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Haunted
Matt Haig, Derek Landy, Philip Reeve, Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Mal Peet, Berlie Doherty, Robin Jarvis, Eleanor Updale, Jamila Gavin and Sam Llewellyn have come together to bring you eleven spine-tingling stories. Watch your step as you take a ghost walk around the ancient city of York and a long-ago woodland which is reawakening. Be warned of the drowned boy who will stop at nothing to find someone to play with for all time. Look into the mirror, where a lost child lurks, ready to pull you in, and try not to cry out at the monstrous creatures prowling for their next victim. Some stories will make you scream, some will make you shiver – but all will haunt you long after you've put the book down . . .
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
10 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Susan Cooper
162 books2,466 followersSusan Cooper's latest book is the YA novel "Ghost Hawk" (2013)
Susan Cooper was born in 1935, and grew up in England's Buckinghamshire, an area that was green countryside then but has since become part of Greater London. As a child, she loved to read, as did her younger brother, who also became a writer. After attending Oxford, where she became the first woman to ever edit that university's newspaper, Cooper worked as a reporter and feature writer for London's Sunday Times; her first boss was James Bond creator Ian Fleming.
Cooper wrote her first book for young readers in response to a publishing house competition; "Over Sea, Under Stone" would later form the basis for her critically acclaimed five-book fantasy sequence, "The Dark Is Rising." The fourth book in the series, "The Grey King," won the Newbery Medal in 1976. By that time, Susan Cooper had been living in America for 13 years, having moved to marry her first husband, an American professor, and was stepmother to three children and the mother of two.
Cooper went on to write other well-received novels, including "The Boggart" (and its sequel "The Boggart and the Monster"), "King of Shadows", and "Victory," as well as several picture books for young readers with illustrators such as Ashley Bryan and Warwick Hutton. She has also written books for adults, as well as plays and Emmy-nominated screenplays, many in collaboration with the actor Hume Cronyn, whom she married in 1996. Hume Cronyn died in 2003 and Ms. Cooper now lives in Marshfield MA. When Cooper is not working, she enjoys playing piano, gardening, and traveling.
Recent books include the collaborative project "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure" and her biography of Jack Langstaff titled "The Magic Maker." Her newest book is "Ghost Hawk."
Visit her Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/SusanCooperFanPage
www.facebook.com/GhostHawkBySusanCooper
Susan Cooper was born in 1935, and grew up in England's Buckinghamshire, an area that was green countryside then but has since become part of Greater London. As a child, she loved to read, as did her younger brother, who also became a writer. After attending Oxford, where she became the first woman to ever edit that university's newspaper, Cooper worked as a reporter and feature writer for London's Sunday Times; her first boss was James Bond creator Ian Fleming.
Cooper wrote her first book for young readers in response to a publishing house competition; "Over Sea, Under Stone" would later form the basis for her critically acclaimed five-book fantasy sequence, "The Dark Is Rising." The fourth book in the series, "The Grey King," won the Newbery Medal in 1976. By that time, Susan Cooper had been living in America for 13 years, having moved to marry her first husband, an American professor, and was stepmother to three children and the mother of two.
Cooper went on to write other well-received novels, including "The Boggart" (and its sequel "The Boggart and the Monster"), "King of Shadows", and "Victory," as well as several picture books for young readers with illustrators such as Ashley Bryan and Warwick Hutton. She has also written books for adults, as well as plays and Emmy-nominated screenplays, many in collaboration with the actor Hume Cronyn, whom she married in 1996. Hume Cronyn died in 2003 and Ms. Cooper now lives in Marshfield MA. When Cooper is not working, she enjoys playing piano, gardening, and traveling.
Recent books include the collaborative project "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure" and her biography of Jack Langstaff titled "The Magic Maker." Her newest book is "Ghost Hawk."
Visit her Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/SusanCooperFanPage
www.facebook.com/GhostHawkBySusanCooper
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November 11, 2024
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Thank you the publisher, Andersen Press, for sending me a copy of Haunted: Ghost Stories to Chill Your Blood. Also thanks to Kaleidoscopic Tours and LoveReading4Kids, for the opportunity to be part of the buzz for this book.
I am also hosting a giveaway for residents in the UK – for a chance to win a copy of this book head over to my Instagram Post. The giveaway ends on 1st November 2020.
Haunted is a collection of short ghost stories, written by multiple authors. The authors are the following: Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Mal Peet, Jamila Gavin, Eleanor Updale, Derek Landy, Robin Jarvis, Sam Llewellyn, Matt Haig, Philip Reeve and Berlie Doherty.
It is incredible that these amazing children’s authors gathered together. They managed to create stories that kept me in a good cozy spooky mood for a while, giving me unexpected chills from time to time. It was a perfect Halloween read, and I am so glad I got the chance to read it! Even the author’s biographies in the end were a bit spooky. Below you will see a breakdown of my opinions for every story, in case you want to know more. My rating is the average rating of all stories combined. I had to hold back on some information for some, to prevent spoilers. There are no spoilers in the next section, but if you’re planning to read the book, I would suggest you dive into it blindly. That way, you’ll get the full experience!
1. The Castle Ghosts by Joseph Delaney – ★★★★
When a young man starts a night shift at a castle full of prisoners, he has no clue of what’s about to happen. The castle is scary at night, and there are stories that it’s haunted as well. Then, unexpected things begin to happen. I enjoyed this story. It was engrossing and intense, but slightly too short to my liking. I liked the haunted vibe though, as well as the incredible ending.
2. The Caretakers by Susan Cooper – ★★★★
A beautifully written spooky story about a family that travels to Devon for a vacation. Anna doesn’t really get along with her brother James. And James has issues of his own, one of them being a complete disregard of social clues and people’s feelings. It was a bit slow at the beginning, but the amazing ending made up for it. I really enjoyed the love Anna has for her brother, even though he may not be able to see that.
3. Good Boy by Mal Peet – ★★★
Katie Callan has a recurring nightmare of a dog walking towards her. She has had this dream since she was a child. When she grows up and moves into another city, a dangerous situation will finally reveal why she has had this dream all along. I liked the story, but it didn’t intrigue me or spook me like the others did.
4. The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin – ★★★★★
This was so far my favorite story. It is longer than the others and it contains family drama with a spooky element of ghosts having unfinished business. I liked Freddie a lot as well.
5. The Ghost in the Machine by Eleanor Updale – ★★★★
This story was cool and unexpected. It was also a modern day one, where the ghost is in electronic form. I really liked that idea. The creativity and the way how it worked were put together very nicely. I just didn’t feel the spookiness.
6. Songs the Dead Sing by Derek Landy – ★★★★
A ghost story that was also heartwarming. Well, that’s a first. I enjoyed this one a lot. Maybe because it had a detective vibe, as well as intensity throughout the way. The ending made me smile.
7. The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis – ★★★★★
Bram is staying at his aunt Pat’s cabins during the summer with his mum and his older sister. He doesn’t have any friends and his sister ignores him. Then one day, he decides to spend the night in the beach hut. But little does he know – the hut is already occupied. But a girl who is a ghost. This story is another favorite of mine. I loved that it was set in the summer. We usually associate scary stories with autumn, or cold weather, and this was a nice change to remind us that ghosts can appear in any season. I loved Bram and could relate to him a lot. He was a brave soul, who loved adventure and didn’t have many friends. I also loved the ghost story and how it ended. The plot twist was very unpredictable and I loved it so much!
8. The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness by Sam llewellyn – ★★★★★
Another great story, this one written in the form of a diary. Connecting events of the past and the present – I really enjoyed the ending. It was very intriguing, and the story telling was spot on. I wanted to know a bit more about the ghost in the end.
9. The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig – ★★★★★
The Ghost Walk is my ultimate favorite. It is also the one story that I can’t say what it’s about without spoiling anything. But it was wonderful and it was intriguing. It kept me glued to the pages until the very end. It also gave me shivers a couple of times!. If you’re only going to read one story from this book, it should be this one.
10. The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve – ★★★★
So adorable and sad. Especially the ending. And another story that I won’t reveal the synopsis of. It was a bit slow at the beginning and too descriptive for my taste. But the ending made up for it.
11. The Little Ship’s Boy by Berlie Doherty – ★★★★
Jez stays in Cornwall with his uncle and aunt. And there’s a story about a haunted ship that appears during big storms. But when Jez also sees a child, asking to be saved, he needs to do something. Filled with intensity and singing sailors, this story gave me the chills. There’s also a music sheet for the song as well, and I wish I was musically educated to be able to play it.
Thank you the publisher, Andersen Press, for sending me a copy of Haunted: Ghost Stories to Chill Your Blood. Also thanks to Kaleidoscopic Tours and LoveReading4Kids, for the opportunity to be part of the buzz for this book.
I am also hosting a giveaway for residents in the UK – for a chance to win a copy of this book head over to my Instagram Post. The giveaway ends on 1st November 2020.
Haunted is a collection of short ghost stories, written by multiple authors. The authors are the following: Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Mal Peet, Jamila Gavin, Eleanor Updale, Derek Landy, Robin Jarvis, Sam Llewellyn, Matt Haig, Philip Reeve and Berlie Doherty.
It is incredible that these amazing children’s authors gathered together. They managed to create stories that kept me in a good cozy spooky mood for a while, giving me unexpected chills from time to time. It was a perfect Halloween read, and I am so glad I got the chance to read it! Even the author’s biographies in the end were a bit spooky. Below you will see a breakdown of my opinions for every story, in case you want to know more. My rating is the average rating of all stories combined. I had to hold back on some information for some, to prevent spoilers. There are no spoilers in the next section, but if you’re planning to read the book, I would suggest you dive into it blindly. That way, you’ll get the full experience!
1. The Castle Ghosts by Joseph Delaney – ★★★★
When a young man starts a night shift at a castle full of prisoners, he has no clue of what’s about to happen. The castle is scary at night, and there are stories that it’s haunted as well. Then, unexpected things begin to happen. I enjoyed this story. It was engrossing and intense, but slightly too short to my liking. I liked the haunted vibe though, as well as the incredible ending.
2. The Caretakers by Susan Cooper – ★★★★
A beautifully written spooky story about a family that travels to Devon for a vacation. Anna doesn’t really get along with her brother James. And James has issues of his own, one of them being a complete disregard of social clues and people’s feelings. It was a bit slow at the beginning, but the amazing ending made up for it. I really enjoyed the love Anna has for her brother, even though he may not be able to see that.
3. Good Boy by Mal Peet – ★★★
Katie Callan has a recurring nightmare of a dog walking towards her. She has had this dream since she was a child. When she grows up and moves into another city, a dangerous situation will finally reveal why she has had this dream all along. I liked the story, but it didn’t intrigue me or spook me like the others did.
4. The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin – ★★★★★
This was so far my favorite story. It is longer than the others and it contains family drama with a spooky element of ghosts having unfinished business. I liked Freddie a lot as well.
5. The Ghost in the Machine by Eleanor Updale – ★★★★
This story was cool and unexpected. It was also a modern day one, where the ghost is in electronic form. I really liked that idea. The creativity and the way how it worked were put together very nicely. I just didn’t feel the spookiness.
6. Songs the Dead Sing by Derek Landy – ★★★★
A ghost story that was also heartwarming. Well, that’s a first. I enjoyed this one a lot. Maybe because it had a detective vibe, as well as intensity throughout the way. The ending made me smile.
7. The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis – ★★★★★
Bram is staying at his aunt Pat’s cabins during the summer with his mum and his older sister. He doesn’t have any friends and his sister ignores him. Then one day, he decides to spend the night in the beach hut. But little does he know – the hut is already occupied. But a girl who is a ghost. This story is another favorite of mine. I loved that it was set in the summer. We usually associate scary stories with autumn, or cold weather, and this was a nice change to remind us that ghosts can appear in any season. I loved Bram and could relate to him a lot. He was a brave soul, who loved adventure and didn’t have many friends. I also loved the ghost story and how it ended. The plot twist was very unpredictable and I loved it so much!
8. The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness by Sam llewellyn – ★★★★★
Another great story, this one written in the form of a diary. Connecting events of the past and the present – I really enjoyed the ending. It was very intriguing, and the story telling was spot on. I wanted to know a bit more about the ghost in the end.
9. The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig – ★★★★★
The Ghost Walk is my ultimate favorite. It is also the one story that I can’t say what it’s about without spoiling anything. But it was wonderful and it was intriguing. It kept me glued to the pages until the very end. It also gave me shivers a couple of times!. If you’re only going to read one story from this book, it should be this one.
10. The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve – ★★★★
So adorable and sad. Especially the ending. And another story that I won’t reveal the synopsis of. It was a bit slow at the beginning and too descriptive for my taste. But the ending made up for it.
11. The Little Ship’s Boy by Berlie Doherty – ★★★★
Jez stays in Cornwall with his uncle and aunt. And there’s a story about a haunted ship that appears during big storms. But when Jez also sees a child, asking to be saved, he needs to do something. Filled with intensity and singing sailors, this story gave me the chills. There’s also a music sheet for the song as well, and I wish I was musically educated to be able to play it.
December 27, 2020
As is expected with an anthology there were definitely some stories I preferred over others, some had me glancing over my shoulder while others gave me goosebumps! A few of my favourites were The Castle Ghosts by Joseph Delaney, Good Boy by Mal Peet, The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin and The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig.
Anthologies always introduce me to new and exciting authors, they give me the chance to try a small taste of their writing which can lead to discovering a new favourite author! I'll definitely be looking up Jamila Gavin's other works after reading that brilliant short story. If you're looking for a novel to read for Halloween, why not try this anthology?
Anthologies always introduce me to new and exciting authors, they give me the chance to try a small taste of their writing which can lead to discovering a new favourite author! I'll definitely be looking up Jamila Gavin's other works after reading that brilliant short story. If you're looking for a novel to read for Halloween, why not try this anthology?
October 30, 2020
Haunted: Ghost Stories to Chill Your Blood
This book is comprised of a collection of short stories, written by various well-loved authors including Matt Haig, Joseph Delaney and Derek Landy. I love how these middle-grade authors came together to create this special anthology for their readers.
Reading short stories is something I love doing, with this book there is no pressure, read one spooky story put the book down and then pick it up again when you fancy another ghostly tale. Personally, I feel this is the perfect autumnal read, it sets you up for Halloween and gets you in the mood for all things creepy. I actually really enjoyed all of the tales in the collection, I particularly loved Songs the Dead Sing by Derek Landy. I loved the detective aspect of the story and the characters.
While the book itself isn’t super scary, it definitely has a level of spookiness that will whet your appetite during the Halloween season.
Go read this if you love short stories and want something spooky to read.
This book is comprised of a collection of short stories, written by various well-loved authors including Matt Haig, Joseph Delaney and Derek Landy. I love how these middle-grade authors came together to create this special anthology for their readers.
Reading short stories is something I love doing, with this book there is no pressure, read one spooky story put the book down and then pick it up again when you fancy another ghostly tale. Personally, I feel this is the perfect autumnal read, it sets you up for Halloween and gets you in the mood for all things creepy. I actually really enjoyed all of the tales in the collection, I particularly loved Songs the Dead Sing by Derek Landy. I loved the detective aspect of the story and the characters.
While the book itself isn’t super scary, it definitely has a level of spookiness that will whet your appetite during the Halloween season.
Go read this if you love short stories and want something spooky to read.
October 31, 2020
I do love a ghost story so I was excited for this one. This is first of all aimed for a middle grade/YA audience but it still is a great read for adults. There are so many great writers who have taken part in this creepy read and the majority of the stories are very exciting to read.
The stories that I enjoyed the most were The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig, The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis, The Blood Line by Jamil Gavin and The Caretakers by Susan Cooper. Those four were all extremely freaky to read about. The Blood Line especially I thought was so unsettling to read about with voices trying to beckon a child to go through the mirror and hands coming out to pull them into it. Also with the many bumps in the night thrown in for good measure.
There were a handful of stories that I didn’t enjoy as much as others but I am not as easily spooked as some people are so they went a bit over my head. The stories are all however, very well written and immersive. You could picture each scene in each story perfectly alongside with the hauntingly, dark atmosphere that the authors all created.
This book is perfect for Halloween reading and I would recommend this to all the horror fans out there who love a creepy ghost story.
The stories that I enjoyed the most were The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig, The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis, The Blood Line by Jamil Gavin and The Caretakers by Susan Cooper. Those four were all extremely freaky to read about. The Blood Line especially I thought was so unsettling to read about with voices trying to beckon a child to go through the mirror and hands coming out to pull them into it. Also with the many bumps in the night thrown in for good measure.
There were a handful of stories that I didn’t enjoy as much as others but I am not as easily spooked as some people are so they went a bit over my head. The stories are all however, very well written and immersive. You could picture each scene in each story perfectly alongside with the hauntingly, dark atmosphere that the authors all created.
This book is perfect for Halloween reading and I would recommend this to all the horror fans out there who love a creepy ghost story.
May 17, 2021
The Castle Ghosts - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a strong start for the anthology. It has a nice, eerie atmosphere and introduces us to lots of creepy and cruel ghosts.
The Caretakers - ⭐⭐⭐💫
A creepy old house and an island in the middle of a lake, what could possibly go wrong? Creepy child ghosts trying to get the living to join them obviously.
Good Boy - ⭐⭐⭐
Black Dogs are one of my favourite British folklores so of course I was going to enjoy this. I can say this did not end how I expected.
The Blood Line - ⭐⭐⭐
This made me worry about ever looking in a mirror again. It also shows some of the awful consequences of the British colonisation in India.
The Ghost In The Machine - ⭐⭐⭐💫
This started like a cautionary tale about paying attention when you cross the road. Then it ended up as some kind of whacky tale of revenge in cyberspace, but with ghosts.
Songs The Dead Sing - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
This was my favourite story of the collection. It was so funny and had a few heartwarming moments too.
The Beach Hut - ⭐⭐⭐
This seaside story has a rebellious child and more creepy ghost children. Really, I just don't understand why anyone would trust ghost children.
The Praying Down Of Vaughan Darkness - ⭐⭐⭐💫
This also seemed to use the Black Dog folklore as well as other evil animals and forces of nature. It was also a story within a story which I liked.
The Ghost Walk - ⭐⭐⭐
I really liked the idea of a ghost tour in the haunted streets of York on a rainy night. However I didn't like the kid, he was just a bit ungrateful and rude.
The Ghost Wood - ⭐⭐⭐💫
Another story with a dog but this time it's a dog that's connected to a stone that a kid picked up in the woods. This results in the dog trying to find its way to the child.
The Little Ship's Boy - ⭐⭐⭐
More bloody ghost children! There's also a ghost ship in this one though. It was a good story to end on and even has a song and sheet music for the musical amongst us.
Overall: This was a great collection of stories perfect for the spooky season.
Rated: 3.5/5 Stars (rounded up to 4)
This was a strong start for the anthology. It has a nice, eerie atmosphere and introduces us to lots of creepy and cruel ghosts.
The Caretakers - ⭐⭐⭐💫
A creepy old house and an island in the middle of a lake, what could possibly go wrong? Creepy child ghosts trying to get the living to join them obviously.
Good Boy - ⭐⭐⭐
Black Dogs are one of my favourite British folklores so of course I was going to enjoy this. I can say this did not end how I expected.
The Blood Line - ⭐⭐⭐
This made me worry about ever looking in a mirror again. It also shows some of the awful consequences of the British colonisation in India.
The Ghost In The Machine - ⭐⭐⭐💫
This started like a cautionary tale about paying attention when you cross the road. Then it ended up as some kind of whacky tale of revenge in cyberspace, but with ghosts.
Songs The Dead Sing - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
This was my favourite story of the collection. It was so funny and had a few heartwarming moments too.
The Beach Hut - ⭐⭐⭐
This seaside story has a rebellious child and more creepy ghost children. Really, I just don't understand why anyone would trust ghost children.
The Praying Down Of Vaughan Darkness - ⭐⭐⭐💫
This also seemed to use the Black Dog folklore as well as other evil animals and forces of nature. It was also a story within a story which I liked.
The Ghost Walk - ⭐⭐⭐
I really liked the idea of a ghost tour in the haunted streets of York on a rainy night. However I didn't like the kid, he was just a bit ungrateful and rude.
The Ghost Wood - ⭐⭐⭐💫
Another story with a dog but this time it's a dog that's connected to a stone that a kid picked up in the woods. This results in the dog trying to find its way to the child.
The Little Ship's Boy - ⭐⭐⭐
More bloody ghost children! There's also a ghost ship in this one though. It was a good story to end on and even has a song and sheet music for the musical amongst us.
Overall: This was a great collection of stories perfect for the spooky season.
Rated: 3.5/5 Stars (rounded up to 4)
October 31, 2011
The Haunted anthology includes the following short stories:
The Castle Ghosts - Joseph Delaney
The Caretakers - Susan Cooper
Good Boy - Mal Peet
The Blood Line - Jamila Gavin
The Ghost in the Machine - Eleanor Updale
Songs the Dead Sing - Derek Landy
The Beach Hut - Robin Jarvis
The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness - Sam Llewellyn
The Ghost Walk - Matt Haig
The Ghost Wood - Philip Reeve
The Little Ship's Boy - Berlie Doherty
Haunted is an anthology containing scary short stories from some of todays best children's writers and it makes for perfect Halloween reading. Immerse yourself in stories of haunted prisons, demon worshipers, trapped ghosts, demon dogs and even a spooky beach hut. These stories may be short but they're all well written and there are some great twists in there too.
Stand out favourites for me included Good Boy by Mal Peet, The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis and The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve but I enjoyed each of the stories and The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig brought back memories of the ghost walk I did in York a few years ago. Anthologies are a great way of trying new authors and I've definitely found some I want to add to my to read pile with this one.
If you're a horror fan then you'll love Haunted although if you're a bit of a wimp like I am you may find you only want to read it in daylight! Treat yourself to a fright this Halloween & pick up your copy today.
The Castle Ghosts - Joseph Delaney
The Caretakers - Susan Cooper
Good Boy - Mal Peet
The Blood Line - Jamila Gavin
The Ghost in the Machine - Eleanor Updale
Songs the Dead Sing - Derek Landy
The Beach Hut - Robin Jarvis
The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness - Sam Llewellyn
The Ghost Walk - Matt Haig
The Ghost Wood - Philip Reeve
The Little Ship's Boy - Berlie Doherty
Haunted is an anthology containing scary short stories from some of todays best children's writers and it makes for perfect Halloween reading. Immerse yourself in stories of haunted prisons, demon worshipers, trapped ghosts, demon dogs and even a spooky beach hut. These stories may be short but they're all well written and there are some great twists in there too.
Stand out favourites for me included Good Boy by Mal Peet, The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis and The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve but I enjoyed each of the stories and The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig brought back memories of the ghost walk I did in York a few years ago. Anthologies are a great way of trying new authors and I've definitely found some I want to add to my to read pile with this one.
If you're a horror fan then you'll love Haunted although if you're a bit of a wimp like I am you may find you only want to read it in daylight! Treat yourself to a fright this Halloween & pick up your copy today.
November 2, 2020
I received Haunted: Ghost Stories to Chill your Blood in collaboration with Kaleidoscopic Tours and I'm so glad I did. A perfect collection of eerie, disturbing and just plain spooky short stories brilliant for spooky season. Plus it features authors such as Matt Haig, Philip Reeve and Derek Landy.
As with any collection of stories, they're not all for you. It is an anthology aimed at younger people, so obviously they're not pee-your-pants scary - but they do perfectly tread the line. For me, this was perfect as I'm not much of a horror fan. It really helped me ease into spooky season (as I read it way back at the beginning of October). Some of the stories are funny, tense, confusing and metaphorical, but there is certainly something in there for everyone.
As Derek Landy is my favourite author, I obviously I loved his short 'Songs the Dead Sing'. It featured his usual dark humour and did something a little different with the idea of ghosts. Sadly, I can't really give you more information on most of these shorts without giving it away. I enjoyed how even with overlap between stories (quite a few dealt with the same topics) they were all very distinct and clearly portrayed the voice of the author. I enjoyed not knowing what to expect from each story.
Two other favourites of mine were 'The Castle Ghosts' by Joseph Delaney, which kicked off this anthology, and 'The Ghost Wood' by Philip Reeve, the penultimate story. I was pleasantly surprised by both of them, though they deal with similar themes (ghosts and haunting) the outcomes are vastly different...
This was a great read. The short stories are all really quick to get through and there's a brilliant flow between them which helps keep you wrapped up in the book. Even with each story being fully independent, there are enough common threads to make this anthology collate to feel like one story. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a quick, spooky read or a ghostly horror to dip your toes into.
As with any collection of stories, they're not all for you. It is an anthology aimed at younger people, so obviously they're not pee-your-pants scary - but they do perfectly tread the line. For me, this was perfect as I'm not much of a horror fan. It really helped me ease into spooky season (as I read it way back at the beginning of October). Some of the stories are funny, tense, confusing and metaphorical, but there is certainly something in there for everyone.
As Derek Landy is my favourite author, I obviously I loved his short 'Songs the Dead Sing'. It featured his usual dark humour and did something a little different with the idea of ghosts. Sadly, I can't really give you more information on most of these shorts without giving it away. I enjoyed how even with overlap between stories (quite a few dealt with the same topics) they were all very distinct and clearly portrayed the voice of the author. I enjoyed not knowing what to expect from each story.
Two other favourites of mine were 'The Castle Ghosts' by Joseph Delaney, which kicked off this anthology, and 'The Ghost Wood' by Philip Reeve, the penultimate story. I was pleasantly surprised by both of them, though they deal with similar themes (ghosts and haunting) the outcomes are vastly different...
This was a great read. The short stories are all really quick to get through and there's a brilliant flow between them which helps keep you wrapped up in the book. Even with each story being fully independent, there are enough common threads to make this anthology collate to feel like one story. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a quick, spooky read or a ghostly horror to dip your toes into.
December 28, 2020
I was sent a copy of this book for review.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
Sadly my copy didn’t arrive for my actual date but I’ve really enjoyed reading it this month. It had 11 individual short ghost stories that ranged from mildly spooky to rather disturbing. There definitely was a mixed bag in this book, some were 2 stars and some were amazing 5 stars.
My personal favourites were The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin which was about a haunted workhouse, a mysterious family history and the disappearance of a young girl in the past. This one was complete with eery setting and unnerving plot. My other favourite was The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig. This was a ghost story within a ghost story. It involved a family visiting York and because they were low on funds could only afford cheap activities. They decided on the ghost tour but something strange was off with the tour guide and the teenager in the family might have been seeing more than the others. Really creepy and with a tragic ending. Loved it.
Overall a great mix of spooky stories and mysterious tales. I give it 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for the thrilling journeys, hair raising plots and strange and unusual characters.
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Sadly my copy didn’t arrive for my actual date but I’ve really enjoyed reading it this month. It had 11 individual short ghost stories that ranged from mildly spooky to rather disturbing. There definitely was a mixed bag in this book, some were 2 stars and some were amazing 5 stars.
My personal favourites were The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin which was about a haunted workhouse, a mysterious family history and the disappearance of a young girl in the past. This one was complete with eery setting and unnerving plot. My other favourite was The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig. This was a ghost story within a ghost story. It involved a family visiting York and because they were low on funds could only afford cheap activities. They decided on the ghost tour but something strange was off with the tour guide and the teenager in the family might have been seeing more than the others. Really creepy and with a tragic ending. Loved it.
Overall a great mix of spooky stories and mysterious tales. I give it 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for the thrilling journeys, hair raising plots and strange and unusual characters.
August 23, 2019
Cute ghost stories in that they are only spooky in the most mild way, seems like most of them are geared toward the middle grade audience. Definitely reminds me of the kind of anthologies I'd burn through when I was in about 4th-5th grade. Fun collection for campfire story sessions! My favorites were "Ghost In The Machine" by Eleanor Updale, "Ghost Walk" by Matt Haig, and The Little Ship's Boy by Bernie Doherty. (Truthfully, seeing Matt Haig's name listed on the cover is what prompted me to get into this book in the first place, being a fan of his writing).
It was interesting to see in the author bio blurbs at the back of this book that most of the authors featured here don't actually believe in ghosts themselves, only that that topic makes for fun "what if" writing material. I love that in Haig's blurb it's written that he thought he saw a ghost once when he was a child, "but it might have been a dream...he HAD eaten a lot of cheese that night..." LOL
It was interesting to see in the author bio blurbs at the back of this book that most of the authors featured here don't actually believe in ghosts themselves, only that that topic makes for fun "what if" writing material. I love that in Haig's blurb it's written that he thought he saw a ghost once when he was a child, "but it might have been a dream...he HAD eaten a lot of cheese that night..." LOL
October 19, 2025
I honestly expected worse from this book, but I ended up having a relatively fun time. I'm not exactly a fan of short stories, so I knew that this book wasn't going to get anything above a 3-4 star rating (sorry, not sorry, I'm biased). The stories themselves were pretty hit or miss, most of them were very cliché and overtime the ones that involved ghosts became repetitive. I knew, going in, that I'm not the audience for this book at all (aka, a child), but that doesn't stop me from critiquing these aspects of the book. My favourite stories were The Ghost in the Machine and Songs the Dead Sing. I feel like they had the most interesting plots and worldbuilding, although both had it's shortcomings. Would I ever pick this up again? Probably not. But it was an okay "spooky month" themed book for October.
October 27, 2020
3.5🌟
This book is perfect for this time of year. Haunted is a book that is aimed for middle grade readers but is still enjoyable for adults. It's got a wide range of authors and I love that as they are short stories you can dip in and out and you've still read a story in under an hour. I enjoyed some of the stories more than others and I think you have to remind yourself this is aimed at a younger audience. I love that anthologies bring together a wide range of authors that some people wouldn't have heard of or read their work and it gives you a taste of how they write. I will definitely be looking into a few of the authors from this book now. A great book for the spooky season to bring some creepiness to life.
This book is perfect for this time of year. Haunted is a book that is aimed for middle grade readers but is still enjoyable for adults. It's got a wide range of authors and I love that as they are short stories you can dip in and out and you've still read a story in under an hour. I enjoyed some of the stories more than others and I think you have to remind yourself this is aimed at a younger audience. I love that anthologies bring together a wide range of authors that some people wouldn't have heard of or read their work and it gives you a taste of how they write. I will definitely be looking into a few of the authors from this book now. A great book for the spooky season to bring some creepiness to life.
July 23, 2019
Stories of the supernatural do not particularly appeal to me; I got my hands on this book simply because it contains a story by Matt Haig, who's one of the writers I most admire.
So I went straight to that one, "Ghost Walk," and liked it. Since these stories are pretty much aimed at a young audience, I also encouraged my 12-year-old to read that story, and he claimed to like it as well.
The others were all right. Again, I'm not a fan of the genre. "The Ghost Wood," by Philip Reeve, the story immediately after Haig's is also fine. Some of the others were on the dull side, at least to my way of thinking
So I went straight to that one, "Ghost Walk," and liked it. Since these stories are pretty much aimed at a young audience, I also encouraged my 12-year-old to read that story, and he claimed to like it as well.
The others were all right. Again, I'm not a fan of the genre. "The Ghost Wood," by Philip Reeve, the story immediately after Haig's is also fine. Some of the others were on the dull side, at least to my way of thinking
October 27, 2019
I read of this one as part of working through the Robin Jarvis canon, so I came to this mainly for one particular story ("The Beach Hut"). However, they were all fairly entertaining efforts. But the problem became, after a while, that there is a certain predictability to the ghost genre that you could see the writers were up against. Some did find innovative ways around it, or injected some sly humour into the proceedings, but I feel the sheer weight of the limitations of the genre dragged all of them down a bit which might be different if the anthology had a broader (say, horror or weird tales). Still, that is unlikely to bother young readers of this anthology!
January 23, 2021
Hodně dobrá sbírka povídek. Nemůžu říct, že by se mi něco vyloženě nelíbilo.
1. The Castle Ghosts - 4*
2. The Caretakers - 4*
3. Good Boy - 3*
4. The Blood Line - 4*
5. The Ghost in the Machine - 3*
6. Songs the Dead Sing - 4*
7. The Beach Hut - 4*
8. The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness - 4*
9. The Ghost Walk - 5*, tahle povídka pro mě měla nejlepší atmosféru
10. The Ghost Wood - 3*
11. The Little Ship's Boy - 3*
1. The Castle Ghosts - 4*
2. The Caretakers - 4*
3. Good Boy - 3*
4. The Blood Line - 4*
5. The Ghost in the Machine - 3*
6. Songs the Dead Sing - 4*
7. The Beach Hut - 4*
8. The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness - 4*
9. The Ghost Walk - 5*, tahle povídka pro mě měla nejlepší atmosféru
10. The Ghost Wood - 3*
11. The Little Ship's Boy - 3*
November 9, 2020
Good compilation of ghost stories in a mix of styles. Some are weaker than others but a lot of that comes down to personal taste. My favourite was by Derek Landy, “Songs the dead sing”. If you like YA short stories it’s a good compilation to have on hand (everyone needs a stack of ghost stories at short notice, right?).
April 2, 2024
I'm not a massive fan of ghost stories but this featured a lot of authors that I like.
My favourite stories here were 'The Ghost Walk' and 'The Castle Ghosts', but I did actually read them all and rather enjoyed the collection as a whole.
Nice easy read., I always find with short stories that they leave you wanting more.
My favourite stories here were 'The Ghost Walk' and 'The Castle Ghosts', but I did actually read them all and rather enjoyed the collection as a whole.
Nice easy read., I always find with short stories that they leave you wanting more.
March 16, 2025
This is an amazing collection of short stories. My personal favourite has to be
The Castle ghosts by Joseph Delaney. Each story is completely different and everyone will have a favourite. But books like these are good as they open the readers eyes to new authors that they might not have thought about reading before.
This is ideal for the children who like a little spook.
The Castle ghosts by Joseph Delaney. Each story is completely different and everyone will have a favourite. But books like these are good as they open the readers eyes to new authors that they might not have thought about reading before.
This is ideal for the children who like a little spook.
November 15, 2021
This was quite average. Some of the stories at the beginning were even gripping, but the last ones were just forgettable. At this point I can't even remember the titles of the ones I liked... So, I guess this isn't the best ghost short story collection out there.
July 24, 2021
A fun selection of ghost and paranormal stories! Really enjoyed all of them! Each author brought their own unique spooky tales
September 4, 2021
Although there were some page turning stories in here, i have to admit this was one that felt hard to push through reading
February 14, 2025
Derek Landy's "Songs the Dead Sing" was easily the best story!
November 8, 2016
I wrote review on my blog.
November 16, 2020
This was a super enjoyable collection of short stories written by some awesome authors! I enjoyed all of the stories and I'm finding it difficult to choose favourites. Each story had its own identity and stood out from the rest. They were unique and creepy but some were also fun. All of them were ghost stories and told from the point of view of kids. I always think this make ghost stories more creepy! The stories were very well written and the characters were great even in the short time span we got to know them! I think this is the perfect Halloween read and would 100% recommend this read! I've read a few of these authors before but I'd definitely read more.
November 7, 2013
Far from the "terrifying" collection that the back cover proclaims it to be, this is an uneven batch of tales, some creepier than others. While a few of these stories are genuinely chilling (The Caretakers, The Blood Line, The Beach Hut), most are a touch watered-down, perhaps in an attempt to make them more suitable for children (it is recommended for ages 9-12). A not-so-creepy ghost story misses the point, and a great author realizes that gore and psychologically scarring details (both of which, I agree, would probably not be the most appropriate content for a 9-year-old) are not necessary to a satisfyingly scary tale.
As an 11-year-old, I was exploring the classic gothic horror of Poe, the tensely scary stories collected by Hitchcock, the campfire-ready tales of "Boogers, Witches, and Haints" from Foxfire 2, and a plethora of slumber-party variations on the Hook Man. Kids who want scary stories can handle scary stories. Unfortunately, most of these probably won't fill the bill.
My own almost-11-year-old son passed this book on to me with the caveat that some of the stories were much better than others. As he indicated, it's worth reading for the gems. I'll have to repay the favor by introducing him to Alfred Hitchcock's Stories That Go Bump in the Night.
As an 11-year-old, I was exploring the classic gothic horror of Poe, the tensely scary stories collected by Hitchcock, the campfire-ready tales of "Boogers, Witches, and Haints" from Foxfire 2, and a plethora of slumber-party variations on the Hook Man. Kids who want scary stories can handle scary stories. Unfortunately, most of these probably won't fill the bill.
My own almost-11-year-old son passed this book on to me with the caveat that some of the stories were much better than others. As he indicated, it's worth reading for the gems. I'll have to repay the favor by introducing him to Alfred Hitchcock's Stories That Go Bump in the Night.
May 10, 2014
Not really my jam sandwich sadly. I was chatting on here about RL Stine and the Goosebumps book only yesterday and how great they were at just creating enough fear for kids. This is a bit less scary and more like a campfire story told by kids to kids. They weren't bad stories but just a bit obvious. I don't think I'm giving away any spoilers in saying most of them finished "and it turned out he was dead and a ghost all along" -something which isn't really a twist if it keeps happening and was pretty obvious by all the clues. Maybe I'm being too harsh but I had to read this in double quick time for potential to a Year 9 Gothic unit -and not one of them can be used sadly.
I do like these sort of collections and if you are having a sleepover this Summer for your kids, I suggest this for a ghost story as nobody will have nightmares after. Some good authors and some real promise but very hard to write horror for kids.
I do like these sort of collections and if you are having a sleepover this Summer for your kids, I suggest this for a ghost story as nobody will have nightmares after. Some good authors and some real promise but very hard to write horror for kids.
July 22, 2015
Great collection of ghost stories written by popular middle-grade authors.
My three absolute favourites were:
The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig - about a ghost walk in York (yay!) which turns out to be rather unusual...
How can I not love a ghost story set in the town where I live?
The Blood Line - Jamila Gavin - fantastically creepy story about an old mirror and dark family secrets.
I loved this because of the family history theme, something I'm fascinated by.
The Beach Hut - Robin Jarvis - very scary little tale about a haunted beach hut and the ghosts of drowned children. I loved how the author evoked the sights, sounds and feel of a seaside holiday and then added a darker element.
Other very good stories were:
The Ghost Wood - Philip Reeve
The Little Ship's Boy - Berlie Doherty
Songs the Dead Sing - Derek Landy
All the stories were enjoyable and well written.
My three absolute favourites were:
The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig - about a ghost walk in York (yay!) which turns out to be rather unusual...
How can I not love a ghost story set in the town where I live?
The Blood Line - Jamila Gavin - fantastically creepy story about an old mirror and dark family secrets.
I loved this because of the family history theme, something I'm fascinated by.
The Beach Hut - Robin Jarvis - very scary little tale about a haunted beach hut and the ghosts of drowned children. I loved how the author evoked the sights, sounds and feel of a seaside holiday and then added a darker element.
Other very good stories were:
The Ghost Wood - Philip Reeve
The Little Ship's Boy - Berlie Doherty
Songs the Dead Sing - Derek Landy
All the stories were enjoyable and well written.
January 25, 2012
Lets start with saying first off that this book is not scary. And it has my respect because of it, i think its admirable that they have not taken the easy way out, with gross scenes or overly spooky stories. These stories go together very well and the authors have already proven themselves and their abilities to write ten times over.
January 10, 2015
Eleven short, ghostly stories are creepily packed into this offering from various well-recognized authors, all with a decidedly Brit flair and tone. From a drowned ghost girl who wants a new playmate, to a creepy Ghost Walk, to a mirror with hidden surprises, this book is just scary enough for young readers. A good Halloween-time treat!
December 9, 2013
A decent collection of short horror stories, some stronger than others. Most are eerie and chilling and its always great to read something by The Last Apprentice author, Joseph Delaney.
December 26, 2021
An excellent collection of ghost stories!
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