Kids > Book Center > Booklists > Spine-Tingling Tales for Kids: Stories and Books to Scare Yourself Silly!
Spine-Tingling Tales for Kids: Stories and Books to Scare Yourself Silly!
Additional materials may be located by checking the library catalog using the following keywords: ghost stories, ghosts fiction, horror stories, and horror tales.
For Preschool–Grade 1
Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough- When a small boy named Eddie goes searching for his lost teddy in the dark woods, he comes across a gigantic bear with a similar problem.
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book? by Lauren Child- Herb falls into a book of fairy tales where the characters are not happy to see him.
Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley- Die-cut pages that reveal bits of a monster are designed to help a child control nighttime fears of monsters.
The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt- In this illustrated version of the well-known poem, a wily spider preys on the vanity and innocence of a little fly.
Annie Was Warned by Jarrett Krosoczka - Even though she has been warned not to go, Annie decides to explore a haunted house on Halloween night.
Mabela the Clever by Margaret Read MacDonald- In this African folktale, a mouse pays close attention to her surroundings and avoids being tricked by the cat.
A Beasty Story by Bill Martin- What kind of beast lives in the dark, dark house in the dark, dark wood?
There’s a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer - A boy decides to get rid of the monster living in his closet.
T Is for Terrible by Peter McCarty- A tyrannosaurus rex explains that he cannot help it that he is enormous and hungry and is not a vegetarian.
Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Won-Ldy Paye- When a crocodile captures Mrs. Chicken and takes her to an island to fatten her up, clever Mrs. Chicken claims that she can prove they are sisters and that, therefore, the crocodile shouldn't eat her.
Wanda’s Monster by Eileen Spinelli- When Wanda fears that she has a monster in her closet, she takes her grandmother's advice and begins to look at things from the monster's point of view.
The Viper by Lisa Thiesing - Peggy gets mysterious phone calls from "The Viper," who says he is coming to her house.
Amanda Pig and the Awful, Scary Monster by Jean Van Leeuwen- Amanda the pig sees monsters at night, but her parents and her brother find different ways to convince her that there are no monsters.
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell- Three owl babies whose mother has gone out in the night try to stay calm while she is gone.
The Teeny Tiny Ghost and the Monster by Kay Winters- The teeny tiny ghost is afraid of monsters and doesn’t want to enter the monster-making contest at his school.
For Grades 2–3
Minnie and Moo Meet Frankenswine by Denys Cazet - During a thunderstorm, the farm animals are frightened out of the barn by a monster, and only cow friends Minnie and Moo are brave enough to investigate.
Bony-Legs by Joanna Cole- When Sasha meets a witch who wants to eat her for supper, she escapes with the help of a magic mirror and comb.
Wee Winnie Witch’s Skinny: An Original African American Scare Tale by Virginia Hamilton- James Lee’s Uncle Big Anthony has been looking smaller and sadder lately — could he have become the victim of a witch?
Spooky America: Four Real Ghost Stories by Lori Haskins- These four spooky stories are based on real-life events that happened in the United States.
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah Howe - Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire. (series)
I Dare You: Stories to Scare You by Kathleen Keeler- The three stories in this easy-to-read collection have humorous endings.
Four on the Shore by Edward Marshall- Lolly, Spider and Sam try to scare Sam’s little brother by telling him stories about a wolf, a witch, and a ghost — will it work?
The Barefoot Book of Giants, Ghosts and Goblins: Traditional Tales from Around the World by John Matthews- These folk tales will terrify and tantalize the reader.
Precious and the Boo Hag by Patricia C. McKissack- Home alone with a stomachache while the family works in the fields, a young girl faces up to the horrifying Boo Hag that her brother warned her about.
Eek! Stories to Make You Shriek by Jane O'Connor - Three easy-to-read stories include a talking doll, a Halloween party, and a mysterious dog.
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve by Mary Pope Osborne- Jack and Annie’s magic tree house transports them back to the time of King Arthur, where they must search a haunted castle to find the Stone of Destiny.
The Werewolf Club Meets Dorkula by Daniel Pinkwater- Ralf, Norm, Lucy and Billy are about to meet the weirdest vampire ever, Dorkula. (series)
The Gargoyle on the Roof: Poems by Jack Prelutsky- Find poems about gargoyles, vampires, the bogeyman, gremlins and other monsters in this eerily illustrated book.
Tell Me a Scary Story ... But Not Too Scary! by Carl Reiner- A little boy has an adventure in the scary basement of his mysterious new neighbor, Mr. Neewollah.
This Book Is Haunted by Joanne Rocklin- Beginning readers will love this collection of scary poems, rhymes and short tales, all told by a ghost.
The Haunted Hotel by Ron Roy- When the guests of the Shangri-La Hotel are scared away by a white-haired female ghost, Dink and his friends investigate the mystery.
The Ink Drinker by Eric Sanvoisin- A boy who hates books discovers an ink-drinking vampire in his father's bookshop and follows him to his underground vault. (series)
In a Dark, Dark Room, and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz- These seven scary stories, based on traditional stories and folktales from various countries, are meant to be told at night.
Abiyoyo: Based on a South African Lullaby and Folk Story by Pete Seeger- A boy and his father come up with a plan to save their town from the terrible giant Abiyoyo.
Golem by David Wisniewski- Rabbi Loew builds a giant clay monster to help defend the Jews of Prague.
For Grades 4–6
Ask the Bones: Scary Stories from Around the World- These scary folk tales come from China, Russia, Spain, the United States and more.
Beware! R.L. Stine Picks His Favorite Scary Stories- Unsettling stories by Ray Bradbury, William Sleator, Edward Gorey, Roald Dahl, Jane Yolen, and Mr. Stine himself comprise this list of favorites.
Something Upstairs: A Tale of Ghosts by Avi- Kenny discovers that the old house his family has moved into is haunted by a slave boy who was murdered in the early 1800s.
The Dark Pond by Joseph Bruchac- Armie uses his knowledge of Native American folktales to defeat an evil creature living in a nearby pond.
The Boggart by Susan Cooper- After visiting a castle in Scotland and returning home to Canada, Emily finds that she has accidentally brought back with her a boggart, an invisible and mischievous spirit with a fondness for practical jokes.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman- Coraline finds a mysterious door that leads to a home and family much like her own, but she realizes that they won’t let her return to her own house.
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman- Lucy is the only one in her family who can hear the wolves in the walls.
The Old Willis Place: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn- Diana ignores her brother's warnings and befriends the daughter of the new caretaker, leading to the release of the spirit of an evil, crazy woman who once ruled the old Willis place.
The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton- When a family moves into an enormous house once used as a hiding place for runaway slaves, mysterious sounds and events and discoveries of secret passageways make them believe they are in grave danger.
Monsters by Judith Herbst- Are "monsters" such as the Yeti, zombies and the Loch Ness monster real or just myths?
Dial-a-Ghost by Eva Ibbotson- A family of nice ghosts protects a British orphan from the diabolical plans of his evil guardians.
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo- Charlie Bone's life with his widowed mother and two grandmothers undergoes a dramatic change when he discovers that he can hear people in photographs talking. (series)
Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Madness by Edgar Allan Poe- These four tales by the master of horror sport Gris Grimly’s macabre illustrations.
Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman- In the mountains of Switzerland the wicked Count Karlstein plots to abandon his two nieces in a hunting lodge as prey for the Demon Huntsman and his ghostly hounds.
Sweet Miss Honeywell’s Revenge: A Ghost Story by Kathryn Reiss- When the games that she acts out in her dollhouse start coming true, Zibby realizes that the dollhouse is haunted and one of the ghosts is out for revenge.
A Terrifying Taste of Short & Shivery: Thirty Creepy Tales by Robert D. San Souci- These short, scary stories come from around the world.
Double-Dare to Be Scared: Another Thirteen Chilling Tales by Robert D. San Souci- These original tales range from campfire grabbers to unsettling thrillers, and they combine elements of folklore and pop culture.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz- These stories of ghosts and witches, "jump" stories, and scary songs are illustrated in a creepy and raw style by Stephen Gammell. (series)
Cirque du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan- Darren and his friends find an invitation to the Cirque du Freak, where they meet a wolf-man, a deadly spider and vampires. (series)
Who Let the Ghosts Out? by R.L. Stine- Two ghosts ask Max to help them fight a frightening evil spirit named Phears. (series)
The Whistle, the Grave, and the Ghost by Brad Strickland- Lewis finds a magic whistle that helps him get rid of the bullies who torment him, but he finds it also summons an ancient vampire! (series)
The Skull Talks Back and Other Haunting Tales by Joyce Carol Thomas- These six traditional African American ghost stories will leave a creepy impression on even the bravest of readers.
The Everything Kids’ Monsters Book: From Ghosts, Goblins, and Gremlins to Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombies: Puzzles, Games, and Trivia Guaranteed to Keep You Up at Night by Shannon R. Turlington- Learn all about creepy creatures like vampires, ghosts, mummies and zombies and things that go bump in the night.
Crandalls' Castle by Betty Ren Wright- Charli helps her Uncle Will fix up an old mansion, but soon discovers it is haunted.
