The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

When my students complain that I don't have enough scary stories in my classroom--as they often do--this year I am ready with a new recommendation.  I read The Screaming Staircase over the summer and these ghosts are vicious.

If they like this one there are more in the series.

I don't really like scary stories, but I know the students do.  Here are some other books I have reviewed on this site that are well-written as well as scary.



Coraline by Neil Gaiman
The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham
The Seer of Shadows by Avi

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Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Earlier this year I read and reviewed Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman. This reminded me that I had never read Coraline.  Wow! is it creepy.  My students loved it and the movie. (I didn't read it aloud, but many of them were familiar with the story.)

Coraline and her family move into a new house.  Coraline finds a secret door that leads her into a similar house and another world. She finds another family who wants her to stay.  To what lengths will this new family go to keep Coraline with them?




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Over My Dead Body by Kate Klise

If you want a not too scary ghost story, try the 43 Cemetery Road series by Kate Klise.  Over My Dead Body continues where Dying to Meet You left off.  What I think will appeal to my students is the organization The International Movement for the Safety and Protection Of Our Kids and Youth (IMSPOOKY) which creates problems for Seymour and the other occupants of 43 Cemetery Road.  The story is told by letters, newspaper articles, and other types of text.  Adults will enjoy the plays on words.

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The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham

My students complain that I don't have enough scary stories in my classroom library.  I don't like scary and I'm quite picky about books I'm willing to promote.  I checked out The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham a couple of summers ago, but didn't get around to reading it.  When it won an award in our state, I decided to give it another try.

Teddy lives in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State.  He starts meeting other boys his age who disappear mysteriously.  There's also a creepy tree in his neighborhood that's been drinking radioactive water.

There are elements to this story that are cleverly written.  I wouldn't read this aloud to all my fourth graders, but students who love scary will love this book.

  
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The Seer of Shadows by Avi

My students often complain that I don't have enough ghost stories in my classroom library.  This summer I discovered a ghost story that I would be willing to have in my room.

 
Avi writes quality historical fiction with interesting characters.  The main character has been brought up in a very scientific home.  He is apprenticed to a photographer who is more interested in getting money from his wealthy customers than working at his craft.  When the photographer wants to fool one of his customers into believing he has taken a picture of her dead daughter, Horace notices something about the image that can't easily be explained.

I have created a free character sketch form to go with this and any other novel.

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