These spooky tales are sure to scare your socks off! Check out some of our favorite scary stories for school-age children.
Compiled by:
Children's Services Staff
Battle of the Bad-breath Bats(Juvenile First Chapter - J-FC Bowles)
Series: Easy-to-Read Spooky Tales
Cousins Malia, Ivan, and Dante are visiting their Aunt Lucy for the summer. But on their way to Gulf City's water park, they get lost on 13th Street. Only, it's not a street at all—it's a strange world filled with dangerous beasts! Will the cousins find their way back to Aunt Lucy's? Recommended for ages 6–9.
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf(Juvenile Fiction - J Reynold)
Max Bloodnight can't decide what's more terrifying about his weekend in Wolf County—the fact that he has to stay with grandparents he's never met before or being stuck on a farm without cell service. If only that was all he had to fear. Determined to solve the mystery of his father's death, which occurred years before at the claws of a legendary werewolf, Max must hunt to uncover the truth before the full moon rises...and the werewolf strikes again. Recommended for ages 6–9.
Archimancy(Juvenile Fiction - J White)
Series: Shadow School
Cordelia Liu knew Shadow School was going to be different, and she soon realizes she's not the only one who can see the ghosts. Together with super-smart Agnes, they're determined to find out why the ghosts are there, and whether there's a way to set them free. But the school was created with more sinister intentions, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to ensure that the ghosts remain trapped forever. Recommended for ages 9–12.
The Boo Hag Flex(Juvenile Fiction - J Ireland)
Series: Tales from Cabin 23
Shady Pines Trailer Park seems like a miserable place to spend a summer. But then Tasha meets a girl named Ellie who says she knows what killed old Mr. Harold: a terrifying creature that stalks the trailer park at night, sucking the life of its victims. Tasha doesn't believe it, but when she discovers a book of hoodoo legends in her grandmother's trailer, and more people around Shady Pines start to appear unwell, she begins to fear the stories are true. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Camp Sylvania (Juvenile Fiction - J Murphy)
Series: Camp Sylvania
Magnolia "Maggie" Hagen is determined to be in the spotlight...if she can just get over her stage fright. When Maggie arrives at Sylvania camp, things are weird. There are even tryouts for a camp production of The Music Man! This place might not be so bad...until campers start going missing and other suspicious things begin happening, especially after dark. Recommended for ages 9–12.
The Clackity(Juvenile Fiction - J Senf)
Series: Blight Harbor
To rescue her aunt from the ghost of a serial killer, 12-year-old Evie Von Rathe embarks on a journey into a strange world filled with hungry witches, ghosts, and a story thief, all while trying to fulfill her deal with the Clackity. Recommended for ages 9–12.
The Darkdeep(Juvenile Fiction - J Condie)
Middle school students Nico, Tyler, Ella, and Opal discover a hidden island in a forbidden cove that appears uninhabited, but something ancient has awakened knowing their wishes, dreams, and darkest secrets. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Hide and Seeker(Juvenile Fiction - J Hermon)
Something is wrong with 12-year-old Zee, who has returned after a year's absence; nobody knows where he was or what happened to him, but now he is distracted and violent, freaking out when he sees his friends, playing an odd game of hide-and-seek, and talking wildly about some danger that's approaching. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Hush-a-bye(Juvenile Fiction - J Mott)
Lucy and her younger sister find a broken doll that has astonishing powers and a sinister agenda. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Scary Stories for Young Foxes(Juvenile Fiction - J Heidick)
Series: Scary Stories for Young Foxes
No fox kit is safe. When Mia and Uly are separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. To find a den to call home, they must venture through fields and forests, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Scritch Scratch(Juvenile Fiction - J Currie)
Haunted after helping her father on his ghost-themed Chicago bus tour, 12-year-old Claire must discover what the spectral boy from the bus wants before it's too late. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Small Spaces(Juvenile Fiction - J Arden)
After 11-year-old Ollie's school bus mysteriously breaks down on a field trip, she has to take a trip through scary woods, and must use all of her wits to survive. She must stick to small spaces. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Spirit Hunters(Juvenile Fiction - J Oh)
Series: Spirit Hunters
Feeling uncomfortable from the moment she arrives in her new home, Harper is dismayed by local rumors that her house is haunted and that every family that has ever lived there has suffered terrible tragedies. This situation turns sinister when her cheerful little brother begins acting in alarming ways. Recommended for ages 9–12.
The Tale of the Gravemother(Juvenile Fiction - J Chupeco)
Series: Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Everyone in Southridge knows about the legend of the Gravemother. But not everyone believes in the tale—especially not 14-year-old Rhett, who lives around the corner from the old mansion. When disaster strikes the construction site and strange sightings of a woman in white begin haunting the neighbors, Rhett must figure out how to put the ghost permanently to rest before it's too late. Recommended for ages 9–12.
What Stays Buried(Juvenile Fiction - J Young)
12-year-old Calista Wynn will lose her ability to speak with the dead on her 13th birthday. And with only a few weeks left, children have started going missing. When Calista meets The Tall Lady—an angry spirit with a grudge against Calista, her family, and the entire town—she knows she's found the ghost responsible for the disappearances. It's up to Calista, the only one who can see The Tall Lady, to stop her. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Whispering Pines(Juvenile Fiction - J Lang)
When otherworldly forces descend on their town of Whispering Pines, conspiracy theorist Rae, who's searching for her lost father, and Caden, who's haunted by the ghost of his brother, must band together to save their home. Recommended for ages 9–12.