Top Spooky and Fun Halloween Poetry Books for Kids
Reading poetry with kids is so much fun and Halloween is a great time to bring some spooky fun to our poetry time. We began the month of October with a stack of Halloween Poetry books and we have been slowly making our way through each of the books during our Poetry Tea Time.
Silly poems. Scary poems. Skeleton poems. This month, it’s time to enjoy some “Howling” Halloween poetry for kids!

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Reading Poetry with Kids
While Halloween poetry books for kids are a great idea for this time of year, your kids will enjoy reading poetry all year long.
If you want to include more poetry reading in your regular routine, be sure to collect several good poetry collections and poetry books. If poetry books become a purposeful part of your book collection, it will be easier to include a few throughout the year.
It also helps to designate a special spot on your bookcase to hold your collection of poetry books for kids so your kids know where they can find a poetry book to read. Fill it with seasonal poetry, such as Halloween poetry books for kids, and other full poetry collections.
Our family enjoyed a special Poetry teatime once a week for many years. A Poetry Teatime allows poetry reading to become part of your weekly routine. All you have to do is simply gather poetry books and a few sweet treats to enjoy together. Then relax and read a few great poetry books while you enjoy a snack.
Halloween Poetry Books for Kids
Who Said Boo?
Nancy White Carlstrom
Publisher’s Description: “A dozen playful poems follow the adventures of a group of children on Halloween, as they put on their costumes, visit a mysterious haunted house, and bob for apples at a carnival.”
Halloween Howls
Lee Bennett Hopkins
A fun collection of holiday poetry that you can read with your child or your early reader can enjoy on their own.
How Spooky the farting ghost saved Halloween
Funskill Brew
Publisher’s Description: “Are you seeking a funny, festive, and silly storybook that’s packed with jokes, puns, and Halloween vocabulary words for kids and adults? In sum, this brilliant book is packed with toots, humorous art, and poetic power, perfect for native and ESL learners. Smile for miles as you load your bookshelves and literacy treat bags with laughs today. Jet from house to house with a cool but crazy cast of ghoulish creatures, led by our heroic and smelly ghost with the most (gas)!”
A Halloween Brew of Poems Just For You
Rita Bourland
Publisher’s Description: “Through witty rhymes with a twist of suspense and mystery, A Halloween Brew of Poems Just for You leads the reader on a Halloween journey they will long remember. There’s a No Entry sign on an oddly lit door, a mummy trapped in a poem, a mysterious empty house in a glen, a witch with a pointed tale to tell and a ghostly bell that rings from a church on a hill. All of these poems and more are combined with rich illustrations that stir the imagination.”
Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness
Calef Brown
Publisher’s Description: “Welcome to the spooky side of Calef Brown’s imagination, where things are just as scarily silly as they seem! It’s a magic night, a silly, spooky scene. Are you ready for Hallowilloween?”
Skeleton Bones & Goblin Groans
Amy E. Sklansky
Publisher’s Description: “Thrillsome, shocking, bewitching-Halloween! It’s the only night of the year where a being can truly be . . . itself! But Halloween’s not just for goblins. Read along and see for yourself as bats, witches, daring adventurers, even ordinary kids (especially ordinary kids!) are excited to come out for tricks or treats.”
It’s Halloween
Jack Prelutsky
Publisher’s Description: “Thirteen poems to spice up the holiday that ghouls and ghosts love most. “Prelutsky’s Nightmares tamed for beginning readers. They’re catchy at the most rudimentary level.”–Kirkus Reviews.”

Halloween Hustle
Charlotte Gunnufson
Publisher’s Description: “In the dark, a funky beat. Something white with bony feet. Skeleton dancing up the street, Doing the Halloween Hustle. Skeleton is dancing his way to a Halloween party―but as he grooves across town, he keeps stumbling, tumbling, and falling apart! Can Skeleton stay in one piece long enough to make it to the party?:
Poetry for Young People: Edgar Allan Poe
Brod Bagert
Publisher’s Description: “The creator of unforgettable tales of horror that remain classics to this day, Edgar Allan Poe may be best-known as a nineteenth-century short-story writer, but he was also a great poet who composed verses that expressed his emotions and feelings. More than twenty of his poems are brought to a new generation of readers with colorful illustrations and easy-to-understand notes that will encourage the enjoyment and appreciation of great talent. Selections include the famous, spine-tingling “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee.””
Boo!: Halloween Poems and Limericks
Patricia Hubbell
Publisher’s Description: “The author of A Grass Green Gallop presents a collection of limericks and other poems about Halloween, including “Halloween Scarecrow,” “There Once Was a Witch from North Dublin,” and “Pumpkin Surprise.””
Haunted Harvest: a collection of eerie poems to celebrate Halloween
Richard J. Anderson
Publisher’s Description: “A short, but delightful Halloween poem book. All ages will surely enjoy these scary atmospheric poems and the spooky artwork throughout. From a haunting encounter with a ghostly visage in ‘Old Woman’ to enchanting childhood recollections in ‘Autumn Memories’, this charming and eerie collection of poems that celebrates the Halloween season will become a perennial favorite for this other festive time of year.”
More Poetry Books for Kids
10 Children’s Poets Your Kids will Love
Ultimate Guide to Poetry Collections for Kids
Haiku Books for Kids
Don’t stop with poetry, add more Halloween fun to your homeschool!
- 5 Simple Ideas to Encourage Creative Writing With Young Kids - May 3, 2023
- 24 Creative Ways to Have Fun with Your Family in May - April 27, 2023
- The Ultimate Guide to Poetry Collections for Kids - April 10, 2023
We love Skeleton Bones & Goblin Groans!
Love this and am totally stealing it!
Nice…