Tips to Share Spooky Stories with Beginning Readers

Halloween is right around the corner! Here are seven spooky tips for reading with your kiddos this holiday:

Step #1: Pick out a spooky story.

I Can Read! stories are available as audio books, ebooks, paperbacks, hardcovers – pick whatever format you desire.

Step #2: Select a place to read.

Try reading outside, if it’s warm enough, right at dusk as the sun goes down. Bring flashlights just in case. If you read inside, light candles and turn the lights down low.

Step #3: Get comfortable.

Grab a big cozy blanket and a favorite stuffed animal or toy to keep company during the spooky story sessions.

Step #4: Have snacks.

No one likes tip-toeing into a dark kitchen after a scary story! Bring out food and drinks ahead of time. Try decorating cookies to look like spiders or pumpkins, pair together gummy worms and apples, and blood-red juice to drink.

Step #5: Prepare your reading voices.

Get ready for reading by encouraging kids to come up with a scary villain voice and silly name. What would Evil Elephant, Esq., sound like? Or Mrs. Squishy-Smelly-Spider?

Step #6: Start reading your stories.

Make them interactive by using different voices and props, if available.

Step #7: When you are done reading the stories at hand, try making up your own!

Remember to add humor and silly sound effects so young audience members don’t get too scared.

Can’t find a story you like yet? Here are I Can Read! books for Halloween:

Happy Halloween, Mittens by Lola M. Schaefer

Minnie and Moo: The Night of the Living Bed by Denys Cazet

Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parish

Flat Stanley and the Haunted House by Jeff Brown

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches by Alice Low

Lulu Goes to Witch School by Jane O’Connor

Lulu and the Witch Baby by Jane O’Connor

Plants vs. Zombies: Save Your Brains by Catherine Hapka