Halloween Books for Tweens: From Gentle Chills to Hair-Raising Thrills

Seven young foxes gather around to share spine-chilling tales that blend adventure with just the right amount of spookiness. Each story features brave animal characters facing supernatural challenges, from ghostly owls to mysterious forests.

The scares are perfectly calibrated for sensitive readers—thrilling without being truly frightening, making it an ideal introduction to horror for younger tweens.

When robot Roz awakens on a remote island after a storm, she must learn to survive in the wilderness. While not traditionally scary, the book has suspenseful moments and themes of isolation that create an atmospheric tension.

Roz faces dangerous predators and harsh weather, but the focus remains on friendship, survival, and finding one’s place in the world rather than genuine scares.

Zach, Alice, and Poppy have been playing an elaborate fantasy game for years, but when Zach’s father throws away his action figures, everything changes. Their friend Alice claims she’s been visited by the ghost of a girl whose remains are inside an old china doll, and she needs their help to lay the spirit to rest.

This atmospheric tale blends friendship drama with supernatural elements that are spooky but not overwhelming.

Nobody Owens is raised by ghosts in a graveyard after his family is murdered when he’s a toddler. As Bod grows up among the supernatural residents of the cemetery, he learns their customs and gains special abilities, but the human world above ground holds greater dangers.

Gaiman masterfully balances genuine scares with warmth and humor, creating a coming-of-age story that’s both spooky and deeply moving.

When Coraline discovers a door to an alternate world where everything seems better—including parents with button eyes—she initially thinks she’s found paradise. But this other world harbors dark secrets, and Coraline must use her wits and courage to escape before she becomes trapped forever.

This modern classic delivers genuine chills while celebrating bravery and the importance of family, even when they’re imperfect.

Ten-year-old Lewis goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old mansion that literally ticks with mysterious clocks. When Lewis accidentally awakens the dead sorcerer Isaac Izard, he and his uncle must stop an apocalyptic spell.

This classic combines supernatural thrills with humor and heart, featuring magical battles, mysterious potions, and plenty of atmospheric mansion scenes that will keep readers on edge.

Ollie discovers a mysterious book that warns her to “avoid large spaces at night, stick to small spaces.” When her school bus breaks down near a cornfield and her classmates start disappearing, Ollie realizes the book’s warnings were real.

She must navigate a nightmarish world of scarecrows and twisted reality to save her friends and herself. This page-turner delivers genuine scares while celebrating quick thinking and loyalty.

In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry assists his guardian, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a “monstrumologist” who studies and hunts monsters. When grave robbers disturb a cemetery, they unleash carnivorous creatures called Anthropophagi on a New England town.

Will and the doctor must track down these deadly monsters before they devour everyone. This Victorian-era horror is genuinely frightening but maintains focus on Will’s growth and his complex relationship with his mentor.

After a family tragedy, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers clues that lead him to a mysterious island and an abandoned children’s home. There he meets children with extraordinary abilities who are hiding from terrifying creatures called Hollowgasts.

Using vintage found photographs, Riggs creates a haunting visual narrative that blends time travel, supernatural threats, and the very real horror of World War II.

In an alternate London where ghosts are a deadly reality, teenage ghost hunters Lucy, Anthony, and George form their own psychic investigation agency. Their first major case involves a haunted mansion where previous investigators have died or gone insane.

This series combines supernatural horror with detective work, humor, and great character development, making it perfect for tweens who want genuine scares with engaging protagonists.

Sixteen-year-old Mackie has always known he’s different—he’s actually a changeling left in place of a human baby. When children in his town start disappearing, Mackie must confront his origins and enter the dark underground world he came from to save them.

This dark fantasy explores themes of belonging and identity while delivering genuinely creepy supernatural elements and emotional depth.