There are plenty of new picture books about various monsters that have come out recently. Here are five new ones,that are sure to get kids in the mood for the spooky season.
By Andrea Zuill
New York: Random House Children’s Books, 2025. Picture Book.
This is a book about how one snail named Bob turned into a vampire; however, according to the author all the snails in the world are named Bob—so really this book could be about ANY snail. Anyway, the snail turned into a vampire snail. And Bob the Vampire Snail had to figure out what to eat…since what he used to eat no longer works on a vampire diet. Give this picture book to elementary school kids who like a dose of silly with their spooky.
By Nadia Ahmed
Minneapolis, MN: Beaming Books, 2024. Picture Book.
In this story Finn is a ghost who is afraid of literally everything. However, he is determined to face his fears, so that when Halloween rolls around he can get his favorite Halloween candy by trick-or-treating. With incremental exposure to various things that frighten Finn, he learns to overcome his fears and enjoy the Halloween season. Read this book to younger kids who like the idea of a spooky season, but are more than a little afraid of actually being in the thick of something scary.
By Fiona Ross
Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales, 2025. Picture Book.
Squeak is a mouse who won a prize. An “icky, sticky, slimy prize.” And even though Grandma threw it out, Squeak decided to eat it. Then he turned into Hyde, a “monster mouse,” reminiscent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Hyde the mouse destroys everything. Squeak the mouse is calm and loveable. The bright colors, the monster machines, and gloopy slime will fascinate readers who like a little mess with their horror.
By Rachel Michelle Wilson
New York: Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2025. Picture Book.
The protagonist of this book has been told she must bring something to show and tell at school. The problem is that she doesn’t have anything worth bringing to show and tell—so she decides to catch a ghost. Readers watch as she finds a ghost, observes a ghost, and then finally catches a ghost. The text is clever. The illustrations are spot on, and the ghost will become a favorite. Read this with any wannabe paranormal investigators.
Written by Casey Lyall
Illustrated by Nici Gregory
Toronto: Tundra, 2025. Picture Book.
This is a clever tale about a vampire that bit a jam sandwich, then turned into a VAMPIRE jam sandwich. Now, no house is safe. All jam bottles must be hidden or boxed up and put outside where the vampire (aka a kid named Terrence with a jam sweet-tooth) can get it without terrorizing the home. Read this to elementary school students who can get the idea that even though Terrence is telling the tale about the vampire jam sandwich, that it just may be Terrence himself who is trying to get more jam to eat.
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