Spooky and Scary Middle Grade Books for Kids

Eerie Elementary: The School is Alive! by Jack Chabert, illustrated by Sam Ricks
ages 7 – 10
Sam isn’t thrilled about becoming a hall monitor. Especially when he discovers that the school is ALIVE and trying to harm him and the other students. Sam has quite a wild adventure trying to save the students from the school. If your child loves spooky and scary, this is a great chapter book series for them.

Scarecrow’s Nightmare Maze Batman & Robin Adventures by J.E. Bright, illustrated by Luciano Vecchio
ages 7 – 10
This is an illustrated, action-packed, and slightly scary beginning chapter book. Scarecrow has taken over the corn maze where a group of terrified teenagers is trapped. It’s up to Batman and Robin to stop Scarecrow and rescue the teens. If you’re a fan of DC Comics, or even if you’re not, you’ll find this to be a great superhero adventure story.

Frightmares 2: More Scary Stories for the Fearless Reader by Michael Dahl
ages 7 – 10
Great for creepy genre enthusiasts and reluctant readers, these scary stories for kids are sure to keep readers enthralled.

Middle Grade Scary Books for Ages 9 to 12

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark retold by Alvin Schwartz, illustrated by Stephen Gammell
ages 9 – 12
This book was the MOST tattered book in my 5th grade classroom library. Kids LOVED it. The short scary stories for kids are very readable for most children. You can skip around or read it cover to cover. If you like creepy and scary, this is a great choice.

Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine
ages 8 – 12
If you like this scary chapter book, you’ll have about 1,000 more to read in this series and other series. These are fast-paced, scary books on the easier side that kids LOVE.

The Haunted Mask Goosebumps The Graphic Novel written by R.L. Stine, adapted by Maddi Gonzalez
I am not a fan of scary books, but I can see that this adaptation will appeal to readers who like to be scared. This particular story is about a girl who is teased at school for being a scaredy cat, even by her best friend. She buys a scary mask to get back at her bullies — and becomes mean, not to mention, the mast won’t come off!

Nightmares! by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller, illustrated by Karl Kwasny 
ages 9 – 12
Charlie’s dad has remarried and moved Charlie and his younger brother into the stepmother’s frightening purple mansion. There, Charlie begins to have horrible nightmares that become real. The nightmare witches enter the real world to steal Charlie’s brother. Charlie follows. He and his friends must learn to face their fears to save Charlie and the world.

Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
ages 9 – 12
Well-written and scary! Molly and Michael’s new step-sister Heather befriend a sinister ghost-child named Helen, but Helen influences Heather to malevolent ends. Building in suspense little by little, readers will be freaked out by her creepy warnings that when Helen comes, they will get what they deserve…YIKES!

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
ages 9 – 12
This book is super creepy! Serafina’s pa works at the large Biltmore Estate, where they also live in the basement. Serafina, used to blending into the shadows, watches the goings-on at the Estate and realizes something very sinister is happening. Children are going missing. And she thinks it has to do with the man in the black cloak wandering the hallways. She and her new friend, Braeden Vanderbilt, team up to discover what’s going on before more children disappear.

A Tale of Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz 
ages 9 – 12
A Tale of Dark and Grimm is dark and macabre. Gidwitz’s imaginative story weaves Hansel and Gretel’s story with eight more Grimm stories. In this story, Hansel and Gretel have cursed parents. The children flee their terrible parents to find better ones – ones that won’t try to kill them. The narrator, a strong, quirky voice, warns us of the bloody things to come. It’s scary with a big dose of dark humor and horror.

Lockwood and Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
ages 9 – 12
Dangerous ghosts and spirits are appearing everywhere in London, but only certain kids can see and eradicate them. Teens Lucy, Anthony, and George badly need money for their ghost-hunting agency, Lockwood & Co., so they take a perilous job that, if the ghosts have their way, may just be their last. EXCELLENT writing & series.

Boo Hag Flex written by Justina Ireland
ages 9 – 12
In a story within a story, after Tasha’s mom dies, she’s sent to stay with her grandmother and deadbeat dad. Mostly, Tasha hangs out with her new friend, Ellie. The girls soon realize that a boo hag is killing the old folks at the trailer park and Tasha’s grandmother is next. They read in a hoodoo legends book how to stop the boo hag but they could never imagine who the boo hag is. Tasha will need her wits and bravery to save her grandmother and stop the murderous creature trying to live forever. Thankfully, this was not as scary as I thought it would be (I did save if for daytime reading) but still is a bit creepy. It’s a quick read with an interesting plot and believable, likable characters.

Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night written by Steven Banbury
ages 9 – 12
This is an exciting, tender, and creative story about a plucky orphan named Eve escaping a horrible orphanage again. While she’s running away from the dogs and guards, she’s found by the Pumpkin King, who adopts her as his daughter and takes her to his world. But Eve is the only living creature in the land, and some of the creatures (werewolves and vampires) want to banish her. The Pumpkin King fights for her right to stay. In fact, he takes his new dad job seriously, which is everything Eve has always wanted. (A FAMILY!) He’s sweet and caring and even reads parenting books! Then, someone chains the sun, hurting the Pumpkin King and the whole land. It’s up to Eve and her friends to investigate and save the world before it’s too late.

Spooky Lakes 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our Planet written and illustrated by Geo Rutherford
ages 9 – 12
Will your middle grade readers enjoy this entrancing writing about 25 weird and fascinating lakes and what makes them so interesting? Weird stories include shipwrecks, poison gas, treasure, salt, mummies, and underwater worlds. The gigantic pages with gorgeous illustrations and easy to read designs add to this book’s appeal. I strongly approve of the bibliography, glossary, and front matter with information about lakes, including facts such as the study of lakes is called limnology. Well done and highly recommended.

Zombie Season #1 by Justin Weinberger
This zombie story zips along with intrigue, adventure, and humor. Narrated from the perspective of three kids from the same town: one who is out after the DUSK ALERT searching for her missing dad, the other who is trying to atone for her failed zombie experiment and the last one whose parents force him to flee. When their stories converge, it’s after one meets a sentient zombie and one sees a mutated gigantic zombie who seems unstoppable. The hoard is growing and attacking with planning– and it’s not looking good for humans.

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier 
ages 9 – 12
A spooky tale set in Victorian times, this atmospheric, scary story follows young orphans working as servants at a large, creepy manor with a strange, sickly family. Nightmares, muddy footsteps, a locked room, a curse, …all the elements of this book will enthrall (and scare) readers.

Eerie Tales from the School of Screams by Graham Annable
ages 9 – 12
First of all, the artwork throughout this graphic novel is genius, with a black, gray, and red palette and expressive characters. I also loved the big type size with strong dialogue bubble lines! The students in this teacher’s classroom share eerie stories, the creepier, the better. The stories are spooky but not terrifying, and the entire book is mesmerizing from cover to cover. Loved it!

Brick Dust and Bones by M.R. Forunet
ages 9 – 12
Marius Grey is a 12-year-old Cajun Cemetery Boy and student. But he’s also working nights as a monster hunter to earn mystic coins for a really important spell that will bring his mother back to life…and time is running out. In desperation, Marius decides to hunt one of the most dangerous monsters in the swamp even though his only friend, a monstrous mermaid, doesn’t want Marius to attempt something so risky. The story is compelling and entertaining, with a heroic main character who loves his mom more than anything. You won’t be able to put this one down!

Doll Bones by Holly Black
ages 9 – 12
Maybe one day I’ll work up to this creepy doll story, but I haven’t managed yet. The gist is that it is about three friends and a bone china doll who is haunting one girl’s dreams. Yikes, right? (Of all the scary stories on this list, this one was too frightening for me!)

Monster Tree written by Sarah Allen
ages 9 – 12
With brilliant character development, exciting suspense, and a bizarre mystery that even scaredy-cat readers like me can’t put down, you won’t want to miss this heartfelt and mesmerizing middle-grade novel. After his dad’s death, Linus and his mom move to a new house. Outside his window is a spooky tree in his neighbor Maude’s yard that changes into different shapes and grows weird fruit. Even worse, sinister monsters are living in the tree. One gets into Linus’s room and leaves claw marks on his bedroom door. Then, when a person and a cat go missing, Linus and his two friends are determined to find out the truth about the tree and Maude’s wicked motivations. It’s up to the kids to stop the monsters and Maude. But how?

The Griffins of Castle Cary by Heather Shumaker
ages 9 – 12
Siblings Meg, Will, and Ariel visit their aunt in England and end up on a ghost-hunting adventure. Meg and Will look for information on a famous ghostly mother searching eternally for her missing child. They’ll find her, but the bigger problem is with their little sister, Ariel. Because Ariel becomes enraptured with a real ghost child who has nefarious purposes. Well-written, action-packed, and spooky!

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
ages 9 – 12
A plot-driven, spooky story! Cass’s parents are ghost aficionados for their own TV show. After a terrible drowning accident, Cass actually sees ghosts and the Veil. In fact, Cass’s best friend is a ghost named Jacob who saved her life. When they all travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, Cass discovers that she is a ghost hunter. Just as she’s trying to figure out what that means, she’s terrorized by the Raven in Red, an old ghost who kills children. Creepy and compelling.

Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke 
ages 9 – 12
In this ghost story about a pair of brave kids, Jon and Ella, they are stalked by a pack of ghosts who can actually do them harm –which is slightly scary. It’s very well written with excellent character development.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman 
ages 9 – 12
This book showcases Gaiman’s incredible storytelling ability. It’s about a girl, Coraline, who discovers an alternative reality identical to her own — same house, same mother and father — through a little door in her house. It’s a world that at first seems wonderful, yet it becomes frightening when Coraline realizes she might not get to leave. Very creepy. (With a real haunted house!)

The Whispering House by Rebecca Wade 
ages 9 – 12
A slightly scary story about a girl haunting a fairy tale book in Hannah’s new home. Hannah must figure out why the ghost is haunting her and see if that will stop the haunting. A decent read.

Took: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
ages 9 – 12
This author writes the best scary stories for kids, so if you’re into ghosts and scary stuff, read Mary Downing Hahn. Took is a creepy tale of little girl kidnapping by an evil witch named “Old Auntie” who turns the girls into slaves. Daniel knows he can save his little sister and does with a little help from the witch’s descendant and new friends.

Haunted Histories by J. H. Everett 
ages 9 – 12
Believe it or not, I sat down and read this book straight through — having intended to skim it. It was fascinating! It’s more about history than spookiness. I learned more about the Tower of London, tips for attacking a castle, the crazy King Ludwig II of Bavaria, The Bastille, and lots more. I highly recommend this can’t-put-it-down book!

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu
ages 9 – 12
The creepy storyteller in the sinister Bog Cavern tells short, interconnected SCARY stories for kids to a litter of seven foxes with a warning: the stories might just scare them (and you) half to death. As the horrifying tales are told, we see how they connect. But how will they end? I love that the stories are all about animals and that there are tender and funny moments of love and family, along with the scary. But beware of the rest…

A Bite Above the Rest written by Christine Virnig
ages 9 – 12
Caleb and his mom move to a town where everyone dresses in costumes like it’s always Halloween. But it doesn’t take long before Caleb suspects that some of the costumes are real — and that the town is full of vampires and werewolves. Incidentally, Caleb’s costumes are hilarious puns –that no one “gets” except his one new friend, Tai. He and Tai decide to uncover the truth about the town. Don’t worry, this is a delightful adventure and not at all scary, perfect for scaredy cats like me and kids who like mysteries with spooky elements, and themes of friendship and family.

Olive and the Backstage Ghost by Michelle Schusterman 
ages 9 – 12
If you like suspenseful mysteries with ghosts that aren’t too scary, this book is for you! Olive, an aspiring actress with a domineering mother, discovers she fits in perfectly at Maudeville, a gorgeous old theater she’s run away to. Not only that, she’s been cast as the lead in the newest production. But there is something weird going on — her friend’s brother lives outside the theater in the alley and continues to warn her that things aren’t what they seem. What is really going on? Is it good or bad?

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie 
ages 9 – 12
Readers love this story about Tessa, who moves to a new house in Florida, which seems to be haunted. Her brother’s ventriloquist dummy is crying real tears (because what’s more creepy than dolls!?), and she discovers that the house has a mystery that may be connected to her.

YA Scary Books

Undertakers: The Rise of the Corpses by Ty Drago
ages 10+
A great kids-must-save-the-world book with a unique zombie/alien twist. Aliens are taking over corpses and reanimating them. Only some kids can see the real zombie beneath the alien “masks” — our hero gets the zombie sight and is rescued by a group of zombie fighters called Undertakers. He convinces the Undertakers group to stop being defensive and to be more aggressive and determine how to kill the corpses.

Rot & Ruin  by Jonathan Mayberry
YA/teen ages 13+
This is a creepy, scary, and also somewhat bittersweet world where humanity must survive in enclaves while the hoards of zombies roam the rest of the land — zombies who used to be family and friends. At age 15, Benny must either fight zombies like his brother Tom or find a different job, or else his rations will be halved.  Many of the “zoms” are people he once knew and loved and soon Benny learns that there are people in the world who are worse than the zombies.

The Passage by Justin Cronin  (SERIES)
ages 17+
This is an adult chapter book that scared the cr*p out of me– but it was such a page-turner and would work for young adults. The twist is the scary dudes aren’t really zombies but are killing with their intelligent hive-mind after an infection the government gave the prisoners goes very wrong. It’s so well written that I kept reading. ONLY read at your own risk. Seriously. Freaky. Horror novel.