Halloween Books for Kids Who Love Trains

Halloween is approaching! Even though my sweet tooth has faded over the years, I still love the costumes, the colors, the anticipation in the air. And, of course, I always enjoy sharing my favorite holidays with the Little Engineer. One of the best ways to do that is to snuggle up with a festive picture book, and in our house, there are always bonus points for any book with a train in it! Here are seven fun Halloween books for kids who love trains. There’s at least one for every age group, from toddlers to teens.

A few of the books are out of print, and I’ve been grateful to be able to easily order used and new copies for reasonable prices on Amazon. I’ve included Amazon links; follow them and, if the title is out of print, check out the “New from” and “Used from” columns in the price charts. By the way, if you click on one of those links, we will receive a small commission — at no additional cost to you — on anything you buy at Amazon for a certain length of time afterwards. I was otherwise uncompensated for this post. Read our disclosure policy for more details.

Ghost Train: A Spooky Hologram Book

by Stephen Wyllie

Ghost Train is a very, very cool book, and one that could appeal to kids from preschool right through elementary school. The pictures — especially the ghosts in the holograms — are on the scary side of spooky, but the text is not at all frightening, becoming quite light-hearted by the end. My sensitive 3.5-year-old was completely okay with it. The book did raise a few questions for him, but so far no fears.

The story itself is a wonderful tale about finding a positive role in the world, no matter where your talents lie. Judging from the reviews on Amazon written by young adults who have tracked Ghost Train down based on fond childhood memories, this is one that could feed the imagination for years to come.

Halloween in Anopha

Thomas & Friends

Along with Christmas in Wellsworth, Valentine’s Day in Vicarstown, and Easter in Harwick, Halloween in Anopha is part of the Thomas in Town series, which pairs a town on Sodor with a holiday celebration. Between the higher quality of writing and the always beautiful illustrations from Richard Courtney, we love all the books in the series, but I think this is our favorite one. We love the little episode with the raccoon near the beginning, and the Little Engineer loves looking at all the children’s costumes in the parade at the book’s end.

The Banshee Train

by Odds Bodkin

Here’s a title I’m adding to the list after a reader suggested I check it out. When I did, I loved it. The Banshee Train is a bit too scary to read to the Little Engineer this year, but it’s a beautifully written and illustrated story about a train saved from disaster by a ghost.

The Spooky Scavenger Hunt

Dinosaur Train

If you have a Dinosaur Train fan in your life, The Spooky Scavenger Hunt will take them on a familiar but fun adventure. It read much like one of the episodes (maybe it’s based on one?), and focuses on dealing with being afraid.

The Young Oxford Book of Train Stories

Because it’s a book intended for older children and teens, I haven’t gotten a chance to read much of The Young Oxford Book of Train Stories yet. But I’m going to recommend it anyway, because the writing seems excellent and it’s full of train ghost stories. I think as the days grow shorter and the leaves fall from the trees, I’ll be curled up with this one, reading some train stories silently for once!

Poky and Friends: The Haunted Tracks

by Bruce Talkington

If your child enjoys the classic train book, Tootle, The Haunted Tracks is a chance to revisit the beloved little engine. It’s nowhere near as good as the original, but the Little Engineer enjoyed it, and it sparked some fun pretend play and a discussion about the importance of making and following safety rules.

Thomas’ Halloween Delivery

Thomas & Friends

Thomas’ Halloween Delivery is a coloring book that comes with a number of cute Halloween-themed Thomas & Friends stickers. Like all of our Thomas coloring books, the text of a story accompanies the coloring pages. This one is about being scared without the story itself being scary, so it’s appropriate for even the youngest Thomas fans.

Looking for more creative train activities for YOUR kids?

Grab a copy of Old Tracks, New Tricks! In the fun, rhyming story, three creative little wooden train tracks stand up to the bossy trains and teach the whole train set that old tracks — and trains! — can learn new tricks. Full instructions for the 20+ “track-tivities” in the story are included in the back of the book, along with an illustrated guide to teach kids how to create their own “track tricks.” You can find tons of extension activities at the Old Tracks, New Tricks website!