quality "scary/ghost" books for 7yo girl?

[Gwenny]

I need a list of books for my dd7. She LOVES scary, ghost, spooky types of books. I'd like them to be well written also. Any suggestions? She reads really well, so reading level doesn't really matter.

Thanks,

Gwen

[TN Mama]

My 9 year old daughter has always loved scary stories as well. Tomorrow I'll ask her for some recommendations.

[nmoira]

The Green Knowe series by L. Boston. The first book is The Children of Green Knowe.

 

John Bellairs (The House with a Clock in Its Walls, etc)

 

Joan Aiken has some mildly spooky short story collections: A Fit of Shivers, One Foot in the Grave, A Creepy Company, A Bundle of Nerves

 

The Little White Horse

 

Well Witched (Verdigris Deep in the UK) is creepy, but firmly middle school, not YA creepy

 

Coraline and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

 

not ghost spooky, but maybe The Egypt Game

 

The Boggart and sequel by Susan Cooper, mora poignant than spooky

 

some Eva Ibbotson, though not really creepy

 

Grimm's Fairy Tales

 

Tom's Midnight Garden

 

Double Spell (aka Twin Spell) by Janet Lunn

 

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror and sequels

 

Skellig

[Lori D.]

Try these collections; I had the "Alfred Hitchcock's Haunted Houseful" when I was a kid, and loved the story "Jimmy Takes Vanishing Lessons", which is available as a book all on its own, here. As I recall, these stories ran at grade 3-6 levels.

 

I loved these now OOP fairytale collections by Ruth Manning Sanders, well written at about a grade 5 level, with wonderful pen and ink line illustrations. The scary ones would include "The Book of Ghosts and Goblins", "The Book of Witches", "Book of Spooks and Spectres", etc.

 

 

Not personally familiar with these, but here's a collection of the best scary stories from Cricket magazine: "13 Scary Ghost Stories". Here is completely different collection (not from Cricket) for gr. 3-6.

 

 

Happy Haunting! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Jamee]

My boys really got into Frankenstein and War of the Worlds. Different kind of spooky. Of course, they love Goosebumps, but read those in an evening so probably not what you're looking for. Need to keep my eyes on this one for my kids.

[TN Mama]

Ok, Dd hasn't read much in the way of ghost stories, but I'll be watching this thread with interest, as I know she'd love. For spooky/scary, her recommendations are

 

The Sister's Grimm (series)

Lang's Fairy Books (She says the purple is her favorite, but she loves them all.) Here's the Blue.

 

She also loves reading folk tales and myths.

[Momling]

My daughter just read the Books of Elsewhere and said it was good and spooky. I think she also liked Aunt Maria by Diana Wynne Jones. She loves Eva Ibbotson. She liked The Graveyard book and Coraline, though I find them sort of... dark-spooky, not playful-spooky.

[nmoira]

 

I think she also liked Aunt Maria by Diana Wynne Jones.

Its UK title is Black Maria. Edited September 6, 2010 by nmoira

[MelanieM]

We really enjoyed the Araminta Spooky books. Excellent spooky, but not too scary, books for the younger set.

[nmoira]

A couple more:

 

Behind the Attic Wall

(and not spooky but tense and very good... The Doll's House by Rumer Godden)

Edited September 6, 2010 by nmoira

[Caitilin]

The Green Knowe series by L. Boston. The first book is The Children of Green Knowe. I LOVE these, though I would only call the one called The Enemy At Green Knowe really spooky.

 

John Bellairs (The House with a Clock in Its Walls, etc) I have read these, and still find them well and truly creepy, even as an adult.

 

Joan Aiken has some mildly spooky short story collections: A Fit of Shivers, One Foot in the Grave, A Creepy Company, A Bundle of Nerves Joan Aiken is excellent. Your dd might also like her Dido Twite series.

 

The Little White Horse

 

Well Witched (Verdigris Deep in the UK) is creepy, but firmly middle school, not YA creepy

 

Coraline and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

 

not ghost spooky, but maybe The Egypt Game; There are several other with a more spooky feel, like The Headless Cupid. All good.

 

The Boggart and sequel by Susan Cooper, more poignant than spooky. Love the Boggart, tho' we didn't find it spooky. The Dark is Rising series is a lot spookier, IMO. :)

 

some Eva Ibbotson, though not really creepy Good tense fun!

 

Grimm's Fairy Tales

 

Tom's Midnight Garden

 

Double Spell (aka Twin Spell) by Janet Lunn

 

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror and sequels

 

Skellig

 

My comments above in bold.

 

I agree with all those that I am familiar with. :)

 

Also check out The Box of Delights and The Midnight Folk by John Masefield.

 

ETA: Just thought of this one as I was driving today, but also check out the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. The first one is called The Amulet of Samarkand.

Edited September 8, 2010 by Caitilin

[Gwenny]

Thanks! I knew you guys would have some great ones for me! I've never heard of many of these.

Gwen

[Violet Crown]

If you can find a copy, Why Am I Grown So Cold is an excellent collection of eerie, uncanny, and sometimes spooky poetry. I'm using it as a poetry read-aloud for my 7yo, to her delight.