Kids: Spooky stories

If you like reading something spooky and are after a book that may contain ghosts, horror, the supernatural, aliens, or just something a bit scary then there'll be something for you in this list!

Updated July 28, 2025
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The house with chicken legs
Anderson, Sophie
Paper Book
An extraordinary retelling of the Baba Yaga myth, this debut novel will wrap itself around your heart and never let go.All 12-year-old Marinka wants is a friend. A real friend. Not like her house with chicken legs. Sure, the house can play games like tag and hide-and-seek, but Marinka longs for a...
Grandpa Bert and the ghost snatchers
Blackman, Malorie
Paper Book
A pleasingly absurd caper where kids outwit crooks, ghost are let out of the bag, and grandparents refuse to behave! From beloved and best-selling author Malorie Blackman. Grandma Gertie is rather strange. With her big square glasses and a parrot on her hat, Anna and Kasper...
The ghost garden
Carroll, Emma
Paper Book
Queen of historical fiction Emma Carroll crafts an evocative and spine-tingling tale of childhood on the brink of war. Summer, 1914. When Fran uncovers a bone in the garden of Longbarrow House on the same afternoon that Leo breaks his leg, it is just the first in a series of...
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...
Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye
Del Rio, Tania
Paper Book
Meet Warren the 13th, a cursed twelve-year-old Victorian bellhop who's terribly unlucky, yet perpetually optimistic, hard-working, and curious. Warren's pride and joy is his family's Warren Hotel, but he's been miserable ever since his evil Aunt Anaconda took over the management. Anaconda believes a...
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 girl and the ghost
Harvey, Jacqueline
Paper Book
She snaps the locket shut. Just as quickly as he appeared, the boy is gone. Josephine's heart is hammering. Her skin feels prickly and hot. Surely, she's imagined him. That's the only possible explanation. Because boys don't live in lockets. Not...
The haunting
Mahy, Margaret
Paper Book
"You're really starting to look haunted, you know . . . sort of yellowish and transparent like cooking oil, and your eyes are funny."Eight-year-old Barney has been haunted before. He thought it was something he'd just grow out of, like the imaginary friends his step-mother believes he has....
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark: The Complete Collection
Schwartz, Alvin.
Paper Book
  "Read these if you dare." - The New York Times "A wonderful collection of tales that range from creepy to silly to haunting. ...Gammell's drawings add just the right touch..." - John Scieszka, Entertinment Weekly The iconic anthology series of horror tales that's now...
The Clackity
Senf, Lora
Paper Book
Finalist for the Bram Stoker Award | Cybils Award Selection of the New York Public Library Best Books for Kids | Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award Master List | Golden Dome Book Award Master List Reminiscent of Doll Bones and...
Spooky spectacular
Simon, Francesca
Paper Book
Number One for Fiendish Fun! Get ready for a bumper edition of mayhem with this totally awesome collection of six favourite Horrid Henry stories! An irresistible introduction to reading for pleasure - the perfect gift for Horrid Henry fans everwhere.
The invasion of Crooked Oak
Smith, Dan; King, Chris
Paper Book
Stranger Things meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers in this thrilling sci-fi adventure with an ecological twist. Something sinister is happening in Crooked Oak ... Ever since the fracking site closed, Nancy's parents have been acting weird. Their eyes are blank, they...
Monstrosity
Stine, R. L.
Paper Book
Ruthie and Ezra Dillon's dad and uncle just bought an old Hollywood movie studio, known for all the best horror flicks of the 50s! The family plans to revive the old place and start making scary movies for the modern era, which Ruthie and Ezra are eager to star in. What they don't...
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, haunts...
Ghosts
Telgemeier, Raina
Paper Book
From Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile, Drama, and Sisters!Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn't happy about...

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