I’ve always loved horror stories, right from when I was a kid, and I first watched Friday the 13th, the ultimate scary movie. The jump scare moment was everything. I spent time studying great suspense writers like Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen King, and R L Stine. I was in awe at how they had me turning the pages, unable to look away! I think more and more children are discovering the fun and thrill of scary stories, and I love nothing more than making sure I try and implement some of these rules, adding in my own originality, too!
Spooky fiction–I can’t read enough of it. But not horror for adults, horror for kids. Let’s call it soft horror!
Set within a school environment, this book combines the essence of young adulthood with the sharp edge of introducing horror to younger readers. I love school settings, especially when the kids come across as cool as Angelo and the gang in Dreadwood.
School life can be tough, but having a great friendship circle can make a difference. I know I valued my friends back in my school days; they were always there to laugh and joke with. I rooted for the characters in this book every inch of the way, hoping nothing would destroy that friendship.
The must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spooky Crater Lake. Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine's Goosebumps.
"Deliciously scary and hilarious comedy-horror, perfectly pitched for eight-plus."
The Guardian
"Brilliantly creepy fun for young horror fans, with an unexpectedly moving ending." The i, 30 of the best children's books for Easter.
"Jennifer Killick's talent for horror and humour is blended brilliantly here as the spiky dialogue, unstoppable pace and genuinely menacing atmosphere build to a tremendous climax"- Daily Mail
"A heart-stopping thrill ride of a book." - M.G. Leonard, author of Adventures on Trains series
Aveline Jones was a great character for me. I love strong characters, and Aveline certainly was. I love that she turns detective and enters a spooky world full of ghosts. She challenges herself in her quest to find answers.
The author really nailed her character–this was a definite page-turner for me. Enough that I grabbed the rest of the books in the series.
Aveline loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. Not only are the stories spine-tingling, but it belonged to a girl called Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously, never to be seen again. Intrigued, Aveline decides to investigate Primrose's disappearance, with some help from her new friend, Harold.
Now someone...or something, is stirring. And it is looking for Aveline.
The first in a deliciously spine-tingling, spooky new series, where mysteries are always solved, spirits are always laid to rest, and everybody gets…
It was the first spooky book for kids I’d ever read. I loved every second of it.
Once again, the school vibe was appealing, and watching a group of kids battle a field of scarecrows was spine-chilling stuff. Their friendship strengthened as their school trip began going horribly wrong.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat–I won’t ever look at a scarecrow the same way again!
New York Times bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic.
After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn't think—she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made…
This is more suited to the YA market with an appealing darkness that had me gripped from page one.
An allure of illusions, rich description, and magic. I loved this book! Every sentence was beautiful and intriguing–it was quite unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Add in the mystique of a carnival, and this makes for a remarkable read.
Scarlett was a strong female protagonist, and her desperate need to escape had me reading this long into the night.
WELCOME TO CARAVAL, WHERE NOTHING IS QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS . . .
Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.
Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.
When the sisters' long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show's mastermind organiser,…
R. L Stein is a Master of Children’s horror fiction. He gets it. He knows where to draw the line and let kids know that the "scary stuff" isn’t real. This isn’t easy. But I guess after so many books, he has a strong format. He does it brilliantly.
This book features a terrifying Halloween mask–perfect for a dark night, especially around Halloween time. I love the way he throws in scary moments at the most unexpected moments. I love how eerie this book is and how frightening he makes the mask, especially when the mask won’t come off!
How ugly is Carly Beth's Halloween mask? It's so ugly that it almost scared her little brother to death. So terrifying that even her friends are totally freaked out by it. It's the best Halloween mask ever. With yellow-green skin and long animal fangs, the mask terrifies the entire neighborhood. Before long, it has a surprising effect on Carly Beth, too. She tries to take it off . . . but it won't budge!Halloween is almost over, but fright night is just beginning.Now with all-new bonus materials!
Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery, and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love. Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden? Everything is about to change when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. Nancy is convinced it holds the answers to her parents’ disappearance. Nancy and her best friend, Arthur Green, meet the fair’s spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery. Nancy must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is she ready for all the secrets the Scareground will reveal?
My favorite fantasy novels tend to be rather complex. Winding plotlines, mysteriously interconnected characters, whimsical settings, and intricate, thoughtful worldbuilding combine to create immersive stories that stick in the mind like overworn folklore. Time travel or interworld travel lend additional layers of intrigue and mystery, forcing the inescapable contemplation of a more thrilling, alternate reality. And if it’s all packaged in artful, breathtaking prose that breeds full-color images, audible noises, indelible flavors, nose-crumpling odors, and tangible textures, I will happily lose myself in the pages, truly forgetting about the strictures of everyday life… at least until I get hungry and remember I need to consume more than books to survive.
An Heir of Realms tells the tale of two young heroines—a dragon rider and a portal jumper—who fight dragon-like parasites to save their realms from extinction.
Rhoswen is training as a Realm Rider to work with dragons and burn away the Narxon swarming into her realm. Rhoswen’s dream is to Ride, but her destiny will pit her against her uncle and king, who have scorned her since before her birth.
In the Exchange, the waystation between realms, Emmelyn fights the G’Ambit, a gambling ring with members more intent on lining their pockets than protecting the realms—or their own lives.
Realm-devouring parasites threaten all existence. The Exchange is desperate to destroy them. But could their radical plans endanger the realms, too?
Soul-sucking parasites are overwhelming the realms.
Rhoswen of Stanburh is of age to train as a Realm Rider—a defender of the realms. Riders and their dragons work together to burn away infiltrating Narxon as they swarm in through tears in a realm’s fabric. But it’s not an easy battle: the mere touch of the smoky, dragon-like adversaries can reduce the lively winged beasts—and their Riders—to ash.
Becoming a Realm Rider is Rhoswen’s dream, but she carries far more responsibility…
