Can you recommend not too scary halloween stories for kids?

Sure. 'The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything' is a great one. It's about a lady who is not scared by the strange noises made by a pair of shoes, pants, a shirt, etc. that seem to be following her. In the end, she turns the tables on them. It's a bit spooky but also fun for kids.

The story of the Pumpkin Patch Fairy is also not scary. This fairy lives in a pumpkin patch and every year on Halloween, she gives a special glow to the pumpkins that are going to be made into jack - o - lanterns. She whispers good wishes to the children who come to pick the pumpkins and makes sure everyone has a happy Halloween.

There's a Halloween story about a friendly ghost named Casper for kids. Casper was different from other ghosts. He didn't want to scare people but instead just wanted to play. However, there were other meaner ghosts in the old cemetery where he lived. On Halloween, those mean ghosts would come out and try to spook the kids who came to visit the cemetery. Casper would then try to protect the kids, which made for an exciting and a little bit scary story for the young ones.

One scary Halloween bedtime story could be about a haunted house. There was an old, dilapidated mansion on the edge of town. Every Halloween night, strange noises came from it. A group of kids once dared to go near it. As they got closer, they saw a figure in the window. It was a ghostly apparition with a white sheet and empty eye sockets. They ran away screaming and never dared to go back again.

One scary kids Halloween story could be about a haunted house. There was an old, dilapidated house at the end of the street. Every Halloween night, strange noises came from it. Kids who walked too close would see shadowy figures in the windows. It was said that a witch once lived there and cursed the place before she vanished. Legend had it that if you entered the house on Halloween, you might never come out.

You could try 'The Thirteenth Tale' by Diane Setterfield. It has a gothic atmosphere with mystery and secrets, but it's not terrifying. It's more about family secrets and a love for books. 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters is also a good choice. It has a haunted house element, but the scares are more subdued and it focuses more on the characters and their relationships. 'Practical Magic' by Alice Hoffman has witches and magic, but it's a more light - hearted take on the supernatural.

There's the story of 'The Headless Horseman'. On a foggy Halloween night, a horseman without a head was seen riding through the town. He was said to be searching for his lost head. Kids would be warned not to stay out too late. One kid named Timmy didn't believe it. He was out late trick - or - treating when he saw a figure in the distance. As it got closer, he realized it was the Headless Horseman. He ran as fast as he could back home and learned his lesson.

There is a story of a pumpkin patch. Every Halloween, the pumpkins in one particular patch seemed to glow a bit brighter. Legend had it that a fairy lived among them. One year, a little boy lost his way while trying to find the best pumpkin. The fairy led him out of the patch and showed him the biggest and most beautiful pumpkin. The boy took it home and carved it into a friendly face, and every year after that, he left a small treat by the patch for the fairy.

There's 'Where the Wild Things Are' which has a bit of a wild and imaginative feel that fits well with Halloween. The pictures are also very engaging for kids. 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' can be a good Halloween - related story too. It has all the spooky elements like skeletons and monsters but in a fun and festive way. And 'The Big Pumpkin' is a humorous story about a very large pumpkin and the characters trying to move it.

For kids, 'Pumpkin Jack' is a lovely Halloween story. It tells the story of a boy who carves a pumpkin named Jack and then the adventures that Jack has after being carved. 'The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree' is also a good one. The Berenstain Bears are always popular with kids, and in this story, they explore a spooky old tree. There are also some great picture - book Halloween stories like 'Skeleton Hiccups' where a skeleton has hiccups and all the funny things that happen while he tries to get rid of them.