When I was a kid, I was a real scaredy-cat. Which is ironic, since today, I’m the founder and Hostess of the library’s Horror Film Club. But, young Erin really struggled with anything too scary. I would find myself drawn to middle-grade titles that promised aliens and monsters, but in the end, I could not bring myself to check them out.
As I’ve gotten older, though, I often go back and look for favorite spooky titles from my childhood. My most recent acquisition actually came to me completely by chance–I discovered it on the shelf of a used book shop and just had to take a look:
So, today, I wanted to share some books with a similar feel. All of these titles have a teacher who is something other than what they seem. Something mysterious is going on in these schools and its up to young readers (or the young at heart!) to find out what’s really going on. We have aliens, we have vampires, we have some creepy tentacle monsters. The only thing we don’t have are teachers who are perfectly bland and lovely and have nothing sinister about them. Not all of these teachers are monsters of course…some are human (I think). But, I hope you’ll enjoy this collection of shocking, scary, and downright fun books while you prepare for the new school year (or if the idea of summer ending is too scary to contemplate, just remember: at least your teacher is not a monster!)
My Teacher is An Alien (Bruce Coville)
Let’s start with the book that inspired this list! Same title as listed above, but with a shiny new cover. Susan Simmons is not having a good school year. When everyone comes back to school after break, she’s horrified to discover that her favorite teacher, Ms. Schwarz will not be returning to class. And even worse, the new teacher, Mr. Smith is such a stick-in-the-mud. He’s so serious, so focused. There’s no space for fun in his classroom and he’s even cancelled the spring play that the whole class has been looking forward to. But, things take a shocking turn when Susan catches Mr. Smith peeling off his own face– revealing that he’s actually an alien! Susan knows that she has to stop the alien threat, but she can’t do it alone. So, she pairs up with Peter, the smartest (but nerdiest) kid in her class to help her stop a horrible alien plot!
This is the first in a series. The fun continues in My Teacher Fried My Brains
Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots (Debbie Dadey & Marcia Thornton Jones)
This was another throwback to my school days, updated for modern readers! The third grade at Bailey School is such a bad class that teachers are always quitting. So, when Mrs. Jeepers joins a long line of instructors, the kids are positive that she won’t last long. But, there’s something very strange about this new teacher. Perhaps its her Romanian accent, or her odd little half-smile. Or maybe its how she always rubs the brooch at her throat when she wants the students to fall in line. But, three classmates, Eddie, Howie, Melody, and Liza think they know why Mrs. Jeepers is so strange…it’s because she’s a vampire! But, how can they prove it? And what is she doing in Bailey City? You’ll have to read and find out!
This is also the first in a series. The fun continues in Werewolves Don’t Go to Summer Camp
Miss Nelson is Missing! (Harry Allard)
Miss Nelson is the nicest teacher ever. In fact, she’s so nice and so sweet that her class continuously walks all over her. So, imagine how shocked the kids are when one day sweet Miss Nelson doesn’t come in for class. Instead, there is a horrible, mean old woman called Viola Swamp. And she is not about to put up with any shenanigans or misbehaving. Of course, the kids decide to have a little fun (it’s always fun to mess with a substitute!), but Ms. Swamp is not putting up with any of it. No talking. No laughing. No playing. And of course, everyone gets lots and lots of homework! Where is Miss Nelson? And how will the kids get her to come back?
This is the first in a series. The fun continues with Miss Nelson is Back
Substitute Creacher (Chris Gall)
A class of rowdy children gets a shocking surprise when their substitute teacher shows up. He’s big, green, has tentacles instead of legs, and one big eye in the center of his face. When the kids decide how far they can push this teacher, they discover even more surprises, such as the fact that he has eyes in the back of his head, or that he has story after story of misbehaving children and the horrible consequences of their actions. But, why is Mr. Creacher here? Is it just to teach a class? And where did he come from? This book is a delightful cautionary tale that will be just perfect to read for Halloween (or any time of the year!)
Eerie Tales from the School of Screams (Graham Annable)
A teacher instructs her children to share a scary story with the class. And what follows is each of those chilling tales of terror, one after the other. I don’t want to say too much about each of these stories without giving away spoilers, but I will say that this is a spooky collection of scary stories designed to provide just the right balance of thrills and chills for middle grade readers (although younger or more sensitive readers might find it to be a trifle too scary).
