There’s something about October that makes me crave a good scary story. With Halloween just around the corner and the seasons slowly shifting, there’s nothing better than diving into a good ghost story. Whether you’re tickled by the terrifyingly true or a classic fictional tale, here’s a list to satisfy that craving.
Ready for more? Check out the extensive list below, which includes recommended ages by interest level.
Nonfiction
- Aliens are Coming! The True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast by Meghan McCarthy, 8-11; J 791.4472 MCC
- Giant Squid by Candace Fleming, 6-10; J 594.58 FLE
- Haunted Histories: Creepy Castles, Dark Dungeons, and Powerful Palaces by J.H. Everett and Marilyn Scott-Waters, 9-12; J 133.122 EVE
Fiction
- The Night Gardener: A Scary Story by Jonathan Auxier, 10+; J AUX
- The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste, 9-12; J BAP
- Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty, 8+; J BEA
- Doll Bones by Holly Black, 10+; J BLA
- Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac, 9-12; J BRU
- The Inn Between by Marina Cohen, 8-12; J COH
- Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee, 9-11; J FOX
- A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, 10+; J GID
- All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn, 7-10; J HAH
- Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn, 9-10; J HAH
- Wait till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn, 10-12; J HAH
- The Ghost’s Grave by Peg Kehret, 9-12; J KEH
- The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire LeGrand, 10+; J LEG
- The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural by Pat McKissack 8-12; J MCK
- The Nest by Kenneth Oppel, 10-12; J OPP
- Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, 8-13; J SCH
- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, 10-14; J SCH
- Hoodoo by Ronald L. Smith, 10+; J SMI
- The Riverman by Aaron Starmer, 8-13; J STA
- The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud, 11+; J STR
- Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. White, 10+; J WHI
- Coraline by Neil Gaimain, 10+; TEEN GAI
- The Graveyard Book, 9-12; TEEN GAI
Graphic Novel
- Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez, 9-12; JGRAPHIC ALV
- Coraline by Nail Gaiman, 9-12; JGRAPHIC GAI
- The Graveyard Book V1, 10+; JGRAPHIC GAI
- Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett Krosoczka, 7-10; JGRAPHIC KRO
- Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola; 10+; JGRAHPIC MCC
- SnowWhite by Matt Phelan, 9-12; N JGRAPHIC PHE
- Ghosts by Rain Telgemeier, 9+; N JGRAPHIC TEL
- The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing, 8-11; JGRAPHIC WEI
- Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol, 12+; GRAPHIC BRO
Early Chapter
- Notebook of Doom (series) by Troy Cummings, 6-8; JEC CUM
- Home Sweet Horror by James Preller, 7-10; JEC PRE
- The Haunted Library (series) by Dori Hillestad Butler, 6-8; JEC BUT
Picture Book
- What If…? By Anthony Browne, 4-7; JPIC BRO
- It’s Raining Bats and Frogs by Rebecca Colby, 4-7; JPIC COL
- Go Away, Big Green Monster! By Ed Emberley, 6-8; JPIC EMB
- Some Things Are Scary by Florence Heide, 4-7; JPIC HEI
- Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott, 6-8; JPIC MCE
- The Too-Scary Story by Bethania Murguia
- Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex, 4-8; JPIC REX
- Creepy Carrots! By Aaron Reynolds, 4-7; JPIC REY
- The Dark by Lemony Snicket, 4-8; JPIC SNI
- Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine, 4-7; JPIC STI
- The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, 3-6; JPIC SWA
- Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean, 4-8; H JPIC DEAN
- Ethan Long Presents: Fright Club by Ethan Long, 4-7; H JPIC LON
- The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, 4-6; H JPIC WIL
