The season is nigh when spooks and specters roam the streets, when children beg for tricks or treats, when ghosts arise from every grave, and you can find the fright you crave! That’s right, Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Dia de los Muertos, or whatever you call this fright-fest of a holiday, is upon us once again. And while you are sure to be putting together costumes for your kids, baking orange treats for their classrooms, and buying bags of candy galore, you shouldn’t forget one of the best ways to celebrate this unique holiday: with a few scary stories. Sure you can think of plenty of adult authors, but reading your kids a Stephen King saga might lead to some very scary nightmares. Instead, here are a few kids authors who will have your kids howling (with joy).
1. James Howe (with Deborah Howe). This author of the Bunnicula children’s series imparts the tales of a vampire bunny (who sucks the juice from vegetables) as seen through the eyes of the Monroe family dog, Harold. Along with his best friend, Chester the cat, he tries to unravel the secrets behind this mysterious rabbit to discover if he thirsts for more than just produce. Packed with mystery, suspense, and a silly twist on the supernatural, these books are sure to be a fun family read.
2. Barbara Jean Hicks. Stories like Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli and Jitterbug Jam put a funny spin on the scary that younger kids are sure to love. They can sing-song along to the bouncy beat of Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli and learn to look at monsters in a different way with Jitterbug Jam’s Bobo, who is afraid of the little boy living in his closet. Both books are accompanied by vivid illustrations that children will want to view again and again.
3. R.L. Stine. This author has been thrilling young adult readers for years with mystery novels, but none have been as popular as his Goosebumps series. With chilling tales of human/shark hybrids, trouble-making ventriloquists’ dummies, pumpkin-heads that come to life, and slimy monster blood that won’t stop expanding (just to name a few), these tales of terror will delight young readers who love a little gross-out factor and a lot of freaky fun.
4. Neil Gaiman. Better known for his adult literature and a stint with the comic Sandman, this British author nonetheless delivers some tasty fare for youngsters seeking the macabre. Check out The Graveyard Book, which details the life of a boy who is adopted by ghosts and ends up living in a graveyard, following the untimely death of his family. At turns terrifying and titillating, this book is not for the faint of heart, so consider it for young adult readers. Coraline is also spook-tacular (see the animated film of the same name) and M is for Murder offers a number of short stories suitable for the YA reader.
5. Alvin Schwartz. His collection of tantalizing tales, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (along with sequels), is actually a compilation of frightening folklore and urban legends adapted for kids (older kids, that is). And the illustrations by Stephen Gammell are equally mortifying. Parents may want to take a peek before handing this book off to their children, as there are allusions to both the supernatural and the occult, but considering these narratives have been part of an oral story-telling tradition for hundreds of years, you’ll no doubt discover a few you’ve heard before.
Guest contributor Sarah Danielson writes for a website that specializes in audiobooks where you can find audio book reviews and read the latest industry news.
What about The Witches by Roald Dahl? I recently re-read it and found it deliciously chilling. Definitely a bit scary for younger ones, but perfect for middle grades kids.
Great list and noting it down. You can never have enough books and these one seem to be the one I should get next.
Thanks for the update 🙂