By Kelsey McCallum
Witches, ghouls, and zombies, oh my! That’s right, spooky season is here, and it’s the perfect time to share a fresh batch of thrillers, mysteries, and spine-chilling stories with your students. We’ve gathered up a bunch of new terrifying tales to tell in the classroom—along with some more lighthearted, not-so-scary books for the younger grades. Looking for even more haunted and harrowing reads? Be sure to check out our previous list of Halloween books as well.
Creepy Classroom
By François Gravel
Translated by David Warriner
Orca Book Publishers (October 2024)
Grade Level: 4–7
There’s something sinister lurking in the basement of Matt’s school. When he ventures down into its depths to help the librarian pack up some old books, he makes a horrifying discovery. But before he can escape, all the exits seem to disappear. Is Matt doomed to be trapped at school forever? Now that’s a scary thought!
Danica dela Torre, Certified Sleuth
By Mikaela Lucido
Illustrated by Joanna Cacao
Annick Press (September 2024)
Grade Level: 3–7
Here’s a great new paranormal mystery for middle-grade readers. Danica and her partner Jack are the only kid detectives in town—until Kennedy Fang moves in, that is. At first Danica wants nothing to do with her competition, but when Kennedy claims that his house is haunted, and that he needs Danica and Jack’s help to solve the case, she relents. It’s not like Danica believes in ghosts anyway. Or at least, she thought she didn’t, but maybe she’s about to be proven wrong…
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Feeling Boo
By Alex Boniello and April Lavalle
Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller
Abrams Books for Young Readers (August 2024)
Grade Level: K–2
This heartwarmingly haunted book offers young readers a not-so-scary look at mental health, as told through the eyes of a melancholic ghost. When Ollie wakes up feeling “boo,” his best friend Ellie isn’t sure how to help. She tries her hardest to raise his spirits (pun intended), but when nothing seems to do the trick, she begins to understand that maybe just being by Ollie’s side is enough.
Get Ready for Halloween
By Janet Nolan
Illustrated by Amy Zhing
Albert Whitman & Co. (September 2024)
Grade Level: K–2
Get kids excited for a fun night of trick-or-treating as they follow along with this charming cast of animal characters who are preparing to celebrate Halloween. From visiting a pumpkin patch to decorating the house to planning what costume to wear, there’s a lot of fun to be had this time of year! Get Ready for Halloween captures that suspenseful energy by pairing Janet Nolan’s sparse text with Amy Zhing’s bright, whimsical illustrations—a delightful combination that makes this book a real treat.
Ghosts of Gastown
By Jessica Renwick
Yellow Dog (October 2024)
Grade Level: 3–7
Hope Graves is haunted, and not just by the recent loss of her father. Ever since she and her mom moved to their new apartment in Vancouver’s Gastown area, ghosts have been hiding around every corner—but Hope’s the only one who can see them. No one believes her, at least, not until she meets Oliver, whose parents run the occult store in Hope’s building. Oliver sees the spirits of the dead too, and is the only person Hope can turn to after a ghost appears in her bedroom, begging for help. This sets off a series of supernatural events far more twisted than Hope could’ve ever imagined. Will she and Oliver be able to figure out what’s going on, before it’s too late?
The Ghost Rules
By Adam Rosenbaum
Holiday House (August 2024)
Grade Level: 3–7
The Ghost Rules is more than just a spooky story about spirits and spectres. It’s also a tale of friendship, heart, and overcoming grief. When Elwood McGee starts seeing ghosts, the only thing he wants to do is use his powers to find the spirit of his recently-passed brother, Noah. With the help of two girls who live in the small Tennessee town that Elwood and his family have recently moved to, he sets off on a journey through this new ghost-filled world. And what Elwood is about to discover might just help him learn to let go and start moving forward with his own life. (Note that additional resources for this book include a Reading Group Guide.)
Griselda Snook’s Spectacular Books
By Barry Timms
Illustrated by Laura Borio
Tiger Tales (July 2024)
Grade Level: K–2
Henry doesn’t really like books, but Griselda Snook is determined to change his mind by finding something for him in her bookshop, which features a spooktacular array of Halloween-themed books for monsters, mummies, and many other creatures of all shapes, sizes, and ages. Henry spends the day chatting with the store’s unique customers, watching as they find their perfect books, but he remains unconvinced that there’s one out there for him. Will Griselda and her wonderfully weird cast of characters be able to convince him otherwise?
The House Where Death Lives: An Anthology
Edited by Alex Brown
Page Street Publishing (August 2024)
Grade Level: 9–12
The stories in this YA horror anthology all take place within a single house, one that isn’t bound by laws of space or time. Each offers a unique take on monsters from a number of cultural traditions, including Tricksters, Tiyanaks, Manananggals, and more!
Little Ghost Makes a Friend
By Maggie Edkins Willis
Paula Wiseman Books (July 2024)
Grade Level: K–2
Making new friends can be scary, even for ghosts. When a new girl moves next door to the house that Little Ghost and his mom have been haunting for years, he wants to introduce himself, but he’s not sure how. Then he gets an idea: maybe he’ll throw a Halloween party and invite her to come! But now he has another problem. What costume can he wear that will make her want to be friends with him?
The Other Ones
By Fran Hart
Chicken House (August 2024)
Grade Level: 7–12
YA readers are sure to fall in love with this spooky LGBTQ+ romance. Salem Amani just wants to be ordinary, but that’s a hard thing to be when he lives in a house full of ghosts. One day a boy named Pax shows up on his doorstep, asking all kinds of questions that Sal really doesn’t want to answer. He’s just about to send this mysterious stranger away when Pax offers to help with the ghosts. Begrudgingly, Sal agrees, and as the two begin work together to scare away the spirits, they start growing closer. At least, until the secret Sal is desperately trying to keep about the hauntings finally comes to light.
A Peculiar Haunted House
By Paul Czajak
Illustrated by Laura Brenlla
Reycraft Books (August 2024)
Grade Level: K–2
A creepy old house rests on a quiet street. It sits vacant after its previous owners were chased away by a series of supernatural events—all of which were caused by the house itself! The house wants to remain empty, but when a strange new family moves in, the house’s attempts to scare them off don’t seem to work. Will this family really stay, or will the house be able to chase them away after all?
The Necromancer’s Apprentice
By Beverly Twomey
Snowy Wings Publishing (October 2024)
Grade Level: 3–7
After his mother dies, 12-year-old Georgie works hard to take care of his grieving father. Despite his best efforts, however, his father continues to sink further and further into his grief. Georgie decides there’s only one thing left to do: bring his mom back from the dead. He contacts the local Necromancer for help, and soon finds himself being drawn deeper and deeper into the dangerous and daunting world of the undead. (Additional educator resources for The Necromancer’s Apprentice are also available.)
The Rise of Issa Igwe
By Shanna Miles
Union Square Kids (October 2024)
Grade Level: 3–7
Steeped in Gullah and Geechee culture, this nail-biting novel is sure to keep students on the edge of their seats. Attending the Siren School should be an honour—it is the most prestigious boarding school for magical girls, after all—but to Issa Igwe it feels more like witch prison. She isn’t happy to be there, despite her parents’ insistence, and she’s even less inclined to stay after a shocking loss upends her entire world. Issa’s always been a bit of a rule-breaker, and now she decides to break her school’s biggest rule of all: she’s going to use magic to travel back in time. But as she begins gathering the necessary ingredients for her spell, Issa also ends up uncovering some dark secrets that the Siren School is desperately trying to keep hidden…
We Shall Be Monsters
By Tara Sim
Nancy Paulsen Books (June 2024)
Grade Level: 9–12
This dark fantasy offers a mash-up of Frankenstein and Indian mythology as it tells the story of Kajal who is trying to bring her sister, Lasya, back to life. When the resurrection goes terribly wrong and Lasya’s soul transforms into a dangerous, wraith-like spirit called a bhuta, Kajal is sentenced to death for her crime. All hope seems lost, until a pair of strangers offer to free Kajal. In exchange, she must resurrect their kingdom’s deceased crown prince. The only problem: the boy she resurrects is definitely not the prince. Now Kajal must team up with this mysterious boy to find the real prince and fix her mistake, before it’s too late.
Zombie Apocalypse Running Club
By Carrie Mac
Crown Books for Young Readers (August 2024)
Grade Level: 9–12
A plague has started spreading across the world, turning people into zombies. At first, twins Eira and Soren stay safe thanks to their survivalist parents, but when it’s clear their parents’ way of life can’t protect them forever, the twins decide to set off on their own. It doesn’t take long for the pair to realize that their survivalist skills won’t be enough to keep them alive, but then they come across their friend Racer, a Special Olympics champion, who gets them on a training regimen to help them become fast enough to outrun the monsters. Zombie Apocalypse Running Club is a delightful blend of humour and horror, with an extra sprinkling of queer representation that students are sure to adore.
Kelsey McCallum is an Associate Editor for TEACH Magazine. She holds a BSc from the University of Guelph and a Graduate Certificate from Centennial College. She currently lives in Toronto, ON, with her partner and their cat, Banksy.
