If you have a little one in your life, they may be asking for SCARY BOOKS this month. But what if your little one’s not quite ready for a truly scary read? Here are some slightly scary books that just might fit the bill.
Picture Books:
The Book That Eats People by John Perry (2009). Be careful – this book has already eaten several people. Open it only if you dare…
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds (2012). Jasper Rabbit loves to eat carrots… until the day that the carrots start following him… or are they?
Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex (2006). Definitely more funny than scary, this collection of poems about famous monsters and creatures will provide laughs for the whole family.
In a Dark, Dark Room, and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz (1984). Yes, Alvin Schwartz is the author of the popular (and SCARY) collections Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, but for younger readers not yet ready for those terrifying tales, this easy reader will fit the bill. Spooky, but not terrifying.
The Mystery of Eatum Hall by John Kelly (2004). Mr. and Mrs. Pork-Fowler are invited to spend a weekend of gourmet dining at a spooky castle where their host, Mr. Hunter, is anxious to “meat” them.
Vampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace (2012). The cutest ballerina you’ll ever meet. Check out her further adventures in Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover and Vampirina Ballerina at the Beach.
Early Chapter Books:
Dying to Meet You (43 Old Cemetery Road series) by Kate Klise (2009). Author I.B. Grumply moves into the old Victorian house at 43 Old Cemetery Road, hoping to cure his writer’s block, but he finds the house already occupied by eleven-year-old Seymour, his cat Shadow, and an irritable ghost named Olive.
The Haunted House Next Door (Desmond Cole, Ghost Patrol series) by Andres Miedoso (2017). Desmond runs his own ghost patrol, a business that keeps him very busy in the haunted town of Kersville.
The Rise of the Balloon Goons (Notebook of Doom series) by Troy Cummings (2013; 89 pages). Alexander has just moved and there is definitely something strange about this town. From school meeting in the morgue to the strange “balloon goons” everywhere, what is going on? Kids who like a mix of humor and frights will love this series.
What slightly scary books do your kids like?
— Abby Johnson, Collection Development Lead
