Believe it or not, there are only eight days left until Halloween. Even though All Hallow’s Eve is rapidly approaching and the month is coming to a close, October is still one of our favorite months here at Scholastic. Not only do we have tons of free Halloween resources, ideas and activities for the classroom, we are also celebrating 31 days of Goosebumps featuring monsters, trivia and more!
October is also a time when we can fully embrace some of the more creepy, spooky and downright scary books that we love to read. When I was younger, I made a point to avoid scary books at all costs. As my reading tastes have evolved, I find myself drawn to the occasional spine-chilling novel. So, I asked the OOM team to reveal their favorite scary books.
Here are some of the best, and most terrifying, books that keep us up at night:
- Brittany (me!): My favorite scary books are anything by the duo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. From The Cabinet of Curiosities to Still Life With Crows, their books never fail to be suspenseful and wonderfully terrifying.
- Michael: “I just read a new release about vampires titled The Quick: A Novel by Lauren Owen,” Mike explained. His other favorites include The Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine, The Girl with All the Gifts(think futuristic super zombies) by M.R. Carey and The Andromeda Strain by Michael Critchon.
- Gina: My favorite scary book is Pet Sematary by Stephen King! I’m a big Stephen King fan, but this book is my favorite!
- Megan: My favorite scary book is definitely Bony-Legs by Joanna Cole. Our librarian in lower school read some of the stories to us in Halloween and I lost it. The illustrations are terrifying.
- Alex: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartzand, illustrated by Stephen Gammell. To be honest, I don’t even remember the stories that specifically scared me. What haunted me most about this book was the scary front cover illustration!
- Stephanie: I just finished reading Katie Alender’s Famous Last Words and am obsessed! I actually got scared reading the book during my lunch break—the air conditioner turned on and the wind made me jump from my seat! Katie is a masterful storyteller.
- Nadia: I was scared of the witches in the book The Witches, by Roald Dahl! I don’t recall the plot of the book, but the description of the witches terrified me and has stayed with me years and years later—bald heads they hide with wigs, claws for hands, and toeless feet!
- Lia: Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn was one of my all-time favorites! Also, The Dollhouse Murders and Christina’s Ghost by Betty Ren Wright. I have read those three so many times, I’ve lost count.
- Chris: Stephen King's The Shining. Terrifying!!!
Now it’s your turn. What is your favorite scary book?
