Let’s be honest: kids love Halloween. From scary decorations in the neighbourhood to whole libraries of books and movies, Halloween keeps us enthralled.
Full ghouls and ghosts and lots of fun scares, Halloween is the best time to get children excited about reading. Literature is packed with all kinds of frightening characters. With such young learners, you’ve got to pitch it right. The story should still be scary, while being age appropriate.
I’m sharing some fantastic French Halloween books. Educational and engaging, these books are perfect for reading aloud with your students. Let’s explore some helpful French read aloud ideas for Halloween.
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Top French Halloween Books:
- La Momie Trop Petite
- Le Petit Fantôme Peureux
- La Fête de l’Halloween
- La Sorcière Trop Petite
- Un Fantôme Trop Mignon
La Momie Trop Petite
One standout is La Momie Trop Petite, part of a series of books celebrating several different holidays. In this French Halloween book, Marie is a young mummy who struggles to dance with her family. She wants to seem scary, but she can’t quite do it. But, plucking up her courage, she finally decides not to dance with her family. When the night arrives, nobody knows what to do about the family’s dance until Marie begins to limbo. The party is saved!
As you can tell, the book isn’t scary at all. That makes is perfect for younger students, introducing the menagerie of fantastical characters to new audiences. However, due to the complicated vocabulary, I don’t recommend the book for kindergarten. It’s perfect for Grade 1 and Grade 2.
Follow up this activity by asking the students what they’re still too small to be able to do (like going trick or treating by themselves).
Le Petit Fantôme Peureux
Le petit fantôme peureux is another charming French book that’s perfect for Halloween, following in the footsteps of La momie trop petite. This story introduces us to a tiny ghost who has big aspirations to haunt, but there’s a twist—he’s actually afraid of the typical spooky spots!
In this stirring adventure, our little ghost dreams of haunting a cozy little house, avoiding anything scarier than a comfy armchair. His adventure takes a turn when he stumbles upon a grand castle home to playful dog that he befriends.
Overwhelmed, the little ghost hides in the attic; there, he finds a little doll castle with a king and queen who are scared of him. Finally, he’s found the perfect place to haunt!
After reading the story, it’s time give the student’s a writing prompt: “If I were a ghost, I would haunt…” It’s a fun way for students to explore their imagination and creativity, finding kinds of settings they find spooky.
La Fête de l’Halloween
La fête de l’Halloween is a fun little French book for Halloween featuring Peppa Pig and her family as they get ready for a party. Before the party, they start carving a jack-o-lantern and dressing up in their costumes. Then, it’s time to take the party outside for some fun. It’s a simple, sweet story that gives kids a taste of all the traditional Halloween activities.
The book is also brilliant at teaching kids new Halloween words and phrases. It covers everything from different activities and symbols to recognising new costumes, from scary to superhero.
Pro Tip: Consider running a themed classroom activity to promote cooperation and creativity.
It’s an especially good book for kindergarten and Grade 1. The familiar characters and fun storyline make it an engaging way to get into the spirit of the holiday. So, if you’re looking to kick off your Halloween festivities in the classroom, Peppa and her family’s Halloween adventure is definitely a great way to get everyone excited.
La Sorcière Trop Petite
La sorcière trop petite is part of the same series as La momie trop petite. This time, we’re introduced to a little witch who dreams of joining the big broom-flying demonstration. Unfortunately for her, she struggles with the broom and can’t manage the tricks like the taller witches – she’s just too small!
Not one to give up, she decides to do something special. She visits her sister and aunt and other people trying to help with their biggest Halloween ideas. Her aunt wants a spell and her sister a potion. Despite her efforts, she finds herself too small for every task, which leaves her feeling quite disheartened.
Just when she feels her lowest, she runs in Marie, the mummy from the previous book. They head to the Halloween party together. There, when the broom-flying demonstration starts to falter, our little witch sees her chance. She steps up to direct the witches, successfully saving the show with her quick thinking and leadership.
La sorcière trop petite is a French Halloween book all about perseverance and finding your place, no matter the obstacles. It’s a great tale for teaching kids about resilience and playing to their strengths, even when they feel outmatched.
Un Fantôme Trop Mignon
Un fantôme trop mignon tells the story of a ghost who’s just too adorable for her own good. Literally a picture of cuteness, she struggles to earn her haunting license – a must-have for any serious ghost. While her ghostly peers, breeze through their exams on the first or second try, she can’t seem to pass.
On her last chance to secure her license, she visits a house determined to prove she can spook with the best of them. She tries to scare the adult first, but no luck – they just aren’t frightened by her. Undeterred, she spots their baby and thinks: “Here’s my chance.” But instead of screams, she gets giggles. The baby finds her hilarious!
Just when it seems like she’s failed again, the parents find it super creepy that their baby is laughing at thin air. Turns out, she passes her test after all because she did manage to spook someone—the adults! Except, now she got her license, she realises she doesn’t want to scary people at all! She wants to become an imaginary friend.
If you’re looking to discuss themes like self-discovery or following your heart, this French Halloween read aloud is a great reader for young students. Plus, who can resist a story about ghost deciding to be an imaginary friend – it’s genius!
If you’re looking for more book recommendations, I have lots of other posts full of French read aloud ideas for your classroom.
