Books About Horror · 1,078 titles considered

The Best Horror Books for Kids

Looking for excellent children's books about horror? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

#1 in Series

Series

#1 in Series

The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Horror

Sale price

$1049

Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2008

The Graveyard Book

By Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean (Illustrator)

A boy raised by ghosts must face dangers beyond the graveyard.

Newbery Medal (2009)Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor (2009)Carnegie Medal for Writing (2010)Cybils Award (2008)

354 pages· 67,418 words· Est. 7.5 hour read

7.0/7 Bookroo·4.2/5 Goodreads · 571,440 ratings

$10.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: In a graveyard, Bod, a boy raised by ghosts, learns ancient secrets and ghostly skills. But beyond the cemetery's safety, the man Jack, who killed his family, awaits. Can Bod navigate the living and the dead's worlds, facing both wonders and perils? As he grows, Bod must confront his past and the threats that lurk outside his spectral home. Will he find his place among the living, or will the graveyard's mysteries consume him? Discover Bod's journey in a tale where the boundaries between life and death blur.

Sale price

$958

Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 1843

The Tell-Tale Heart

By Edgar Allan Poe

Dive into chilling tales of murder, madness, and mystery.

224 pages· 2,188 words· Est. 13 min read

4.2 Goodreads · 245,720 ratings

$9.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Enter a world of suspense with tales like 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' where guilt drives a man to madness, and 'The Cask of Amontillado,' a chilling story of revenge. Meet a detective who outsmarts all in 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue.' Each story, from haunted houses to sinister plots, promises to captivate and terrify. Discover the genius of Poe, the master of Gothic horror and suspense, through these timeless, mind-bending narratives.

Sale price

$858

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 1986

Wait Till Helen Comes

By Mary Downing Hahn

A ghostly friend lures children to a watery fate. Can Heather be saved?

184 pages· 37,186 words· Est. 4 hour read

4.1 Goodreads · 26,709 ratings

$8.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: Heather's new friend, Helen, is a ghost from a tragic past, haunting the graveyard and luring children to drown. As Heather's stepsibling, you're drawn into a chilling mystery. Can you protect Heather from the spectral danger lurking in the shadows, or will the past repeat itself? The stakes are life and death, and the truth is more terrifying than you can imagine.

Sale price

$2560

Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2007

City of Bones

By Cassandra Clare · Book #1 in the The Mortal Instruments series

A teen witnesses a murder by tattooed strangers and enters a hidden world of demon hunters.

544 pages· 131,222 words· Est. 12 hour read

4.1 Goodreads · 2,215,260 ratings

$26.95Save 5%

Prebound-Glued

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray's night at the Pandemonium Club takes a dark turn when she sees a murder by tattooed teens with strange weapons. The body vanishes, thrusting her into the secretive world of Shadowhunters, warriors who battle demons. As Clary's mother disappears and she narrowly escapes a monstrous attack, she must uncover her own mysterious connection to this hidden realm. Can she survive and unravel the secrets of her past?

Sale price

$958

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1981

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

By Alvin Schwartz, Stephen Gammell (Illustrator) · Book #1 in the Scary Stories series

Dare to explore chilling tales of horror and dark revenge that haunt the night.

128 pages· 8,924 words· Est. 1.5 hour read

4.1 Goodreads · 74,170 ratings

$9.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Enter a world where chilling tales and eerie legends come to life. This anthology of horror stories, accompanied by haunting illustrations, invites you to face dark revenge and supernatural events. Will you dare to uncover the secrets lurking in the shadows? Each story promises to send shivers down your spine and leave you questioning what lurks in the dark. Prepare for a journey into the unknown, where every page holds a new terror. Can you handle the fear?

Sale price

$474

Chapter Book · Ages 5–8 · 1985

The Mystery of the Pirate Ghost

By Geoffrey Hayes · Otto & Uncle series

Is a ghost haunting Boogle Bay? Otto and Uncle Tooth investigate.

48 pages· 2,096 words· Est. 24 min read

4.0 Goodreads · 163 ratings

$4.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: In Boogle Bay, young Otto the alligator and his Uncle Tooth face a puzzling mystery: is there really a ghost on the loose? As they dive into this high-spirited whodunit, they uncover clues and encounter unexpected twists. Can they solve the mystery before it's too late? Join Otto and Uncle Tooth on a thrilling adventure filled with humor and surprises, perfect for young readers eager to unravel the truth behind the ghostly happenings in their vibrant town. Will they catch the culprit, or is something more mysterious at play?

Sale price

$958

Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2018

Small Spaces

By Katherine Arden · Book #1 in the Small Spaces series

A ghost story becomes real as Ollie races against time to escape a sinister specter.

216 pages· 43,944 words· Est. 5 hour read

4.0 Goodreads · 30,916 ratings

$9.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Eleven-year-old Ollie finds solace in books after a tragic loss. When she discovers a ghost story about a sinister specter, her curiosity leads her to a chilling reality. On a school trip, she finds graves matching the tale, and a broken-down bus leaves her with a cryptic warning: "RUN." As night falls, Ollie and two classmates must navigate a haunted landscape, guided only by a mysterious countdown and eerie advice to "avoid large places." Will they escape the smiling man's grasp, or will their wishes come at a terrifying cost?

Sale price

$1697

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2017

Spirit Hunters

By Ellen Oh · Book #1 in the Spirit Hunters series

A new home, eerie memories, and a brother acting strange. Can Harper uncover the haunting truth?

288 pages· 49,469 words· Est. 7 hour read

4.0 Goodreads · 4,021 ratings

$17.99Save 6%

Hardcover

Summary: Harper Raine, a seventh grader, moves into a house rumored to be haunted. Her brother, Michael, starts behaving oddly, triggering Harper's unsettling déjà vu. As eerie memories surface, Harper must unravel the mystery before it's too late. Can she confront the ghosts haunting her family and uncover the truth hidden in her past? Dive into a chilling adventure where every shadow holds a secret and every memory a clue.

Sale price

$674

Chapter Book · Ages 6–8 · 2014

The School Is Alive!

By Jack Chabert, Sam Ricks (Illustrator) · Book #1 in the Eerie Elementary series

A young boy discovers that his school is alive and trying to eat its students.

96 pages· 5,884 words· Est. 1 hour read

4.0 Goodreads · 3,348 ratings

$6.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Sam Graves, the new hall monitor, discovers his school is alive and sinister. With the class play approaching, he must team up with friends Lucy and Antonio to confront the school's dark forces. Can they save their classmates and themselves from the school's eerie grip? The clock is ticking, and the stakes are high in this thrilling adventure.

Sale price

$858

Chapter Book · Ages 10–12 · 2010

The Shadows

By Jacqueline West, Poly Bernatene (Illustrator) · Book #1 in the The Books of Elsewhere series

A girl discovers a sinister world within paintings, facing a dark power that threatens her new home.

Cybils Award (2010)

272 pages· 45,710 words· Est. 5 hour read

4.0 Goodreads · 10,665 ratings

$8.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: Eleven-year-old Olive moves into a mysterious mansion filled with eerie paintings and talking cats. When she finds antique spectacles, she can enter the paintings, uncovering a sinister world. With only the cats and a peculiar boy as allies, Olive must unravel the dark mystery threatening to consume her home. Can she save the house from the shadows before it's too late?

The Bookroo Book Club

Great books, picked for their age.

Books worth reading again and again, delivered to your door.

Find their book club

Browse by age

Horror Board Books for Babies & Toddlers

Sturdy, inviting books about horror for the youngest readers and listeners.

Series

Sale price

$1199

Nevermore!

Ages 0–3 · 2020

Introduce toddlers to Poe's 'The Raven' and its themes of love and loss.

Sale price

$599

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Ages 2–5 · 2022

A schoolmaster faces a ghostly legend. Is it real or just a tale?

Sale price

$599

The Haunted Mansion

Ages 2–5 · 2021

Enter the Haunted Mansion, but can you escape its eerie secrets?

View all horror board books

Browse by age

Horror Picture Books

Illustrated read-alouds about horror for preschool and elementary-age readers.

Sale price

$999

The Bake Shop Ghost

Ages 4–7 · 2005

A ghostly baker haunts her old shop, but a new arrival might change everything.

Series

Sale price

$599

Ten Timid Ghosts

Ages 4–8 · 2000

Ten ghosts must outwit a witch to reclaim their haunted home.

Sale price

$1599

Zombie in Love

Ages 4–8 · 2011

A lonely ghoul seeks love in a world where his arm keeps falling off.

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories

Sale price

$599

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories

Ages 4–8 · 1984

Discover spooky tales that will send shivers down your spine.

Sale price

$1499

Haunted House

Ages 2–5 · 1979

Explore a haunted house filled with eerie creatures and spine-tingling surprises.

Sale price

$1295

Ghosts in the House!

Ages 3–6 · 2008

A young witch transforms her haunted house's ghosts into household items.

#2 in Series

Sale price

$399

Disappearing Donuts

Ages 4–8 · 2000

Who stole the donuts from Doodles Donut shop? Scooby-Doo investigates.

#1 in Series

Sale price

$2399

Beneath the Bed and Other Scary Stories

Ages 5–7 · 2019

A collection of spooky and supernatural short stories for kids.

Sale price

$799

Where's My Mummy?

Ages 4–8 · 2008

A little mummy seeks comfort in a spooky game of hide-and-shriek.

Graphic Nov.

Sale price

$1899

The Wolves in the Walls

Ages 8–12 · 2003

Wolves emerge from the walls, but Lucy's fight is just starting.

Series

Sale price

$799

The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight

Ages 6–9 · 1980

Twelve poems weave a tapestry of terror and suspense.

Sale price

$999

Scary, Scary Halloween

Ages 4–8 · 1986

Mysterious eyes watch as creatures roam the night.

View all horror picture books

Browse by age

Horror Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Longer stories about horror for developing and independent readers.

#1 in Series

Sale price

$2199

The Monstrumologist

Ages 14–18 · 2009

An orphaned assistant and his mentor face a monstrous threat that could consume the world.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Sale price

$999

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Ages 12–18 · 1886

A sinister figure haunts London, hiding a shocking secret.

Series

Sale price

$499

Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots

Ages 7–9 · 1990

A group of students try to uncover the truth about their mysterious new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, who seems to have supernatural powers and a strange past.