Halloween Collections

It’s Halloween on Friday; a day of spooky frights and things that go bump in the night. While the shops are full of ghoulish sweets and children are plotting their tricks and treats, why not encourage them to pick up a book with a Halloween theme?

We have scoured through the AR quizzes to pick out a selection of books for students of all ages that will really put the willies up them. Using AR BookFinder, you can browse Halloween-themed books using the Advanced Search tab. You’ll need to select the Holiday Periods topic and the Halloween subtopic.

To whet your appetite for the other books you might find, though, we have picked one title from each subtopic in the Horror/Thriller section. Search around AR BookFinder to come up with your own lists of age-appropriate books for your students: our search shows that there’s plenty for everyone from the very youngest readers to the most mature.

Curses

Kiss of Death by Malcolm Rose

Whilst on a school trip to Eyam, Seth, Kim and Wes steal some coins from a well. Along with the coins is a piece of lead which carries a curse. When Kim and Wes come down with the plague, Seth must try to lift the curse.

Usborne | 978-0-7460-7064-2 | MY | BL 5.2 | Quiz #211132

Dead Bodies

Baldur’s Bones by Mary Arrigan

A skull found at an ancient burial site plunges two children into a nightmarish adventure that threatens their lives.

Collins | 978-0-00-711154-1 | MY | BL 4.2 | Quiz #205398

Demons

Scared to Death by Alan Gibbons

Paul’s brother comes back from the dead as the enigmatic Redman. Redman’s appearance coincides with a spate of Ripper-like murders in Whitechapel.

Orion Books | 978-1-84255-177-6 | UY | BL 4.1 | Quiz #226205

Ghosts / Spirits

Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette

When a little ghost goes slip-sliding down the hallway, he suddenly hears a groan. It’s only a friendly mummy, who goes with the ghost, until they encounter a monster. As the cautious explorers continue, they find a surprise at every turn.

Walker | 978-1-4063-4807-1 | LY | BL 2.9 | Quiz #225652

Giants

Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley

In 1918 London, fifteen-year-old Billy, a pickpocket, meets Mister Creecher, a monstrous giant, and their relationship swiftly turns from pure convenience to a strong bond as they journey northward on the trail of Victor Frankenstein.

Bloomsbury | 978-1-4088-1104-7 | MY | BL 5.3 | Quiz #221178

Gremlins

Gremlin by Chris Powling

A passenger has to land a stricken plane.

Barrington Stoke | 978-1-84299-476-4 | UY | BL 3.2 | Quiz #211858

Monsters

Not Now, Bernard by David McKee

Bernard tries to warn his parents that there is a monster in the garden, but they ignore him.

Andersen Press | 978-1-84939-467-3 | LY | BL 1.4 | Quiz #201457

Mummies

Zombies vs Mummies: Clash of the Living Dead by Michael O’Hearn

This book describes the features and abilities of zombies and mummies and how they may battle each other in a fight.

Raintree | 978-1-4062-4273-7 | MY | BL 4.6 | Quiz #222720

Skeletons

The Skeleton Pirate by David Lucas

The Skeleton Pirate is the terror of the seas who’ll never be beaten! Until, that is, he gets beaten by an unruly bunch of pirates and thrown overboard.

Walker | 978-1-4063-1505-9 | LY | BL 2.4 | Quiz #223872

Vampires

Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel by Leigh Dragoon

After two years of running, best friends Rose and Lissa are brought back to St. Vladimir’s Academy, a private high school for vampires and half-bloods where the girls will discover intrigue, danger, and romance. Graphic Novel #1

Puffin | 978-0-14-133860-6 | UY | BL 2.8 | Quiz #224920

Werewolves

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

A girl raised by werewolves must face the horrors of her past to uncover the dark secrets that the pack has worked so hard to hide. Book #1

Quercus | 978-0-85738-029-6 | UY | BL 5.7 | Quiz #225271

Witches / Warlocks

Half Bad by Sally Green

Nathan, son of a White Witch and the most powerful Black Witch, must escape captivity before his 17th birthday to receive the gifts that will determine his future. The plot contains profanity, sexual references, and violence. Book #1

Puffin | 978-0-14-135086-8 | UY | BL 4.5 | Quiz #226984

Zombies

My Teacher Ate My Brain by Tommy Donbavand

A school trip turns into a horror for some children when their teachers turn into zombies.

Franklin Watts | 978-1-4451-1467-5 | MY | BL 4.4 | Quiz #224236