Halloween is Right Around the Corner! Here are Some of the Best Scary Books for Young Readers
It’s October — otherwise known as Spooky Month — so we thought we’d put together a list of 13 creepy books for young readers who like their stories with a healthy dose of thrills and chills.
Bonaparte Falls Apart by Margery Cuyler (Picture Book)
Age Range: 3 – 7 years
This story about a skeleton who is falling apart and needs a little help from his friends is perfect for Halloween!
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman
Age Range: 5 – 8 years
Could the sounds coming from inside the walls of Lucy’s house be wolves?
What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss (10th Anniversary Edition)
Age Range: 5 – 9 years
A perfect book for sleepovers and reading by flashlight, this glow-in-the-dark edition of the classic Dr. Seuss story works for scaredy-pants of all ages.
Nightlights by Lorena Gomez
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
A young girl creates creatures from stars that appear every night in her bedroom
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
A timeless classic, full of spooky supernatural thrills.
The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural by Patricia C. McKissack
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
African-American history and folklore inspired this collection of spooky stories.
Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
A classic series for kids who prefer horror-style scares.
The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
The influence of Washington Irving and Henry James can be felt in this bestselling Victorian ghost story about two abandoned Irish siblings in service at a spooky old manor in the English countryside.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
This #1 New York Times Best Seller is about a young girl named Serafina, who secretly lives in the basement at the Biltmore Estate.
Doll Bones by Holly Black
Age Range: 9 – 12 years
In this Newbery Honor winner, a group of friends band together to put the ghost of a Queen to rest.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Age Range: 10 and up
A modern classic about a boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard.
Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories by Roald Dahl
Age Range: 12 and up
Roald Dahl read 749 supernatural tales before choosing just 14 for this spooky collection. “Spookiness is, after all, the real purpose of the ghost story,” he said. “It should give you the creeps and disturb your thoughts.”
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Age Range: 12 and up
Conor has been expecting a monster to appear in his backyard. But the one that shows up is different — and even scarier than he imagined.
Sources: Book Riot (https://bookriot.com/2018/08/01/scary-books-for-kids/, amazon.com)
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