The best horror books with child protagonists that are not for kids

My mum read this book to me when I was little, so I think it will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason. 

But even re-reading it as an adult I can say that it is a marvellous story. The imagery is spectacular, Harvey’s night as a vampire especially stays with me due to the vivid imagery. As well as the ‘creatures in the pond’ (trying to not spoil anything too badly here). Overall, it’s a well written, imaginative story that sucks you in and holds you tightly right up to the end.

So much of Lindqvists writing is fantastic, but this has to be my favorite. I read it while in university and then I re-read it and re-read it until one of my housemates asked why it was taking me so long to read a single book then seemed confused when I admitted that every time I finished it I just started it again. 

I love the take Lindqvist has on the vampire as a ‘monster’ Eli is complex and sympathetic, dangerous and vulnerable it’s a wonderful balancing act. But what I enjoyed most of all was that Eli, while being hundreds of years old, is physically and mentally, twelve. Their long life did not make them an adult in a child’s body, they literally stunted their growth and that makes them so compelling.

I had to include at least one King book, I’m a big fan of King and this is one of his lesser-known books. 

I love this book because it’s a good and interesting story that hooked me from the first chapter and kept me till the end. 

But also, I am passionate about good representation (particularly disability representation) in the horror genre, I’m writing my PhD thesis on it. King is a mixed bag when it comes to good and bad representation but he does a good job in this one. Marty is a 10-year-old paraplegic boy who suspects a werewolf is in his town.

The story revolves around Marty hunting and defeating the beast. It’s a high stakes, exciting, and utterly plausible (if you suspend belief for the werewolf lol).

Another vampire one I’m afraid. But trust me this is so worth your time. 

I read this for the first time when I was in college and well into my Goth phase, this book became my aesthetic afterwards. It’s a different take on vampires, explored through a few different groups of vampires. The characters are wonderfully portrayed and unique but what really hooked me into this book was the setting. It's got depth and feels like you could walk through the book and be in Missing Mile. 

This was the book that made me try Chartreuse.

I only recently read this book after hearing a lot of good things and boy were they right.

This is a deeply tragic but gripping story. With well developed and sympathetic characters, a good ‘twist’ towards the end, and an ending that’s open to debate. I loved the use of extratextual materials to supplement the narrative, I’m a big fan of epistolary fiction (fiction told through letters, diaries, newspaper articles, etc.).

I was surprised to have liked this book as much as I did because I’m not always a fan of gore and this book will make your skin want to crawl off and hide in places. But the story doesn’t rely on the ick factor and held me purely because I cared about the boys and wanted to know what would happen to them.