Spooky Stories

The Skull by John Klassen

Jon Klassen's retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?

My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck

Published in 1999, an adorable monster bedtime story that is guaranteed to generate giggles, tickles, and plenty of monster hugs.

The Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine

Are you are afraid of monsters? Do they make you shiver and shake and shut your eyes really tight at night? Welcome to the Little Shop of Monsters! Do you want a sneezer? A tickler? Or one of the creepiest monsters of all? Come on in and choose your favorite, if you dare (before one of them chooses you!). Renowned children's book creators Marc Brown and R.L. Stine join forces for the very first time-in Stine's picture book debut-with a tale that is monstrously good fun.

The Agony House by Cherie Priest

Denise Farber has just moved back to New Orleans with her mom and step-dad. They left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and have finally returned, wagering the last of their family's money on fixing up an old, rundown house and converting it to a bed and breakfast.Nothing seems to work around the place, which doesn't seem too weird to Denise. The unexplained noises are a little more out of the ordinary, but again, nothing too unusual. But when floors collapse, deadly objects rain down, and she hears creepy voices, it's clear to Denise that something more sinister lurks hidden here.Answers may lie in an old comic book Denise finds concealed in the attic: the lost, final project of a famous artist who disappeared in the 1950s. Denise isn't budging from her new home, so she must unravel the mystery-on the pages and off-if she and her family are to survive…

Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh

Harper doesn’t trust her new home from the moment she steps inside, and the rumors are that the Raine family’s new house is haunted. Harper isn’t sure she believes those rumors, until her younger brother, Michael, starts acting strangely. The whole atmosphere gives Harper a sense of déjà vu, but she can’t remember why. She knows that the memories she’s blocking will help make sense of her brother’s behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?

Gustav Gloom and the Four Terrors by Adam-Troy Castro

In Gustav Gloom and the Four Terrors, things are not always what they seem in the Gloom Mansion. Gustav decides that he needs to rescue his father from the Dark Country, but he can’t do that without Fernie’s help. After Gustav convinces Fernie’s safety-conscious father to enter the Gloom Mansion with Fernie and Pearlie, there is a prison break from the Hall of Shadow Criminals and it’s up to Fernie to save her family and Gustav before it’s too late. 

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1. But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if—instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .What if their last shift was an adventure?

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

An adaptation of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, thise book is narrated by Elizabeth Levanza, the companion of Victor and details her involvement in the story that we have all come to know and love. For the most part in the original story, Elizabeth is a silent minor character who never gets to share her side of things. Fortunately, with Elizabeth as the narrator, the story of Victor and his monster become all that much clearer. Having been adopted by the Frankenstein family, Elizabeth craves the love and attention of Victor and his parents. Many of her actions during their childhood and even the events surrounding the monster, are all based on this desperation to cling to what she has in this life--Victor. She starts covering up Victor's crimes and eventually realizes how dark and sinister he has become.

Dread Nation by Justine Ireland

The day that the dead rose up was the day they were slain at Gettysburg during the Civil War. No one knows why. But they spread quickly across the nation and the conflict between North and South was overshadowed by the conflict between the living and the dead. Just one infected person can lead to the overthrow of a whole city. So the rich, white plantation owners do what they always do best and take advantage of their status at the expense of the marginalized. Native American and Black people are only seen as fodder fit to fight zombies and young adults are sent to schools primarily to teach them to protect the Whites.

Jane McKeene has been trained to be an attendant for some rich, young lady once she finishes her time at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore. Her only desire is to return home and find her family once her training is over. But Jane can't resist a mystery and helping out when families start to go missing--is it the dead? Or something even more sinister?

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers' bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town. One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.