Spooky Middle Grade Stories for Halloween

A selection of spooky stories for middle grade readers, sure to get them into the spirit of Halloween.
Updated October 2, 2022
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The Halloween tree /
Bradbury, Ray,
Paper Book
Illustrated in black-and-white. Now back in print is the stunning contemporary classic by American literary treasure Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles. Meet the mysterious Mr. Moonshroud, who leads eight boys on a journey back through the centuries to discover the...
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Alvin Schwartz
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...
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery
Deborah Howe
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!
Coraline
Neil Gaiman
Audiobook
New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman spins a tale of wonder, dark secrets, and bravery that inspired the new 3-D stop-motion animated picture When coraline explores her new home, she finds a door. through the door is another house just like her own...except that it's...
Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare
Darren Shan
Paper Book
Life gets dangerous when a kid discovers a vampire at an illegal circus in this fast-paced and creepy-crawly tale from bestselling author and master of horror, Darren Shan. When Darren and his friends secretly score tickets to the terrifying Cirque Du Freak, they...
Welcome to Dead House
R. L. Stine
Paper Book
Goosebumps available soon on Disney+! 11-year-old Josh and 12-year-old Amanda just moved into the oldest and weirdest house on the block--the two siblings think it might even be haunted! But of course, their parents don't believe them. You'll get used to it, they say. Go out and...
THE DARK-THIRTY: SOUTHERN TALES OF THE SUPERNATURAL
McKissack, Patricia
Paper Book
With an extraordinary gift for suspense, McKissack brings us ten original, spine-tingling tales inspired by African American history and the mystery of that eerie half hour before nightfall-the dark-thirty.
Wait Till Helen Comes
Mary Downing Hahn
Paper Book
Ghost story master Mary Downing Hahn spins a suspenseful yarn about two children who dislike their malicious younger stepsister, Heather--and tensions that escalate when Heather starts talking to a ghost named Helen. In a chilling ghost story that is also an insightful family drama, Molly,...
Skeleton Man
Joseph Bruchac
Paper Book
There is a terrifying Native American legend about the Skeleton Man: a man of bones who eats his own flesh, and then his whole family. Now author Joseph Bruchac brings the story chillingly to life in a modern-day setting, with a young heroine who could be any one of us. Her parents...
Scary Stories for Young Foxes (Scary Stories for Young Foxes, 1)
Christian McKay Heidicker
Paper Book
Christian McKay Heidicker draws inspiration from Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe in this spine-tingling, unforgettable tale of friendship and survival, stunningly illustrated by Junyi Wu. The haunted season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is...
The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman
Paper Book
The original hardcover edition of a perennial favorite, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which has sold more than one million copies and is the only novel to win both the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal.  Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place--he's the only living...
Short and Shivery: Thirty Chilling Tales
Robert D. San Souci
Paper Book
Make story time a little spookier with this Halloween-themed collection of ghost stories, spooky shorts, and frightening folktales from all over the world! "No one travels these roads after dark. Those who are found the next day, if they are still alive, will have gone mad."
More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Alvin Schwartz
Paper Book
The iconic anthology series of horror tales that's now a feature film! More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a timeless collection of chillingly scary tales and legends. Folklorist Alvin Schwartz offers up some of the most alarming tales of horror, dark revenge, and supernatural events...
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...
Deep and Dark and Dangerous
Mary Downing Hahn
Paper Book
Just before summer begins, 13-year-old Ali finds an odd photograph in the attic. She knows the two children in it are her mother, Claire, and her aunt Dulcie. But who's the third person, the one who's been torn out of the picture? Ali figures she'll find out while she's vacationing in...
Whisper in the Dark
Joseph Bruchac
Paper Book
Joseph Bruchac, author of the award-winning Skeleton Man and The Return of Skeleton Man, breathes life into a chilling vampire-like demon. Maddy has always loved scary stories, especially the spooky legends of her Native American ancestors. But that was before she heard about...
Stay Out of the Basement
R. L. Stine
Paper Book
Goosebumps now on Disney+!Dr. Brewer is doing a little plant-testing in his basement. Nothing to worry about. Harmless, really. But Margaret and Casey Brewer are worried about their father. Especially when they...meet...some of the plants he is growing down there. Then they notice that their...
Small Spaces
Katherine Arden
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 who only finds solace in books discovers a...
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones
Alvin Schwartz
Paper Book
The iconic anthology series of horror tales that's now a feature film! Scary Stories 3 is a timeless collection of chillingly scary tales and legends, in which folklorist Alvin Schwartz offers up some of the most alarming tales of horror, dark revenge, and...
The Thief of Always
Clive Barker
Paper Book
"Menacing demons, wondrous miracles, sinister magic, and vivid characters make Thief a compulsive, lightning-paced tales that almost begs to be read aloud." -- Miami Herald One of horror master and perennial bestseller Clive Barker's earliest novels--the tale of a haunted house...

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