As someone who’s enjoyed horror from a young age, I understand it can be difficult to navigate finding spooky literature for a younger audience. Some stories are too scary for the youngest of readers, while others will bore their middle grade counterparts to tears. Luckily the world of literature has a ton of offerings of horror books for young readers.
Whether you’re looking for fun, easy scares, or something more dark and spooky, horror has plenty available for children of all ages. Here are some horror books for kids of varying ages to get them started on the right, spooky track.
10. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
It may seem like an obvious choice, but Coraline is a giant in the children’s literature world for a reason. The story follows a young girl named Coraline who has recently moved into a new flat with her parents.
One night she’s able to access the only locked door in the flat, and discovers something truly bizarre on the other side: a second, almost identical home. The parents there are like her own, but also different. And the other mother and other father want Coraline to stay with them forever…
Along with its widely successful film adaptation, Coraline lives in the pantheon of horror books for kids and is more than deserving of accolades from the adult quotient as well.
Why we recommend it: The imagery of the other mother is enough to keep a kid up at night, while still allowing them to dip their toes into darker literary waters. The novel is recommended for readers anywhere from 8-12 years old, though differences of opinion abound on the perfect age to read it.
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9. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, chances are you or a friend had this on your bookshelf. This may have been the first anthology I read as a child. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is iconic, not only for Alvin Shwartz’s spectacularly creepy tales based in American folklore, but also for artist Stephen Gammell’s hauntingly beautiful – if unsettling – illustrations that accompany each story. These have potentially become even more famous than the stories themselves.
But don’t let that fool you. You only need to crack open the cover and read The Big Toe once for it to be seared into your memory forever. The series of books – yes there are actually 3 collections of stories in the Scary Stories universe – has maintained enough popularity throughout the years to spawn a 2019 film adaptation and a sequel that may or may not be happening.
Why we recommend it: If you ask a lot of adult horror lovers what books they enjoyed as a kid, they’re likely to mention this book. The book is said to be suitable for ages 7 and up, which is about the time yours truly read and fell in love with it.
8. Bunnicula by Deborah Howe
This may just be nostalgia talking, but I feel like you’d be hard-pressed to find a cuter, more fun horror book for young readers. Seriously, go ahead and try. I’ll wait.
The Monroe family has just brought home a new addition to their brood: a cute, fluffy bunny. But this rabbit is a little more fangy than expected, and when carrots start getting the juice sucked out of them, it’s up to the family dog Harold and cat Chester to solve the mystery of whether or not this bunny is a bloodsucker. This is the first in what becomes a 7 book series featuring the Monroe pets and is narrated by Harold the dog, which adds an additional layer of fun to these mysteries.
Why we recommend it: Bunnicula is the perfect spooky read for the little ones, keeping things light and family-friendly throughout. It’s said to be suitable for ages 7 and up, but this reader definitely picked it up at an earlier age and wasn’t scarred for life.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter7. Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
For the middle-grade kiddos out there looking for a dark and spellbinding read, Arden’s Small Spaces may be just what they need. Eleven-year-old Ollie has retreated into herself following a tragic loss in her life, and now only takes solace in the books that she reads.
That all changes when she takes a book from a stranger that contains a story that will send her on a dark and dangerous path.
Why we recommend it: With Katherine Arden already having established herself as a prolific fantasy author with her bestselling Winternight Trilogy, Small Spaces gives her the opportunity to flex her muscles for the middle grade and YA spaces. Plus, this is the start of a series, with four sequels for the kiddos to get lost in (Dead Voices, Dark Waters, and Empty Smiles).
6. The Skull by Jon Klassen
This choice gives kids the opportunity to read a classic folktale while enjoying beautiful art along with it. A retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale complete with Jon Klassen’s signature beautiful artwork, The Skull tells the story of a young girl named Ottilia who escapes from great danger only to find herself lost in the forest.
When she discovers a skull hidden in a house, she’ll realize that there is more to this seemingly inanimate object than she expected.
Why we recommend it: Even if you’re unfamiliar with the original tale of Ottilia and the Skull, readers young and old are sure to be captivated by Klassen’s artwork and its source material.
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5. Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
This may feel like simply a nostalgia pick, but Mary Downing Hahn’s novel was a quintessential spooky kids read for many in the 1990s and early 2000s. The novel follows a young girl named Molly who has a somewhat contentious relationship with her stepsister Heather.
When Heather befriends the ghost of a dead girl named Helen, Molly realizes that she’ll need to set aside their differences in order to save Heather before it’s too late.
Why we recommend it: The themes of sisterhood and blended families are still relevant today, and Hahn has crafted a narrative that young women can easily relate to. Keep in mind that with the haunting elements of the story, Wait Till Helen Comes sits in the middle-grade camp and is recommended for ages 10 and up.
4. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
Compiling a list of horror books for kids requires at least one entry set on Halloween, am I right? The holiday immediately creates an atmosphere filled with suspense and surprises, and Bradbury’s tale is no exception.
When a group of friends set out to explore a haunted house on Halloween night, they’ll get an experience much more harrowing than they originally bargained for.
Why we recommend it: A relatively quick read at only 145 pages, The Halloween Tree offers kids 8 some background and knowledge about the spookiest night of the year.
3. Nightmares! By Jason Segal and Kirsten Miller
Charlie Laird is having a hard time. He has nightmares that plague him, and his father has recently married a woman he’s sure is a witch. Having to move into her weird purple mansion certainly isn’t helping the situation.
When his nightmares begin to seep into his real life, he’ll have to face them during his waking hours. If he doesn’t, he may not make it to his next night of sleep.
Why we recommend it: Co-authored by How I Met Your Mothers’ Jason Segal, Nightmares! offers young readers a chance to tackle the concept of bad dreams in a lighthearted way. The novel is also the first in a trilogy, followed by The Sleepwalker Tonic and The Lost Lullaby respectively.
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2. The Haunted Mask by R.L. Stine
It’s impossible to narrow down everyone’s favourite Goosebumps book. Growing up, the series had a prize place on my bookshelf, and I still have many of the entries to this day. R.L. Stine sets the gold standard for horror books for kids, young adults, and readers of all ages.
That said, if I had to pick the novel whose idea has stuck with me the most, it would be The Haunted Mask. Carly Beth has chosen the scariest mask she could possibly find for her Halloween costume. It’s perfect. Until Halloween comes to an end, and her classmates notice she hasn’t taken it off…it’s almost like she can’t.
Why we recommend it: The Goosebumps series will live in the YA horror pantheon forever, but The Haunted Mask has a concept that skews from the slightly goofier fare of many other entries in the series. It’s a story that young readers will remember for decades.
1. The Clackity by Lora Senf
Kids going on unexpected adventures is certainly a trope that we see regularly in horror books for kids, but Lora Senf’s The Clackity reminds us that this storyline works for a reason.
Evie Von Rathe spends her days in Blight Harbor with her aunt Desdemona, a local expert in all things paranormal. When Aunt Des winds up in the abandoned slaughterhouse on the outskirts of town and disappears, Evie has no choice but to follow her in. There she’ll discover an entry to an otherworld that appears to exist beyond all reason.
Why we recommend it: The atmosphere alone is worth the read here, and Evie’s journey into a darkly fantastical world is sure to tickle the fancy of any young reader looking for a scary story. As a bonus, this is only the first in the Blight Harbor series, with the third installment in the series having been published in September of this year.
No matter your child’s taste for thrills and chills, these horror books offer the perfect blend of spooky fun and engaging storytelling. So grab a blanket, turn down the lights, and let these must-read horror books take your kids on unforgettable journeys into the eerie and unknown!
