Hey everyone and welcome to Owl Book World! Today I’m writing a list of Middle-Grade Horror Books for kids who are just starting out with horror. This list is also super helpful for those who already like horror and are just wanting more books to read. On top of that if you’re older (than a middle-schooler) and wanting to ease into horror these may be the perfect books to start off with. Yes, they are scary books for tweens but starting with books for a younger audience can be very helpful because they aren’t as bad as books for older audiences.
Before I get started how do you guys feel about horror books for kids between 11-13? Do you think middle schoolers should be reading age-appropriate horror novels? It seems back in the ’90s (or even earlier) a lot of us kids were able to get away with reading whatever books we wanted. I was definitely one of those kids that got away with reading books I probably shouldn’t have. Now it seems like a lot of parents are hiding their kids away from horror even though it might be something that they would enjoy.
I am by no means saying let them read Stephen King books that I know will surely scar them. But this will be the perfect list for those who are showing interest in the genre.
So here are a few middle-grade horror books for young readers who are showing an interest in reading horror!
Goosebumps
I know I know an R.L. Stine book. I can’t create a post about middle-grade horror books without talking about Goosebumps. The books were wildly popular back in the 90’s so I’m not completely sure how they would resonate with kids now but I have heard some kids have been enjoying them. This would be the perfect series to start off with because then you can watch the show and movies afterward.
This series is actually what really got me started with reading and just reading horror in general! I love the show as well. I’m definitely hoping when my son gets older then he’ll be able to get into these as well!
It’s the First Day of School…Forever!
Yes, yes I am adding another R.L. Stine book but that’s because I feel like most have heard about Goosebumps and The Fear Street Novels. I just read this one this year and loved it! I won’t give anything away but I do feel like this would be the perfect book for those who like video games. Just an FYI the story isn’t about video games but does have an involvement with them!
Here’s my review for that here.
If you’re an R.L. Stine fan then make sure you check this one out as well. I can see those who grew up on his books will like this one very well too.
Mine
This book actually came out this year so if you’re looking for something newer then this would be perfect. I ended up getting an advanced copy of this book and didn’t even realize that it was middle-grade horror. The story is eerie and has the perfect creepy setting. I do recommend reading this one before them. Not that anything really bad happens but there are some creepy aspects that might be better off deciding if they can handle or not beforehand.
You can find my review of Mine here.
The Folcroft Ghosts
So, technically this book is classified as YA, but since the main character is in eighth grade I’m including it with this. I get that eighth grade in some areas is a part of the high school, there are still other areas where they are still a part of the middle school. And since the storyline is more juvenile than a lot of YA I figured this would be the perfect post to add it to! This one is about a brother and sister visiting grandparents they never heard of and crazy things happen there that their grandparents brush off.
The Folcroft Ghosts is a great ghost story to read on a rainy day or even before bed for a scary story before bed!
The Cursed
The Cursed is another book that was released just recently. There’s The Cursed and The Taker and they are both middle grade horror stories. The books are based off the show on Shudder called Creepshow. Both of these stories actually kind of remind of Goosebumps in a way. In both books there are two different stories with different characters that worth reading.
The stories are different than from what I read before but I still enjoyed them. However when reading the books I did end up like one story more than the other in both books.
The stories are unique and have surprising endings that you aren’t able to guess. The endings are a major point in what reminded me of the Goosebumps books!
The Beast and the Bethany
So, I’m not fully sure if I’d condister this horror but it does have it’s “horror” moments. The Beast and the Bethany is probably best for the younger part of middle-schoolers. It’s a great read with some creepy moments. The best thing is that the story is short and should be a somewhat quick read.
The Beast and the Bethany is another 2021 release so if you’re looking for something newer that kids can relate to the characters a little more then this one and a few of the others might be the best route to go. Don’t push off Goosebumps for that reason though because your younger readers might still enjoy them a lot as well.
You can find my review for this one here.
Are there any middle-grade horror books that you feel belong to the list? Make sure to let me know in the comments!
If you enjoyed this list then you might also like my YA Horror Book List.
Make sure you subscribe to my newsletter because I will be updating this once I read more Middle-grade horror novels. This will be the perfect opportunity to stay up to date!
Yes kids should be allow to read horror that age appropriate for them.
Zilpha Keatley Snyder wrote some good scary books for kids. The Trespassers and The Whites of Wrom are both creepy in their atmosphere. I remember them creeping me out as a kid. The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright that is creepy as well.
A MG series that I recently read is The Shadow House series by Dan Poblocki.
Oh thank you for the recommendations! I haven’t heard of them but I’m going to have to check them out!