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 last kids on Earth
Brallier, Max
Paper Book
A Netflix Original series! The first book in the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling series, with over 7 million copies in print! "Terrifyingly fun! Delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs."--Jeff Kinney, author of the #1 ...
The witches
Dahl, Roald.
Paper Book
A young boy and his Norwegian grandmother, who is an expert on witches, together foil a witches' plot to destroy the world's children by turning them into mice. The Witches is a 1984 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year.
Revenge of the witch
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
Capturing witches Binding boggarts Driving away ghosts For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried...
Attack of the Fiend
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
"I see your future clearly. Your master will be dead, and you will be alone. It would be better if you had never been born." Thomas Ward is the apprentice for the local Spook, who banishes boggarts and drives away ghosts. But now a new danger is threatening Tom's world: the witches are...
Curse of the bane
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
Now it's the dark's turn to be afraid The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, deal with the dark. Together they rid the county of witches, ghosts, and boggarts. But now there's some unfinished business to attend to in Priestown. Deep in the catacombs of the cathedral lurks a creature...
Wrath of the Bloodeye
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
Thomas Ward has spent two years as the Spook's apprentice. He's faced unimaginable peril, and survived. But a new danger has emerged: an ancient water witch, Bloodeye, is roaming the County intent on destroying everything in her path. To strengthen his skills, Tom is sent to the far north to...
Clash of the demons
Delaney, Joseph
Paper Book
"You can't make alliances with witches and suchlike and hope to avoid being drawn toward the dark." As the Spook's apprentice, Thomas Ward's first duty is to protect the County from ghosts, boggarts, and other dangerous creatures. But now his mother has come back from her homeland to seek...
Coraline
Gaiman, Neil.
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman's modern classic, Coraline--also an Academy Award-nominated film "Coraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house...." When Coraline steps through a door to find another...
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
In the final book in the beloved Zombie Chasers series, Zack Clarke and his zombie-fighting team travel across the world in search of an antidote that will stop the brain-gobbling outbreak once and for all. With all the middle school shenanigans, fast-paced adventure, and hilarious...
Sludgment day
Kloepfer, John.
Paper Book
The third book in the heavily illustrated Zombie Chasers series by John Kloepfer. This fan-favorite is perfect for reluctant readers as well as fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries. A zombie outbreak is spreading fast across America, but seventh-grader Zack Clarke;...
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,...
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
Schwartz, Alvin
Paper Book
This spooky addition to Alvin Schwartz's popular books on American folklore is filled with tales of eerie horror and dark revenge that will make you jump with fright. There is a story here for everyone -- skeletons with torn and tangled flesh who roam the earth; a ghost who takes revenge on her...
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!   ...
One day at HorrorLand
Stine, R. L.
Paper Book
The next ride might be their last. . . . The Morris family got lost trying to find Zoo Gardens Theme Park. But that's okay. They found another amusement park instead. It's called HorrorLand. In HorrorLand there are no crowds. No lines. And the admission is free. It seems like a pretty cool place....
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 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,...
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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