13 Perfect Book & Candy Pairings for Halloween

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling (and jelly beans)
So you may not be able to find Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Jelly Beans, but a bag of regular, non-booger flavored jelly beans pair just as well when re-reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Pretend each jelly bean is a different flavor other than your standard root beer or cherry and you can slip into a whole new world.

Little House series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder (and Mary Jane bars)
The Little House series has some undeniably sweet moments, especially in the literal sense. Molasses candy is referenced a few times throughout the books and while your neighbors may not be dropping molasses into your candy bucket any time soon, they may have some Mary Jane candy bars which are made of chewy molasses. You can go back to a simpler time with this candy and book pairing and imagine you and your family are out on the prairie with Ma, Pa, and the girls.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl (and Hershey bars)
The infamous fudge scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is best represented by all those mini Hershey bars in your plastic pumpkin. Nobody wants to eat as much as Augustus Gloop did, but you can enjoy some tasty chocolate while reading about a world run by the sweet confection.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, and Lois Ehlert (and Almond Joys)
“And the sun goes down on the coconut tree.” But the sun doesn’t have to go completely down on the coconuts. Break open those mini Almond Joy bars as you read a classic, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The coconut in the candy is the perfect complement to the story of the little letters making their way up the coconut tree and will create some fun, sweet memories for you and your little ones.

The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum (and lollipops)
Nobody represents the lollipop guild better than The Wizard of Oz. Save all of your Tootsie Roll Pops, your Dum Dums, and your suckers for when you can jump back into the land of the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City.

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien (and Ring Pops)
One ring to rule them all, right? Isn’t that what Frodo and the gang were all after? Hang on to your Ring Pops for when you read The Lord of the Rings so you can know what it’s like to have a precioussss.

Peanut Butter & Cupcake, by Terry Border (and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups)
Peanut Butter & Cupcake is a sweet picture book about friendship, but it will also make you crave another perfect pairing—peanut butter and chocolate. Indulge in your Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups while you read this darling book, whether it’s the pumpkin-shaped version of the candies or your traditional mini sizes. (For the record: You’ll most like crave peanut butter and chocolate every time you read this story.)

The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas (and Three Musketeers bars)
Alright, so this one isn’t much of a stretch, but it’s a pretty perfect pairing, right? The Three Musketeers is a classic and one of the best adventure novels of all time. Why wouldn’t you chow down on all the little Three Musketeers bars you can while you read it? I don’t know how much sword fighting you can get done when your belly’s full of candy, but reading about it is good enough.

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White (and Snickers bars)
You know what I love about Charlotte’s Web? It has a little bit of everything in it—tragedy, love, friendship, adventure, empathy, life lessons. But so does a Snickers bar. I mean, that candy has nougat, chocolate, nuts, and caramel. It’s basically like Wilbur’s trough—it’s full of everything good. Which makes it the best candy to indulge in while you read one of my favorites by E.B. White. Plus, spiders and Halloween? Hey, they pair nicely, too.

The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne (and Bit-O-Honeys)
I was never a fan of the Bit-O-Honey candies as a kid. They were too hard to chew and were usually the candies still sitting in my pumpkin by New Year’s Day after all of the good stuff had been picked over. But if you want to use them with a book, you obviously need The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh. Your favorite bear gets himself into a whole lot of adventures either because of honey or for honey, so pay homage to Pooh’s beloved treat with your long-lasting stash of Bit-O-Honeys.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll (and Starbursts)
Starbursts just look fun. They’re brightly colored, they have lots of flavor, and they are especially pretty when put in a tall glass jar. That makes them the perfect companion to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Don’t they seem like a treat that the Mad Hatter would be sure and stock at his next tea party?

Curious George at the Baseball Game, by H. A. Rey (and Baby Ruth bars)
You can’t go wrong with a Baby Ruth bar, and those candies obviously need to be paired with a fun baseball book like Curious George at the Baseball Game.

The Stand, by Stephen King (and PAYDAY bars)
Look, there’s no way you can read The Stand and not crave a PAYDAY, okay? (If you don’t know why, you definitely need to pick this book up). So grab that salty favorite and read a Stephen King classic. Besides, Stephen King and Halloween are pretty much synonymous.