Our Top Five Supernatural Middle-Grade Books
We all get into the Halloween spirit with monsters, witches, and villains. One spooky subject you shouldn’t skip is the paranormal! We’ve gathered a list of supernatural middle-grade books that you and your kids can read for a little spine-chilling fun!
What’s fun about paranormal books for kids is that they can range from lighthearted to various, frightening degrees. Depending on the level of haunting you’re going for, there are spooky middle-grade books for every reader. With this list, I’ll add a score for each book to determine how scary it may be. I will rate from one to three, with three being the most chilling. In no particular order, here are our top five spooky middle-grade books.
The Great Ghost Hoax by Emil Ecton
Rating: 1 (Minimal spookiness)
This book is quite different from any other middle grade book on our lists. This one revolves around pets who are attempting to hunt down a ghost in their apartment building! A tenant from the third floor needs help getting rid of all the paranormal happenings in her unit, but the price is hefty for professional ghost hunters. The pets who live in the building band together to try and help her out. This is a more lighthearted book that still showcases a haunting vibe.
Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland
Rating: 2 (Medium Spooky)
The story centers around Ophie, a young girl who lost her home and her father all at once in a vicious and racially motivated attack. After the tragedy, Ophie sees the ghost of her father who warns her to get to safety. Now she can see ghosts everywhere. She and her mother move into a mansion to become maids for a family, and the house is full of ghosts! There’s one in particular who needs help, but Ophie has to tread carefully.
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
Rating: 3 (Spooky!)
Part of a series called Lockwood & Co., the first tale centers around a team of ghost hunting professionals… Who happen to be kids! You see, only kids can see the paranormal which makes them the best for the job. This team doesn’t have the best reputation since there’s no adult supervision with their investigations but they’ve just been asked to look into the most haunted house in England, and they’re ready to prove themselves.
Ghost Book by Remy Lai
Rating: 1 (Minimal spookiness)
July Chen makes a new friend, and that friend just so happens to be a wandering soul, a ghost! William is stuck somewhere between life and death and he just wants to return to his own body. July sets out to help him but they soon discover that a big sacrifice has to be made to get him back to the living world. This book is inspired by Chinese mythology and is compared to Spirited Away!
The Girl In The Lake by India Hill Brown
Rating: 3 (Spooky!)
Celeste hates the water. Now she has to spend a few weeks at her grandparents’ lake house. She doesn’t like swimming, there’s no cell phone reception, she’s bored, and now her cousins are accusing her of playing pranks when she certainly hasn’t! Then, one night she takes a look in the mirror and sees herself, but different, Bad different. Follow along as she tries to find just who the girl in the mirror is.
In a world full of books for spooky season, this list showcases some of the best to get you into the spirit no matter what your comfort level is. If mysterious storylines are your thing, be sure to check out the rest of the books in the Lockwood & Co. series, and don’t be afraid to check out some more books by the same authors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay for kids to read books with supernatural or horror themes?
Absolutely! Spooky stories for kids are written in a way to give them a chill without going too far. There are plenty of light supernatural books out there, and middle grade horror is written at a good comfort level for most younger readers.
What are some good horror books for ten year olds?
The books above are great finds for middle grade readers who like a horror or supernatural theme! Also check out R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series, and The Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab.
