Children's Book Suggestions | Horror

Something old, something new...a mix of classic and recent horror novels for readers in Grades 2-7. For more reading ideas, ask a staff member for some suggestions, fill out our Personalized Book Recommendation Form, or check out NoveList for recommended book lists and readalikes.

For younger readers, check out our Halloween Scavenger Hunt book list with 31 not-too-scary titles for ages 3-7!

Updated October 5, 2023
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Oregon City Public Library
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Battle of the bad-breath bats
Bowles, David
Paper Book
A new silly and spooky highly illustrated series that's perfect for fans of Eerie Elementary and Notebooks of Doom, featuring art on every page and fun activities at the end of each book. It's a Halloween chapter book treat! Cousins Malia, Ivan, and Dante are visiting their aunt Lucy...

A trio of cousins accidentally take a wrong turn onto 13th Street and have to work together to defeat the monsters on the way home. Between the action sequences and the boss-style challenges, this is a great read for video game fans. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

The jumbies /
Baptiste, Tracey.
Paper Book
The jumbies are coming! Corinne La Mer isn't afraid of anything. Not scorpions, not the boys who tease her, and certainly not jumbies. She knows that jumbies aren't real; they're just creatures parents make up to frighten their children. But on All Hallows' Eve...

A great pick for fans of this summer's The Little Mermaid movie who were really hoping for more terrifying Caribbean sea monster content. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

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 ...

This illustrated novel about kids surviving a zombie apocalypse is hands-down our most popular kids horror series. With plenty of humor and an emphasis on action, it's great for readers who don't like to be too scared. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The school is alive!
Chabert, Jack
Paper Book
Eerie Elementary is one scary school!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence...
A third-grader saves his classmates from their monstrous school in this chapter book for kids who are just ready to move up from easy readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)
Rise of the balloon goons
Cummings, Troy.
Paper Book
Monsters + Humor + Fun = THE NOTEBOOK OF DOOM!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading...

An illustrated diary-style book about a kid who discovers that his new town is literally filled with monsters. This one is definitely more funny than scary, which makes it a great pick for sensitive horror-curious readers. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

Camp Sylvania
Murphy, Julie
Paper Book
From Julie Murphy, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin', comes a hilarious and creepy middle grade summer camp story that takes a bite out of fat camp and diet culture. Perfect for fans of Spooky Stories and Starfish. Magnolia "Maggie" Hagen is determined to...

By the author of the book behind the beloved Netflix movie, Dumplin', comes a middle grade novel about the horrors of body shaming in a classic summer camp setting. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Hush-a-bye
Mott, Jody Lee
Paper Book
* "Mott's deft prose and well-written characters will keep readers engaged from start to frightening finish. This is the perfect read for people who love the chill of terror running down their backs." -School Library Journal (starred review) A delightfully creepy story...
A girl who's bullied for her family's lack of money finds a haunted doll that she hopes will help her solve her problems. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Ghost squad
Ortega, Claribel A.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Coco meets Stranger Things with a hint of Ghostbusters in this action-packed supernatural fantasy. For Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business. Shortly before Halloween, Lucely...

Think Hocus Pocus but in Florida, starring a Dominican American family with a connection to the supernatural. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The incredibly dead pets of Rex Dexter
Reynolds, Aaron
Paper Book
Rex Dexter is itching to have a dog. He was practically born to have one. His name is Rex, for crying out loud. It's a dog's name. When Rex's B-Day for Me-Day finally arrives, his parents surprise him with a box. A box with holes. A box with holes and adorable scratchy noises coming from inside....
A kid who wants a pet dog is cursed by a carnival game and must solve a mystery at the local zoo using his newfound ability to talk to dead animals. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Night of the living dummy /
Stine, R. L.
Paper Book
  Discover the original bone-chilling adventures that made Goosebumpsone of the bestselling children's book series of all time! Lindy names the ventriloquist's dummy she finds Slappy. Slappy is kind of ugly, but he's a lot of fun. Lindy's having a great time...

Is it too much of a stretch to call R.L. Stine the Shakespeare of children's horror fiction? Maybe, but he's still one of the most recognizable authors in children's literature. A great starting point for elementary readers who are interested in dipping their toes into the genre. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Just beyond. The scare school
Stine, R. L.
Paper Book
Middle grade supernatural horror series takes young readers Just Beyond the reality they know...Just Beyond their normal lives...Just Beyond the real world to an always surprising place of fantasy and fright. Surviving middle school is hard enough but when Jess, Josh, and...

A new series from Goosebumps author R.L. Stine using the graphic novel format to reach reluctant readers. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)

Scary stories to tell in the dark
Schwartz, Alvin
Paper Book
The iconic anthology series of horror tales that's now a feature film! This is a new edition of the complete original book. Stephen Gammell's artwork from the original Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark appears in all its spooky glory. Read if you dare! Scary Stories to Tell in...

If you were a kid in the 1980s who liked scary stories, this series by Alvin Scwartz was probably your favorite book! It was adapted into a movie (rated PG-13) in 2019 and is followed by 2 sequels. P.S. Make sure to check the illustrator info before you place those holds. Fans of the OG series usually prefer Stephen Gammell's original illustrations to Brett Helquist's updated versions from 2011. (Children's Nonfiction Age 8-12)

More scary stories to tell in the dark /
Schwartz, Alvin,
Paper Book
All those who enjoyed shuddering their way through Alvin Schwartz's first volume of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark will find a satisfyingly spooky sequel in this new collection of the macabre, the funny, and the fantastic.Is it possible to die -- and not know it? What if a person is buried too...
Scary stories 3 :
Schwartz, Alvin,
Paper Book
Storytellers know -- just as they have for hundreds and hundreds of years -- that everyone enjoys a good, scary story Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories 3 joins his other popular collections of scary folklore, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark and More Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, to give...

Sorting through the different illustrators in the catalog can be challenging, so here's the direct link to book three. (Children's Nonfiction Age 8-12)

Haru, zombie dog hero
Oh, Ellen
Paper Book
"Tender character relationships between both pup and human, and the myriad fully realized animals Haru meets along his journey, combine for a multilayered and thoroughly heartfelt must-read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Oh covers heavy, relevant topics in this tense middle-grade...
A boy-and-his-dog story...where the dog is a zombie. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Small spaces /
Arden, Katherine,
Paper Book
New York Timesbestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingalemakes 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...
Katherine Arden is also an award-winning author of fantasy novels for adult readers, and her writing skills really elevate this series to the next level--without sacrificing kid appeal! The first book in a quartet, it was also an OBOB pick in 2021. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7).
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...

An award-winning classic about friends, growing up, and a creepy doll. (Young Teen Grades 5-7)

Living ghosts & mischievous monsters : chilling American Indian stories
Jones, Dan C.
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark! A shiver-inducing collection of short stories to read under the covers, from a breadth of American Indian nations. Dark figures in the night. An owl's cry on the wind. Monsters watching from the edge of the wood. Some of...

If you've worn out your copies of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and are looking for new spooky stories and urban legends, this collection of scary stories from indigenous nations throughout North America should hit the spot. (Children's Nonfiction Age 8-12)

Wait till Helen comes : a ghost story
Hahn, Mary Downing.
Paper Book
Twelve-year-old Molly and her ten-year-old brother, Michael, have never liked their seven-year-old stepsister, Heather. Ever since their parents got married, she's made Molly and Michael's life miserable. Now their parents have moved them all to the country to live in a house that used to be a...

Mary Downing Hahn writes some of the best horror books for young readers! This 1986 novel is her most famous book and was adapted into a movie in 2016 (Rated TV-14) and a graphic novel in 2022. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Wait till Helen comes : a ghost story graphic novel
Peterson, Scott
Paper Book
In this graphic novel adaptation of master horror storyteller Mary Downing Hahn's spookiest and most popular tale, two siblings must save their stepsister from the clutches of a vengeful ghost. When their mom remarries, Molly and her brother, Michael, try to make friends with their new...

The graphic novel adaptation of Mary Downing Hahn's classic chilling ghost story. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Too bright to see
Lukoff, Kyle
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book . Winner of the Stonewall Book Award . A National Book Award Finalist "A gentle, glowing wonder, full of love and understanding." -The New York Times Book Review Cover may vary. It's the summer before middle school and eleven...
This National Book Award finalist uses horror themes to explore family, loss, and identity through Bug, who believes a "presence" in their house is trying to send them a message after the death of a beloved uncle. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
Bloom
Oppel, Kenneth
Paper Book
"The perfect book right now for young readers searching for hope, strength, inspiration -- and just a little horticultural havoc."--New York Times   The first book in a can't-put-it-down, can't-read-it-fast-enough action-thriller trilogy that's part Hatchet, part...

Predatory alien plants take over Salt Springs Island in this triology from action-suspense author Oppel. Perfect for kids who are on track to love the Alien movies when they grow up. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The sleepover
Regina, Michael
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Stranger Things, this middle grade graphic novel follows a group of kids trying to cheer up their friend after a recent loss with a fun-filled sleepover, but their plans soon take a dark turn when they discover his new nanny may literally be a monster. ...
After the loss of a beloved caregiver, a tween discovers that her replacement may or may not be a witch. Reviews recommend this one as a great readalike for middle school fans of Stranger Things. (Young Teen Graphic Novels Grades 5-7)
The graveyard book /
Gaiman, Neil
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...

A young boy is rescued by ghosts and raised in a graveyard in this award-winning novel loosely inspired by The Jungle Book. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 3-5)


Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.