out our list of Helpful Picture Books about Divorce.

With My Daddy books about single parent families

With My Daddy by Jo Witek
A celebration of the time a child spend with their dad – riding bikes or swimming in the pool, and the ways a dad can help their child to feel daring, playful, adventurous, confident and safe.

Stories about families

Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, and two pets. And she also has two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same.

Picture books about different families

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam Schiffer
Stella’s class is having a Mother’s Day celebration, but what’s a girl with two daddies to do? Stella has her Papa and Daddy who take care of her, and a whole gaggle of other loved ones who make her feel special and supported every day. She just doesn’t have a mom to invite to the party.

stories for kids about families

In Our Mother’s House by Patricia Polacco
Marmee, Meema, and the kids are just like any other family on the block. They cook dinner together, laugh together and dance together. But some of the other families don’t accept them. How can a family have two moms and no dad? But Marmee and Meema’s house is full of love. And they teach their children that different doesn’t mean wrong.

My Mummy, My Mama, My Brother, and Me

My Mummy, My Mama, My Brother, and Me by Natalie Mesner
This simple, lyrical story about a biracial family with two mothers (and two brothers) on an outing to the beach is a great book about family for preschool.

Dad and Daddys Big Big Family

Dad and Daddy’s Big Big Family by Seamus Kirst
Harper is going with her dads to her first family reunion. It’s a fabulous, fun occasion and a great exploration of extended family as Harper meets (and learns more about) cousins, step children, great aunts and more.

The Relatives Came childrens books about families

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
This fun, classic families book shares the story of a family road tripping to visit family for an extended vacation stay, capturing the joys of a big family reunion – hugging, talking, eating all together and the change of sleeping arrangements, through to the emptiness of the house when the relatives finally leave!

A Family Like Ours book cover

A Family Like Ours by Frank Murphy
From big to small, close-knit to spread out, adopted to blended, this celebration of diverse families highlights important messages of family as a place for support, safety and inspiration.

Books About Adoption for Families

We Belong Together family books about adoption

We Belong Together by Todd Parr
We Belong Together is about sharing your home and sharing your heart to make a family that belongs together. With an understanding of how personal and unique each adoption is, and that not everyone comes to it in the same way, Parr’s colorful art explores the true meaning of family.

Adoption books for children: Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis
In asking her parents to tell her again about the night of her birth, a girl relives a tale she knows by heart. Focusing on the significance of family and love, this is a beautiful story about adoption and the importance of a loving family.

Yes I'm Adopted books for kids

Yes, I’m Adopted! by Sharlie Zinger
An adoption story shared from start to finish as a journey of love, told from the child’s point of view.

I Wished For You: A family story about adoption

I Wished for You: An Adoption Story by Marianne Richmond
A beautiful conversation between a little bear and his mama as they talk about how God chose them to become a family. The little bear asks many of the questions adopted children have, and his mama lovingly answers them all.

A is for Always An Adoption Alphabet Book

A is for Always: An Adoption Alphabet
With thoughtful alphabet style prose and tender illustrations, A is for Always reflects upon many aspects of the adoption process.

More Social Emotional Learning Books for kids

For more social emotional learning books and resources, check out these related posts;

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