I love Halloween time! Spooky stories, plastic pumpkins, scary skeletons…I love it all! And every year, I like to stock up on spooky books to help me get into the holiday spirit. On the list below, I’ve selected 31 spooky books that I think you’ll all enjoy. And to make it easier to find the perfect book for you, I’ve divided the list up by age group. Of course, you shouldn’t let this be a restriction (I always enjoy a good picture book!), but it should help you get an idea of what scare level you want.
Generally speaking, For the Littles will be more atmospheric than actually scary. These are picture books that are meant to bring some spooky fun without actually frightening anyone. Middle Grade Scares will be slightly scarier. These are written (generally) for kids ages 8-12, although there might be a YA book or two included in this section. And finally, For the Adults will be horror stories (or books with horror elements) written for adults readers and will (generally) be the scariest in the bunch.
That being said, not all of these are horror books. Some are more mystery, humor, or nonfiction. But, all of them will have some sort of spooky element, whether that’s a ghost, a talking skeleton, a curse, a monster, etc. And all of these should be perfect reading for this time of year, as well!
For the Littles
1. Space Case (Edward Marshall)
A little alien comes to Earth…just in time for Halloween! Instead of frightening the people, however, he’s mistaken for a trick-or-treater and has a delightful misadventure with a group of children.
2. Big Pumpkin (Erica Silverman)
A witch grows the biggest pumpkin ever and wants to make herself a delicious pumpkin pie. The only problem is the pumpkin is so big, she can’t get it off the vine! And neither can her friends, Vampire, Ghost, or Mummy. But, a little bat has a brilliant idea to save the day!
3. Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness from Calef Brown (Calef Brown)
Enjoy silly poetry and spook illustrations to set a spooky scene to get you into the Halloween spirit!
4. The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything (Nadia Ahmed)
Finn, a spooky little ghost, is afraid of everything. But, he desperately wants to go trick-or-treating. But, can he put his fears to rest in order to enjoy some Halloween treats?
5. The Little Old Lady Who was Not Afraid of Anything (Linda Williams)
A favorite from my childhood! A little old lady is not afraid of anything, but is she brave enough for the spooky encounter she has in the woods?
6. It’s Raining Bats & Frogs (Rebecca Colby)
Little witch Delia has been looking forward to the annual Halloween parade. But, heavy rain threatens to cancel the fun. Using her best magic, Delia attempts to stop the rain by turning it into something else. But, cats and dogs, hats and clogs, bats and frogs…nothing is quite right!
7. Creepy Carrots! (Aaron Reynolds)
Jasper Rabbit loves carrots. He loves them so much that he steals them from Crackenhopper Field. But, one day, he gets the eerie feeling that something is wrong. The carrots are following him…..
8. The Hallo-Weiner (Dav Pilkey)
Another favorite from my childhood! Dachshund Oscar is tired of all the other dogs making fun of him because his legs are too short and his body is too long. But, on Halloween, he proves that he’s perfect just the way he is, when he gets to be a real-life hero!
9. Skeleton for Dinner (Margery Cuyler)
Big Witch and Little Witch made some delicious stew and now they want to share it with all their friends. But, when Skeleton mistakes the guest list for a menu, he takes off running with his friends Ghost and Ghoul fearful that the Witches want to add them to the stew! Luckily, there’s one creature in the haunted forest who is able to clear up the misunderstanding in time for dinner!
10. Frankenstein Doesn’t Wear Earmuffs! (John Loren)
A frustrated child just wants to go trick-or-treating in his spooky Frankenstein costume. But, Mom and Dad want to make sure that he dresses warm, “ruining” his scary appearance with practical items like a scarf or boots or a fluffy jacket. But, Frankenstein doesn’t wear earmuffs!
Middle Grade Scares
11. Karen’s Ghost (Ann M. Martin)
Karen has always believed that the ghost of her great-grandfather lives in the attic and that he’s planning to throw himself a haunted birthday party that Halloween night. Karen is determined to stay up and see it!
12. Eerie Tales from the School of Screams (Graham Annable)
A group of students share scary stories for a school assignment, but something seems wrong…… This anthology story features a series of different creepy tales.
13. Curse of the Blue Figurine (John Bellairs)
Johnny Dixon doesn’t believe that the ghost of Father Baart haunts the town church, but when he finds a strange blue figurine in the church basement, he’s plunged into a terrifying mystery full of supernatural horrors!
14. What is the Story of the Headless Horseman? (Sheila Keenan)
Learn the story behind The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! The Headless Horseman has been scaring readers for centuries. Find out where it all began!
15. Anzu and the Realm of Darkness (Mai K. Nguyen)
Anzu has just moved to a new town in time for Obon, a festival celebrating the dead. But, ever since Obaachan died, Anzu doesn’t feel like celebrating. While out exploring, Anzu slips down a ridge and falls into Yomi–the underworld from all her grandmother’s stories and she must return to the human world before its too late.
16. The Skull (Jon Klassen)
Otilla is on the run when she discovers a mysterious, lonely castle inhabited by a talking skull. The skull offers her shelter, but admits that there is something horrible that comes to the castle every night. Otilla will do whatever she can to save her new friend.
17. Skeleton Man (Joseph Bruchac)
This book scared me so much as a kid! A girl’s parents disappear and she’s sent to live with a relative she’s never heard of before, who might just be referenced in a terrifying Native American legend.
18. The Big Book of Monsters (Hal Johnson)
In this brightly illustrated and creepy collection, readers can learn all about some of the most terrifying monsters from literature, including Dracula, the Invisible Man, and the Jabberwocky! The book includes tons of recommended reading, as well!
19. The Beast and the Bethany (Jack Meggitt-Phillips)
Ebeneezer Tweezer is 511 years old, thanks to the Beast that lives in his attic and gives him gifts (including youth potions) when he feeds it. But, when it’s time for the next potion, the Beast refuses to give it to Ebeneezer unless he brings the Beast a child to eat.
20. Yokai Cats (Pandania)
Yokai cats are half monster, half cat! Yokai are Japanese monsters, and each creepy and cuddly kitty in this series is a combination of fur and fright, such as the wall-like nurikabe or the long-necked Rokurokubi!
For the Adults
21. This Thing of Darkness (K.V. Turley and Fiorella De Maria)
A young reporter and war-widow interviews an aging Bela Lugosi and learns of the dark forces that were behind his rise to stardom and his eventual fall from grace.
22. Strange Houses (Uketsu)
When his friend considers buying a new house, he shows Uketsu a strange gap in the floor plans, and the two uncover a terrible secret.
23. Spooky Science (Meagan Ankney & Paige Miller)
Skeptics Ankney and Miller attempt to explain the science behind paranormal phenomena, such as ghosts, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster.
24. Junji Ito’s Cat Diary (Junji Ito)
Owning a cat can be pretty scary! After moving in with his girlfriend and her two cats, horror writer Junji Ito details the strange, frightening, and ridiculously cute situations he finds himself in.
25. Spooky Halloween (S.E. Schlosser)
This book contains 20 spooky tales of hauntings, eerie happenings, and other unexplained phenomena taken from folklore all over the United States.
26. The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures (Aaron Mahnke)
Based on the hit podcast, Lore, this book contains a whole host of terrifying tales of monstrous creatures ranging from vampires to ghosts.
27. A Study in Brimstone (G.S. Denning)
What if Sherlock Holmes wasn’t a brilliant detective and master of observation, but rather a really inept sorcerer who achieved his knowledge through arcane means? This is the first in a hilarious and spooky series!
28. Starling House (Alix E. Harrow)
A poor girl living out of a motel takes a job as a housecleaner for the reclusive Arthur Starling. But, there is something strange at work in Starling House, something alive.
29. Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? (Caitlin Doughty)
Who hasn’t wanted to know what happens to our bodies after we die? Learn some of the most macabre questions children have asked undertaker Caitlin Doughty, such as what happens if you fill a body with un-popped popcorn (and then cremate it) or if a beloved pet will eat you after you die.
30. I Know What I Saw (Linda S. Godfrey)
Urban legend, folktale, or real life beastie? Linda S. Godfrey shares a collection of terrible tales from eyewitness accounts of all manner of unexplained phenomena. Are these monsters actually real? We’ll leave that to the reader to decide!
31. Monster She Wrote (Lisa Kröger)
So many of the best and spookiest horror stories were written by women! This collection explores these titles from the earliest scares to more modern ones.
