Spooky Stories (Tamariki).

Prepare for the fright of your life with scary stories and gothic tales with this selection of horror and spooky themed books. Read all about ghosts, witches, zombies and so much more.

Updated August 20, 2024
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Arden, Katherine
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic. After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she...
The night gardener : a scary story
Auxier, Jonathan
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller, Jonathan Auxier's The Night Gardener is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it's also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.   ...
The house with a clock in its walls
Bellairs, John
Paper Book
John Bellairs, the name in Gothic mysteries for middle graders, wrote terrifying tales full of adventure, attitude and alarm. For years, young readers have crept, crawled, and gone bump in the night with the unlikely heroes of these Gothic novels: Lewis Barnavelt, Johnny Dixon, and Anthony Monday....
Doll bones
Black, Holly
Paper Book
Discover the Newbery Honor winner Doll Bones, from Holly Black, the cocreator of the Spiderwick Chronicles. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book. A School Library Journal Best Book. A Booklist Editor's Choice Books for Youth. A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book. A...
The children of Green Knowe ; and, the river at Green Knowe
Boston, L. M.
Paper Book
The Children of Green Knowe Collection brings the Lucy Boston classics The Children of Green Knowe and River at Green Knowe together in one beautifully packaged edition. These enchanting, haunting stories from Carnegie winner Lucy M. Boston have become...
The last kids on Earth
Brallier, Max
Paper Book
The first book in the New York Times bestselling series with over ten million copies in print! 'Terrifyingly fun! Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs.' Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid Now...
The Witches
Dahl, Roald
Paper Book
"A true genius . . . Roald Dahl is my hero" David Walliams Witches really are a detestable breed. They disguise themselves as lovely ladies, when secretly they want to squish and squelch all the wretched children they despise. Luckily one boy and his grandmother know how to recognize these vile...
The Spook's apprentice
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local spook. The job is hard, the spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before him. Somehow Thomas must learn how to exorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts.
The Spook's battle
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
The Spook's Battle is the fourth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 'I see your future clearly. Your master will be dead, and you will be alone.' The Spook and his apprentice protect the...
The Spook's curse
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
The Spook's Curse is the second book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 'By now the dark has noticed you and will be trying to hunt you down . . .' It's the job of the Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, to...
The Spook's mistake
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
The Spook's Mistake is the fifth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 'The moment of danger is close. Very soon our enemies will be here.' The Spook has sent his apprentice, Tom, to be...
The Spook's sacrifice
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
The Spook's Sacrifice is the sixth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 'Witches, Mam? We've made an alliance with witches?' As the Spook's apprentice, Tom's first duty is to protect the County...
The Jolley-Rogers and the ghostly galleon
Duddle, Jonny
Paper Book
Every full moon a mysterious ship is seen off the coast of Dull-on-Sea. The day after, gold and jewellery are missing from the homes, shops and museums of the town. Matilda needs the Jolley-Rogers help to investigate. Can Matilda and Jim Lad retrieve the stolen booty from the mysterious ship before...
Coraline
Gaiman, Neil
Paper Book
The bewitching classic children's novel by Neil Gaiman, featuring spellbinding illustrations from Chris Riddell and an exclusive new introduction by the author 'I was enthralled ... a marvellously strange and scary book' Philip Pullman 'A masterpiece'...
The troll heart
Henseleit, Jack
Paper Book
In The Witching Hours, Anna and Max travel the world with their father, the Professor - but their real adventures take place in the dangerous underworld of dark fairies, where the children face sinister creatures and battle for their lives. After...
The vampire knife
Henseleit, Jack
Paper Book
The Spiderwick Chronicles meets Stranger Things in this thrilling new series for only the bravest of children. After a chance encounter in a dark and stormy forest, two siblings are caught up in the dangerous underworld of fairies and...
Bunnicula : a rabbit-tale of mystery
Howe, Deborah
Paper Book
BEWARE THE HARE! Is he or isn't he a vampire? Before it's too late, Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household -- a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits...and fangs!
World zombination
Kloepfer, John
Paper Book
The world is teeming with highly intelligent super zombies, and Zack Clarke and his crew--Zoe, Rice, Ozzie, Madison, and Olivia--are on a globe-trotting hunt for the ultimate antidote. From taming zombie jungle animals in Madagascar to unearthing zombie mummies (zummies) in Egypt...
Sludgment day
Kloepfer, John.
Paper Book
The maul of America! It's been two days since a zombie virus turned Zack Clarke's parents, neighbors, and most of the country into brain-munching fiends. Zack and his crew of Zombie Chasers--Rice, Madison, Ozzie, and Zoe--are ready to end this nightmare once and for all! ...
Undead ahead
Kloepfer, John.
Paper Book
BRAAAAAINS!!! Zack Clarke, his best pal, Rice, and middle-school queen bee Madison Miller survived the night of the living dead--but the nightmare's not over yet! Zack's sister is a zombie and his parents might be goners. Rice has uncovered the source of the zombie...
The zombie chasers
Kloepfer, John.
Paper Book
"An irreverent illustrated chapter book that features a ton of gore and zombie mayhem, but portrayed in such a cartoony, over-the-top style that it will make kids chuckle more than scream." (Brightly.com) This is the first book in the heavily illustrated Zombie Chasers series by John...
The nest
Oppel, Kenneth
Paper Book
"The Nest leaves a lasting mark on the memory." --The New York Times Book Review Steve just wants to save his baby brother--but what will he lose in the bargain? Kenneth Oppel's (Silverwing, The Boundless) haunting gothic tale for fans of Coraline,...
The ghost belonged to me : a novel
Peck, Richard
Paper Book
Only Alexander knows why the barn is haunted---and by what   When Alexander notices an eerie light coming out of the barn,. He thinks his friend Blossom Culp is trying to spook him. But strange things really are happening there. Slimy footprints appear out of nowhere, and whimpering...
City of ghosts
Schwab, Victoria
Paper Book
From #1 NYT bestselling author Victoria Schwab comes a sweeping, spooky, evocative adventure, perfect for fans of "Stranger Things" and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.A New York Times bestseller!Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't...
Tunnel of bones
Schwab, Victoria
Paper Book
The thrilling sequel to Victoria Schwab's New York Times bestselling City of Ghosts!Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass's parents are filming their TV show about the world's most...
Scary stories to tell in the dark : collected from folklore
Schwartz, Alvin
Paper Book
The iconic anthology series of horror tales that's now a feature film! A classic collection of chillingly scary tales, collected and retold by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by renowned artist Brett Helquist (illustrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events and more!). Scary...
Nightmares!
Segel, Jason
Paper Book
"Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller."--Publishers Weekly The hilariously frightening, middle-grade novel Nightmares! is a Texas Bluebonnet nominee...
The sleepwalker tonic
Segel, Jason
Paper Book
Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic is the sequel to the hilariously scary New York Times bestselling novel Nightmares! by multitalented actor Jason Segel and bestselling author Kirsten Miller. You thought the nightmares were over? You better keep the lights on!   ...
Slappy, beware!
Stine, R. L
Paper Book
The untold true story of Slappy in a terrifying new special edition!This is Slappy's world-- you only scream in it! But where did he come from? And can he ever be destroyed? Slappy the ventriloquist's dummy has only one mission in his tiny, deranged mind: do evil every day, all day. His creator,...
One day at HorrorLand
Stine, R. L.
Paper Book
Goosebumps now on Disney+!Werewolf Village. The Doom Slide. The Coffin Cruise. These are just a few of the terrifying attractions that await Luke and Lizzy Morris at HorrorLand. Step right up and join the Morris family as they ride each ride--and scream each scream--for the very first time....
The case of the counterfeit criminals
Stratford, Jordan
Paper Book
When the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency is approached by famous fossil hunter Mary Anning, the team know that this could be their most important case yet. Mary Anning's precious dog has been snatched - to get her back, the kidnappers demand she lie about fake dinosaur bones, and...
The case of the girl in grey
Stratford, Jordan
Paper Book
The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency was supposed to be a secret constabulary, but after the success of their first case, all of London knows that Lady Ada and Mary are the girls to go to if you have a problem. Their new case is a puzzle indeed. It involves a horrible hospital, a missing...
The case of the missing moonstone
Stratford, Jordan
Paper Book
History, mystery, and science collide in a new series for middle-grade readers, perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society and Lemony Snicket!   Jordan Stratford imagines an alternate 1826, where Ada Lovelace (the world's first computer programmer)...
The case of the perilous palace
Stratford, Jordan
Paper Book
The history-mystery-science series concludes as the Wollstonecraft Detectives--Ada Byron Lovelace and Mary Shelley--take on a case by royal request. Ada's imperious grandmother has absolutely shut the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency down--until they get a case from a princess,...
The screaming staircase
Stroud, Jonathan
Paper Book
*NOW A NETFLIX SERIES* Dive into the first book of this frightfully fun series and join the ghost-hunting gang as they defend our world from the most fearsome phantoms! A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts,...
The unadoptables
Tooke, Hana
Paper Book
The remarkable. The extraordinary. The brave. Way back in the autumn of 1880, five babies are discovered at the Little Tulip Orphanage in most unusual circumstances. Those babies are Lotta, Egbert, Fenna, Sem and Milou. The vile matron calls the children 'the unadoptables'...
House of ghosts
Turnbull, Ann.
Paper Book
The day 12-year-old Grace Evans moves into her new home, she is thrilled to discover a painting that has been hidden there since 1861. But then she begins seeing the ghost of an unhappy girl and is confronted by a world of disturbingly ghostly secrets.
Nightbooks
White, J. A.
Paper Book
A boy is imprisoned by a witch and must tell her a new scary story each night to stay alive. This thrilling contemporary fantasy from J. A. White, the acclaimed author of the Thickety series, brings to life the magic and craft of storytelling.  Alex's original hair-raising...

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