I am leery of recommending modern horror to teens and am very discerning when it comes to the content of the genre today.  Perhaps it was ruined for me by the slasher movies of the eighties and nineties, which I considered formulaic, unrealistic, and clearly designed for no other purpose than to electrify and sensationalize (which is just lazy writing, in my opinion).  I am not unmindful of its virtues, however, especially tracing back to its early roots, which tackled the mysteries surrounding death, the afterlife, and evil.  Tales of haunted houses and demons may be found in ancient Greek plays; vampires, werewolves and ghosts are used in literature throughout history; and in many ways, it enhanced speculative fiction like no other genre could.  Just look at works like Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dracula, Hansel and Gretel, and The Phantom of the Opera.  Horror can be done tastefully, with all kinds of twists and turns, leaving the reader thrilled and satisfied, not appalled.

If you’re like me and you like scary stories that are done well, then this list is for you.  Just in time for Halloween.

Bunnicula by Deborah James Howe

Ages: 8-10

This is the story of a pet rabbit adopted by the Monroe family after finding him at a theater showing of Dracula.  He has unusual eating habits, as he likes to suck the juice out of vegetables.  The series consists of seven books that follow the adventures of the Monroe family and their pets, and it is a cute, funny read that is sure to entertain younger readers.

Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy

Ages: 8-12

This is the story of Maggie, a twelve-year-old orphan who has been bouncing around from foster families and boarding schools due to her tendency for trouble.  She finally moves in with her great-aunts Lillian and Harriet and her strange but kind uncle Morris, who live at Adelphi Hills, an old boarding school that closed down after its founders died.  While playing alone in the big house, she discovers a family of living dolls behind the attic wall.  They believe it is the same hour every day, and they have no memory of how they came to be in the attic.  As Maggie unravels the mystery surrounding these unusual characters, she discovers a kinder side to herself and she learns what friendship truly means.

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright

Ages: 8-12

Amy finds an old dollhouse in the attic of her aunt’s house, which is an exact copy of the house itself.  When she plays with the dolls, they come to life and reenact the murder of her great-grandparents, who died in the house thirty years before.  Together with her sister and her best friend, Amy struggles to solve the mystery presented by the dollhouse, and discovers a confidence in herself and what she knows.

Goosebumps by R.L. Stine

Ages: 9-14

Anyone who grew up in the nineties has heard of Goosebumps.  There are 62 books in the original series, which begins with Welcome to Dead House, the story of Amanda and Josh Benson, who move with their parents to a scary old house in the town of Dark Falls.  The teens begin to realize that something is not quite right in this town, as streets are dark and empty, their dog seems frantically obsessed with the local graveyard, and the locals behave very strangely.  When they discover the names of their new friends and neighbors on the gravestones, they begin to unravel a sinister truth about Dark Falls.  The Goosebumps series is wildly popular, with more than 400 million copies sold worldwide since its release in 1992, making it the best-selling series of all time for several years.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Ages: 12-14

The Graveyard Book is a nod to Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.  It is the story of a young boy, Bod (short for “Nobody”), whose parents are murdered by The Man Jack, so he is raised by ghosts in the graveyard near his house.  Full of humor, mystery, suspense, and the utterly delightful characterization that Gaiman is so famous for, this book is indesputably deserving of its 2009 Newbery Medal.  It is one of my personal favorite YA books of all time.

Skin and Other Stories by Roald Dahl

Ages: 15-17

The beloved author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also wrote a number of short stories for adults, eleven of which are contained in this strange and spooky compilation.  From the man whose tattoo was worth over a million dollars to the woman who hid her murder weapon in the most unexpected place, these stories are full of mystery and suspense from a master of the macabre.

D.N. Moore is an author of Young Adult fiction. She particularly loves speculative fiction ranging from fantasy to paranormal, but she will read or write in any genre. Her latest novel is a modern science fiction/western titled The Boy Who Learned to Live, set for publication as a hard cover, paperback and ebook on November 25, 2024. Her previous works include Ballad of the Dead: A Modern Fairy Tale and The Blandford Fly and Other Tales, and they have received critical acclaim in many places online and from the Writers of the Future.

Her writing has been described as “lyrical,” “chilling,” and has been praised for its diverse themes, page-turner plots, and relatable characters. She has been compared to Neil Gaiman and Naomi Novik and her work is loved by teens and adults alike.

As a former teacher and a mother, she loves starting and nurturing the reading “bug” in children and young adults.  Her blog offers suggested reading to teens, teachers, and parents, with a focus on quality literature and age-appropriate themes.  She has personally read every single book she recommends.  Sign up for her newsletter here to be notified of new reading lists as they come out.

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