In honor of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to do something different and highlight some creepy books for kids.
My boys love to read scary stories. I do, too, as long as they’re scary stories written for children; my imagination can’t handle adult scary stories.
So, to honor the spirit of Halloween, I’ve put together some of my favorite frightening and not-so-frightening tales for kids.
1. Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier
Middle grade level
A heartwarming graphic novel about two sisters who move to the coast of Northern California because the youngest one, Maya, has cystic fibrosis. Cat, the older sister, learns about the ghosts in Bahía de la Luna, her new home, and action in this book culminates with Dia de los Muertos.
Scary factor: Low
2. The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Middle grade level
Bod, an orphan, is growing up in the middle of a graveyard. He’s the only living resident of this graveyard and is actually being raised by ghosts, taught about their ancient lifestyles and schooled in their ghostly ways—including how to fade so mortals can’t see him.
Scary factor: Low
3. Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories, by Various
Upper middle grade level/Young Adult
This is a collection of Roald Dahl’s favorite ghost stories, featuring 14 stories from E. F. Benson, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Rosemary Timperley, and Edith Wharton. Dahl writes the introduction. This book might be more appropriate for older children, but if you have a couple of readers who absolutely love spooky stories, maybe read it first and determine whether or not it would be too scary for them.
Scary factor: High
4. Wait Till Helen Comes, by Mary Downing Hahn
Middle grade level
This was my favorite ghost story when I was a middle schooler, and I recently re-read it, and it was still pretty spooky. Twelve-year-old Molly and her little brother (Michael) have a spooky stepsister, and with this spooky stepsister (Heather) they’ve moved out into the country (of course). When Heather starts talking to a ghost, they wonder if it’s her doing things to get them in trouble or really the influence of the ghost.
Scary factor: Medium
5. The Last Kids on Earth, by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate
Middle grade/Upper middle grade level
A book that follows a 13-year-old and his friends during the monster apocalypse as they try to save the world, of course. Includes Zombies, Winged Wretches, and Vine Thingies and a monster called Blarg. This one might be another you want to read before you determine whether it would be appropriate for your child. Mature readers will be able to easily handle it, but with an older protagonist, you’ll have some older problems (like girls).
Scary factor: Low
6. Doll Bones, by Holly Black
Middle grade level
This is one of the best spooky middle grade books I’ve read, because it includes a bone china doll. What’s creepier than dolls (besides clowns)? Zach, Poppy, and Alice embark on a journey to lay the doll’s ghost to rest. Their adventure includes mishaps, creepy things, and lots of friendship moments.
Scary factor: Medium
7. Coraline, by Neil Gaiman
Middle grade level
A spooky story about a little girl who discovers a locked door, behind which is a passage that leads into a house just like hers—except inside it is another mother and father, and they want Coraline to stay with them to be their little girl. She discovers other children trapped there, and, of course, she will have to save them to save herself.
Scary factor: High
8. Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz
Middle grade level
A master puppeteer, Gaspare Grisini, leads puppet shows in private homes of wealthy people, along with his two assistants. The problem is that the daughter of a wealthy doctor disappears the night after Grisini’s visit. The puppeteer’s assistants try to solve where the little girl went, while a criminal past is fast closing in on Grisini.
Scary factor: Medium
9. The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Toni DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Early reader level
The Grace children—Mallory and twin brothers Jared and Simon—discover that there’s a world that parallels their own—the world of faerie. After finding a guide and an eyepiece that allows them to see the terrors that exist in their world, they fall into a series of adventures that test their strength, their courage, and their family bond.
Scary factor: Low
*The above are affiliate links. I only recommend books that I personally enjoy. I actually don’t even talk about the books I don’t enjoy, because I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. But if you’re ever curious whether I’ve read a book and whether I liked or disliked it, don’t hesitate to ask.
