Today’s post is sponsored by Darcy Marks and Grounded For All Eternity!
Title Grounded For All Eternity
Author Darcy Marks
Intended Target Audience Middle Grade
Publication Date July 26th 2022 by Aladdin
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A group of kids from hell come to Earth on one of the craziest nights of the year — Halloween — in this “entertaining, high-octane” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade adventure about teamwork, friendship, shattering expectations, and understanding the world (or otherworld) around us.
Malachi and his friends are just your regular average kids from hell. The suburbs that is, not the fiery pit part. But when Hell’s Bells ring out — signaling that a soul has escaped from one of the eternal circles, Mal and his friends can’t help but take the opportunity for a little adventure.
Before they know it, they’ve somehow slipped through the veil and found themselves in the middle of Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween night. And what’s even worse, they’ve managed to bring the escaped soul with them! As the essence of one of history’s greatest manipulators gains power by shifting the balance on Earth, Mal and his squad-mates — along with some new friends that they meet along the way — work desperately to trap the escapee, save the people of Earth from the forces of evil, and find the portal back to their own dimension.
If they can’t manage it before their parents realize they’re gone, they’ll be grounded for an eternity. And an eternity in hell is a very, very long time.
I’ve done my best to include books that fall at different places on the spooky spectrum so that every reader can find the right book for them. Got a suggestion you don’t see in the list below? Please leave it in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!
Searching for further thrills and chills this Halloween? Check out these lists I created for Halloween 2019, Halloween 2020, Halloween 2021 and Halloween 2022 as well as this list of 45 Middle Grade Ghost Stories for even more scary (and not-so-scary) young adult books to choose from in addition to the ones in today’s post!
If you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, I hope you’ll consider checking out Pop! Goes The Reader’s Patreon! In addition to exclusive rewards like an extensive edition of Hot Off The Press that details over 250+ new middle grade and adult books being published each month as well as digital downloads for your desktop and devices, I also share curated book lists like this one on a specific theme or subject every month. Membership on Patreon makes a real, tangible difference in helping to support Pop! Goes The Reader and allowing me to do what I love and makes posts like this one, that are accessible to all readers, possible. Thank you!
Upcoming publication dates listed below may be subject to change.
Publication Date October 17th 2023 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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Evie once again leaves her world behind to rescue Blight Harbor’s ghosts in this second book in the bone-chilling middle grade Blight Harbor trilogy that’s reminiscent of Doll Bones and Small Spaces.
Evie Von Rathe has been home for only a few weeks from her adventure in the strange world of seven houses when Blight Harbor’s beloved ghosts begin to disappear. Did they leave without saying goodbye, or has something gone horribly wrong? Soon Evie is invited to a mysterious council meeting, where she learns about the Dark Sun Side and a terrible secret.
Yes, the ghosts have gone missing. And that means serious trouble.
With the help of an eleven-year-old (or 111-year-old, but who’s counting) ghost named Lark, trusty Bird, and a plump ghost spider, Evie must find a way to defeat the vicious Nighthouse Keeper responsible for the missing ghosts, save her otherworldly friends, and find her way home from the Dark Sun Side before she’s trapped there forever.
Publication Date October 10th 2023 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
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The Vanquishers are back and ready to defend their town against the undead in this spooky middle grade from New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron.
Boog and her best friends, Cedrick, Jules, and Aaron – aka the Squad – stick together, no matter what. Now that vampires are back, they’ll need to take their Vanquisher lessons more seriously than ever. But who is behind this return of the undead?
When strange disappearances keep happening across their community and the Department of Vampire Affairs not-so-subtly warns Boog’s mom to keep quiet about vampires returning, it looks like uncovering the truth won’t be so easy. The Squad is eager to kick some undead butt, but will they be able to convince their parents they are ready to fight alongside the Vanquishers?
Publication Date October 10th 2023 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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Fans of Paola Santiago and The River of Tears and Ghost Squad will root for Omega Morales as she learns to trust her newfound powers when she comes face-to-face with the Mexican legend El Cucuy.
After discovering that she has the unique ability to affect the emotions of supernatural creatures, Omega is certain she’s strong enough to handle the feelings of others on Día de Muertos. But when darkness overwhelms her, it’s a sign that not only is she still vulnerable but that there may be a new malicious presence in Noche Buena.
When a child goes missing at the cemetery, panic ensues, prompting the new sheriff to open an investigation. But then another child is taken, and another. Soon, with the help of Carlitos, Omega discovers that El Cucuy — the boogeyman — is responsible for the disappearances. And it doesn’t take long for Omega to realize that, just like with La Lechuza, she might be the only one who can stop him — but at what cost?
Publication Date October 3rd 2023 by Union Square Kids
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The second entry in the slightly scary, extremely addictive contemporary middle-grade series from New York Times bestselling authors Lisi Harrison and Daniel Kraus — perfect for fans of scary stories for kids, like R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps, or books for preteens, like Ann M. Martin’s The Babysitters Club.
It’s been a month since the events of 1-2-3-4, I Declare A Thumb War, when the Graveyard Girls — Gemma, Whisper, Sophie, Frannie, and Zuzu — discovered Silas Hoke’s empty grave. A month, and no answers. That changes when messages from the other side start to creep up on the Graveyard Girls. Gemma’s good-luck charm. The skull in Whisper’s spilled milk. Sophie’s vanishing phone. Frannie’s theater curse. And Zuzu’s possessed Jōurnal. Who is trying to reach them…and why?
The good news: There might be one person with some answers. The bad news: She’s a mortician…with a deadly secret.
Speaking of bad news, straight-A Sophie is quickly sliding down the scale to becoming a B-flat friend. She is spending way more time hanging out with “Danger Me” and way less time with the Graveyard Girls and her schoolwork. Will her scary story be enough to win back her pals, or will her picture-perfect life become the ultimate photo bomb?
Publication Date October 3rd 2023 by Scholastic Press
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Internet horror superstar Trevor Henderson is famous for his ghastly creations and hair-raising creepypastas. Now he brings that talent for the terrifying to this debut middle-grade thriller.
You don’t stay out after dark in Beacon Point…
The small town of Beacon Point has always been plagued by eerie local phenomena. It’s a town where disappearances are common, strange creatures have been sighted with unnerving frequency, and a ghastly secret lurks in the woods.
The adults in town are oblivious to these strange occurrences. Others prefer not to talk or even think about them. But over the course of several terrifying nights, a group of kids will come face to face with the horrors hiding within their sleepy town. Guided by the mysterious radio host Alan Graves, they must follow the clues to a terrifying secret before it eats them alive.
Publication Date September 26th 2023 by HarperCollins
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Ghosts make the best thieves in this pitch-perfect middle grade adventure from the acclaimed author of Weird Kid. Perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and John David Anderson – and anyone looking for an Ocean’s 11-style heist!
Zenith and her friends may be dead — but lucky for them, even getting ghosted wasn’t enough to tear them apart.
The four of them were thick as thieves long before an unfortunate lab accident sent them careening into the afterlife. So when they hear about a machine that could return them to the land of the living, they are determined to steal it.
Unfortunately, the magical device belongs to a dangerous necromancer who’s out for their ectoplasm.
Fortunately, they’re great at heists. Because pulling off the score of their deathtimes is no job for an amateur.
Publication Date September 26th 2023 by Blackstone Publishing
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Lots of little brothers can be pests and trouble-makers – but Amy’s brother Arnie is a MONSTER…
In this R.L. Stine family-friendly scare fest, Amy and her friend, Lissa, don’t know what to do about Arnie’s bullying, bad-boy behavior, and mean jokes and pranks. The little monster is ruining their lives!
The girls decide it’s payback time. Total humiliation for Arnie. They find a recipe for blue slime on a YouTube channel and mix a big bucket to pour over Arnie at his birthday party.
To their horror, the girls instantly discover that SLIME DOESN’T PAY! Before their eyes, Arnie’s whole body starts to change. The slime turns him into a real monster.
Now Amy and Lissa have two frightening dilemmas: Can they save their town from the raging Arnie Monster? And is there any way to turn the monster back into Arnie?
Publication Date September 19th 2023 by Scholastic Paperbacks
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Goosebumps available soon on Disney+!
The only thing to fear…is everything. Twins Betty and Billy are visiting their Uncle Wendell at his secluded house in the Wayward Forest. What they think is going to be a boring stay quickly turns into a real nightmare. Wendell is in possession of the scariest book in the world. And someone is after Wendell. To keep the book safe, the siblings will have to plunge directly into the heart of the dangerous forest. There they must escape manbats, cannibal crows, and giant insects, among other horrors ― and make it out alive!
Publication Date September 19th 2023 by Scholastic Inc.
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Goosebumps meets The Bailey School Kids in this young middle-grade series about four unlikely friends who must band together to save their town from an evil curse!
WARNING: This book contains a very scary and silly story about a long dormant witch’s curse that’s been unleashed on the unsuspecting town of Cauldron’s Cove. It’s revenge, over three-hundred years in the making. (Hey, better late than never!)
After Regan, Sofia, Bennett, and Darius successfully banished the witch’s curse that led their science teacher to try to clone them, their lives should be back to normal, right? Not so! Because the curse is back and stronger than ever. Sofia’s dad and Bennett’s mom are finally getting married, and nothing could possibly ruin such a beautiful day…except for a horde of the rambling, brain-hungry undead!
Do you think our four heroes will finally get the adults to believe them or will they have to kick zombie butt and save the day themselves? Find out for yourself, dear reader, if you dare…
Publication Date September 19th 2023 by Scholastic Press
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From the author that gave us The Glass Witch comes a whimsical exploration of disability that is A Snicker of Magic meets The Sixth Sense.
If you have found this book, then you are probably a lover of the dark and twisty. You did pull this book from a cold dead corpse, after all.
This is the story of Begonia, who was abandoned at a retirement home when she was a baby. You might think that’s the worst thing that could happen to someone, but for Bug, the worst is yet to come.
You see, Swamp Root Manor isn’t just any old house. It’s alive, it’s haunted, and everyone in it is…a little bit Odd. Everyone except Begonia. And while she’s waiting for her Oddity to arrive, the manor is running out of money, thanks in no small part to all of Bug’s hospital bills.
But Begonia refuses to let Swamp Root close. If she could just tap into her Oddity, she could use its power to save the manor and all fifty-two of her grandparents. But she is only days away from her 11th birthday and if she doesn’t get it by then, it will never come.
She will be removed from her home and sent to the normal world.
Her memory will be wiped.
And her family will be gone.
So, Bug has to do the unthinkable… join forces with the most annoying boy in the world to track down their Oddities. Together they battle humans, ghosts, their own self-doubt, and sometimes even each other in order to save the only family she’s ever known.
Publication Date September 12th 2023 by Ablaze
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When things go bump in the night, they bump back.
If you think aliens replaced your teachers or your neighbor might be a vampire, then there’s only one group to call for help: The Nightcrawlers.
The Nightcrawlers take on their first case when a friend from school believes werewolves replaced his parents. They get more than they bargained for when their investigation leads them right in the middle of a confrontation between their caretaker William Jones and a former Nightcrawler out for revenge. This story is about the unlikeliest group of friends coming together to help others…with a spooky twist!
From Ablaze Publishing comes a new all-ages supernatural adventure comic about a group of supernatural kid detectives, by Eisner Award winning writer Marco Lopez and artist on the rise Rachel Distler. For fans of Goosebumps, The Goonies, Monster Squad, Steven Spielberg films & Don Bluth animated films.
Publication Date September 12th 2023 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
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The Otherwoods is calling. And it won’t be ignored.
Some would call River Rydell a ‘chosen one’: born with the ability to see monsters and travel to a terrifying spirit world called The Otherwoods, they have all the makings of a hero. But River just calls themself unlucky. After all, it’s not like anyone actually believes River can see these things-or that anyone even believes monsters exist in the first place. So the way River sees it, it’s better to keep their head down and ignore anything Otherwoods related.
But The Otherwoods won’t be ignored any longer.
When River’s only friend (and crush) Avery is kidnapped and dragged into The Otherwoods by monsters, River has no choice but to confront the world they’ve seen only in their nightmares-but reality turns out be more horrifying than they could have ever imagined. With only their cat for protection and a wayward teen spirit as their guide, River must face the monsters of The Otherwoods and their own fears to save Avery and become the hero they were (unfortunately) destined to be.
Justine Pucella Winans will have you cowering and cackling as you follow River’s reluctant hero’s journey, perfect for fans of Doll Bones, Ghost Squad, and Too Bright To See.
Publication Date September 12th 2023 by HarperCollins
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A standalone high-stakes middle grade fantasy by Alysa Wishingrad, author of the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection The Verdigris Pawn.
Monsters are still lurking on Barrow’s Bay.
Dare Coates is sure of it. No drifter or ruffian could have killed her father, the Captain of the Guard, while he was on patrol. But everyone insists that monsters have been gone for years now. Dare’s mother. Her classmates. Even the governor, who swiftly marries her mother just months after her father’s death.
Dare’s suspicions grow even stronger when the governor suddenly ships her off to the mainland, away from any hope of uncovering the truth about her father’s death.
Or so she thinks. Soon Dare finds solid proof that monsters still exist and she starts to question everything she’s always known. Was her father who she thought he was? Who can she trust? Where is the line between good and evil?
The truth hides behind danger and deception. But with the help of an unlikely crew of cohorts and a stray beastie, nothing can stop Dare from finding out what happened to her father and exposing who the real monsters are.
Perfect for fans of Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters and Lauren Oliver’s The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street.
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Graphix
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Join Willow and newcomer Cami as they escape from the clutches of PIGGY and a danger-filled elementary school in this terrifying original graphic novel adventure!
Welcome to the bone chilling, pulse-pounding world of PIGGY, the survival-horror game that will keep you up at night.
After the outbreak of a zombie-like disease that’s turned the world upside down, Willow and her mysterious team, the Silver Paw, do all they can to stay alive. It’s not so easy when there’s dangerous creatures called “the infected” and their leader, PIGGY, roaming the streets. Danger is around every corner.
When PIGGY ambushes Willow and newcomer Cami, the two escape to an abandoned school only to find they’ll have to survive a barbarian clan of kindergartners, a gladiator pit in the cafeteria, and more all with PIGGY hot on their trail. Can they escape in one piece? Or will this be the end of Willow and the Silver Paw?
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Scholastic Press
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Author of Hide and Seeker, Daka Hermon, brings us a new evil lurking in our childhood games.
Things haven’t been the same since Shane’s accident. One minute he was a normal kid playing a game of tag with his friends, and the next he’s the boy who came back from the dead. Now, every time Shane falls asleep, he’s pulled into a dark world where the evil Nightmare King reigns. The King is collecting children and keeping them as treasure. Despite the threat of capture by the Nightmare King, he can’t stay awake forever. Shane will have to take matters into his own hands…if he gives himself over to his nightmares, can he hold on to the good in himself long enough to bring down the King?
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Holiday House
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Can two girls get to the bottom of their small town’s secrets, or will they become another ghost story? Find out in the second entry of this freakily fun graphic novel series!
Feral is littered with secrets, mysteries, and unexplained disappearances. The town has always been weird…and most residents just accept that.
But intrepid young investigators Freya and Monica are sure that Feral is getting weirder. Kids are disappearing more and more, signs of the supernatural are surfacing in new places, and the lights went on in the abandoned Messner Mansion. Even though they know they shouldn’t, the girls can’t resist the temptation to find out what’s inside.
The adventures from Welcome to Feral continue as they descend into the deep, dark passages hidden below the haunted town. If they aren’t careful, they might become the town’s next unsolved mystery!
With vibrant art, clever humor, and plenty of thrills, animator Mark Fearing conjures a fearsome saga out of small-town terrors.
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Scholastic Press
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Celebrated author Angela Cervantes’ brand new novel combines a chilling ghost story with her award-winning, heartfelt storytelling style.
One two, the Caretaker’s coming for you. Three-four, you’ll breathe no more. Five-six, you’ll float like sticks. Seven, eight, you’ll meet your fate.
Rafael Fuentes isn’t easily scared. He loves writing ghost stories, reading scary books, and entertaining his friends with terrifying tales he creates on the spot. Rafa has come up against enough real-life scary situations that fictional hauntings seem like no big deal. Rafa’s incarcerated mom is being released from jail soon, and will be coming to live with him, his sister, and their grandparents. For the first time in a while, Rafa feels a pit of fear growing in his stomach.
To take his mind off his mom’s return, Rafa spends an evening crafting the scariest ghost story he’s ever told. As an eerie blood moon hangs in the sky, Rafa tells a group of friends about The Caretaker. The Caretaker is an evil ghost who lures unsuspecting kids into the neighborhood pond…and they don’t ever come out. Rafa is really proud of his latest creation, until strange things start to happen around him. With a sinking feeling, Rafa realizes the Caretaker is real. Rafa has brought the ghost to life ― and only he can stop him.
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Scholastic Press
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The next innovation in the book and gaming space is here: Zombie Season! Read the book. Play the game. Fight the undead.
You know the protocol. You’ve completed countless drills. Yet nothing can truly prepare you for what’s coming. No one is ever ready for zombie season…
Joule refuses to evacuate with her mom. She can’t leave town while her dad’s still missing. He’s out there, somewhere, and Joule is going to find him. But what if he’s not just lost? What if he’s become what she most fears?
Regina is proud of her scientist parents, especially now that they’re working on a weapon to keep the zombies at bay. But when she discovers a dark underside to their new technology, she must decide what matters most: her family’s reputation… or saving lives.
Oliver is sick of the drills. What’s the point in pretending you can run and hide when it’s clear the zombies are growing faster and stronger than ever? But when the adults refuse to accept this scary truth, Oliver must find a way to sound the alarm: this year’s zombie season is very, very different. Something has changed, and time is running out to stop it…
Join the fight by going on your own zombie-hunting missions online!
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Holiday House
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The Amadeuses were always considered somewhat strange. Even before the incident.
When six-year-old Beatrice Willoughby vanished at the Amadeuses’ annual All Hallows Eve party, people in the tiny mountain town of Nevermore were quick to whisper: They were always odd. Their house is full of dark magic. And when Mort Amadeus was pegged for the crime, the Amadeuses, once the center of society, retreated. They closed their doors, disappeared from life. People almost forgot. Until thirteen years later, when six envelopes land at the doorstep of six households in town: We cordially invite you to a celebration on the 31st of October this Saturday evening at the Amadeus household.
So begins the mystery of who was really responsible for the missing girl thirteen years ago. Was it Duchess von Pelt, whose face no one has ever seen? Mrs. Raven, the keeper of the local inn? Wormwood, the Amadeuses’ mysterious caretaker? Dr. Foozle, the town pharmacist? Count Baines, who seems to know when unlucky things are about to happen? Judge Ophelius, who presided over Beatrice’s case originally? Mr. and Mrs. H, a couple who no one can ever quite remember? Or somehow, might precocious, thirteen-year-old Dewey and his storytelling dad, Chaucer, be somehow mixed up in all this?
The guests must work together to identify the guilty party among them over the course of the evening — but beware the ticking clock, because at midnight, everything is going to change! Told from different perspectives, this is a sly, darkly funny mystery. Filled with strange characters and set in a mansion deep, deep in the woods. G. Z. Schmidt has crafted an unforgettable puzzle, perfect for reading on a dark autumn night.
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Quill Tree Books
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From Ethan M. Aldridge, bestselling creator of Estranged, comes a gothic middle grade prose novel that follows a nonbinary student who is drawn to their boarding school’s forbidden east wing, where something stalks the shadowy corridors. Perfect for fans of J.A. White and Mary Downing Hahn!
When Guinevere “Nev” Tallow receives an acceptance letter to the exclusive Deephaven Academy, they know it’s the fresh start that they’ve been looking for.
But things are strange from the moment they arrive — the house itself seems to breathe, students whisper secrets in dark corridors, and the entire east wing of the academy is locked away for reasons no one wants to explain. And Nev knows something ragged stalks the shadowy corridors, something that sobs quietly and scratches at the walls, waiting to be released.
With the help of another first-year student, Nev takes it upon themselves to unravel the mysteries hidden in Deephaven’s halls. But will they risk their fresh start to bring the academy’s secret to light?
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Sourcebooks Young Readers
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From the author of Scritch Scratch and The Girl In White comes a new spooky mystery about a girl detective who must decode a series of ominous clues tied to a century-old tragedy to find a missing teenager before it’s too late…
Twelve-year-old Hazel Woods has always had an unusual knack for sleuthing. Some may call it snooping, but all she really wants is to solve mysteries around town. So, when she not-so-accidentally overhears her brother Den planning to sneak into the cemetery at night for an epic game of hide-and-seek, she decides to secretly tag along. This seems like the perfect opportunity to investigate the claims that the cemetery is haunted.
But the moment the game ends, Hazel realizes something is very, very wrong. From her hiding spot in the bushes, she overhears that her brother’s best friend, Everett, is missing. Everyone else was found by the seeker but there’s no sign of Everett anywhere. It’s as if he just…vanished
Hazel and Den are determined to find Everett before it’s too late. But as they begin to unravel the terrifying clues that started appearing since that night in the graveyard – eerie whispers that sound like someone counting, the intermittent smell of smoke, and the cold, lost presence that follows them everywhere, she’s not sure what they are dealing with. But Everett needs more than search parties and scent-tracking dogs to find him, especially if his disappearance is tied to the history of the cemetery, and the lost, century-old spirits that might still be trapped there…
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Clarion Books
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The thrilling, heartfelt finale to the New York Times bestselling Hooky series, based on the beloved WEBTOON comic.
Reeling from three years of anti-magic rule under the king — and three years disconnected from twin witches Dani and Dorian — Princess Monica, Nico, Damien, and Prince William know that it is now their responsibility to save the kingdom, and their friends, before darkness prevails.
Determined to uncover the circumstances of Dorian’s disappearance and rescue reigning Queen of the Witches Dani from her mysterious curse, the group comes together for one final, epic adventure. On a mission that takes them across the kingdom, friendships are tested, romances bloom, and the past holds the key to their future.
Dorian, Dani, and all the witches and non-magical people of the kingdom must decide once and for all: Who will they be, and will they use their power and influence for good?
Publication Date September 5th 2023 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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Encanto meets Coraline in this spooky middle grade story that deals with family ties, fear of change, and generational trauma as it follows a girl who must convince an old, haunted house to release its hold on her and her family.
Eleven-year-old Micah has no interest in moving out of her grandfather’s house. She loves living with Poppop and their shared hobby of driving around rich neighborhoods to find treasures in others’ trash. To avoid packing, Micah goes for a bike ride and ends up at Finch House, the decrepit Victorian that Poppop says is Off Limits. Except when she gets there, it’s all fixed up and there’s a boy named Theo in the front yard. Surely that means Finch House isn’t Off Limits anymore? But when Poppop finds her there, Micah is only met with his disappointment.
By the next day, Poppop is nowhere to be found. After searching everywhere, Micah’s instincts lead her back to Finch House. But once Theo invites her inside, Micah realizes she can’t leave. And that, with its strange whispers and deep-dark shadows, Finch House isn’t just a house…it’s alive.
Can Micah find a way to convince the house to let her go? Or will she be forced to stay in Finch House forever?
Publication Date August 29th 2023 by Feiwel & Friends
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From R.L. Stine, the master of horror for young readers, comes ten new stories that are sure to send a shiver down your spine.
Two kids embark on a field trip to the zoo…and stumble upon a creature they never expected to meet. A boy makes a machine that puts kids in charge…but at what cost? A child is sure his new house is haunted…but is it just in his head? And each story comes with a personal introduction from Stine himself.
Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 2 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you might be sleeping with the lights on tonight!
Publication Date August 29th 2023 by Clarion Books
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In this eerie full-color graphic novel adaptation of one of award-winning author Mary Downing Hahn’s most popular ghost stories, mischievous siblings pretend their grandmother’s Vermont inn is haunted and awaken the real spirits who dwell there.
Travis and his sister, Corey, can’t resist a good trick. When they learn that their grandmother’s quiet Vermont inn, where they’re spending the summer, has a history of ghost sightings, they decide to do a little “haunting” of their own. Before long, their supernatural pranks have tourists flocking to the inn, and business booms.
But Travis and Corey soon find out that theirs aren’t the only ghosts at Fox Hill Inn. Their thoughtless games have awakened something dangerous, something that should have stayed asleep. Can these siblings lay to rest the restless spirits they’ve disturbed?
Publication Date August 29th 2023 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Practical Magic meets Hocus Pocus in this sweet and enchanting middle grade fantasy novel about a young witch who must uncover the secrets of her family’s past to end their longstanding internal feud.
Thirteen-year-old Clementine Merlyn lives with her mom, her aunts, and her cousin Mirabelle at Number 15 Pendragon Road. The Merlyns are a family of witches, but because of an ancient falling out with the other branch of the family, the Morgans, they only have powers for a single month of the year: October.
And this October may be the one that Clemmie gets her magic. It should be exciting, except that magic is the reason that Mirabelle never talks to her anymore, Aunt Flissie leaves at the end of every September and doesn’t come back until November, and Aunt Temmie…well, is long gone. And the Merlyn bad luck takes an even worse turn this year. After a disastrous attempt by the aunts to recover their lost magic, 15 Pendragon Road is visited by the creepy and cold Morgans.
In the wake of the ensuing battle, Clemmie and Mirabelle are left on their own. With no other choice, the cousins must bond together and summon their courage and magic to solve the mystery of what happened between the first Merlyn and Morgan all those centuries ago if they’ll have any hope of ending this feud and getting their family back.
Publication Date August 29th 2023 by Viking Books for Young Readers
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It’s hard to fight the supernatural when you’re naturally “un-super.” This chilling middle grade is perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark…even if they don’t have any special powers.
Charlie Greer is nothing special — at least not compared to her adopted siblings. Her younger sister is a ghost. Her brother Mateo is a werewolf. Gideon is the product of seriously sketchy experiments that gave him telekinetic powers. Even her parents work for the Division of Extranormal Investigations tracking down all things supernatural, alien, and otherwise unusual.
Charlie’s mom says her superpower is maturity — which doesn’t really count. But what Charlie lacks in powers she makes up for by keeping the household running. Now, with her parents off on their first vacation in years, it’s up to her to take care of her siblings and make sure nothing disrupts the trip.
But then the new neighbors arrive. The Weavers are a nice, normal couple. Too nice and too normal. And for some reason, they don’t seem to want Charlie to see inside their house. She’s certain they’re hiding something. Charlie has to uncover what’s going on with the Weavers and stop their plans — without letting Mom and Dad find out anything is wrong.
Publication Date August 22nd 2023 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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Here’s the third book in the Monsterious series — terrifying tales that combine monsters and mysteries, perfect for fans of Goosebumps.
Twelve-year-old Tegan and his friends are excited to set out on a weeklong backpacking trip through the wilderness in Shadow Canyon, known for its vast forests and jaw-droppingly deep canyon. But after the group sets off on a little-used trail to visit a remote waterfall, they soon discover that the path markers they’ve been following have mysteriously disappeared, leaving them hopelessly lost.
As Tegan and his friends try to find their way back to civilization, they begin to notice strange things in the woods: small, oblong stones dotting the landscape in unexpected formations, tree roots that seem to be moving on their own, and creepy glowing eyes peering out of the shadows at night. Before long, they discover that something sinister stalks the forest — a creature with a hunger for human flesh. Can they make it out of Shadow Canyon alive?
Publication Date August 15th 2023 by Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks
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Perfect for fans of Spirited Away, Coco, and Ghosts comes a spooky fantasy graphic novel about the friendship between a girl who can see ghosts and a boy who is stuck between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Twelve years ago, the boy and the girl lived. But one was supposed to die.
July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren’t real. So she pretends they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it’s Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth ― for William to live, July must die.
Inspired by Chinese mythology, this dark yet resoundingly hopeful tale about friendship, sacrifice, and the unseen world of ghosts is a dazzling heir to beloved Studio Ghibli classics.
Publication Date August 15th 2023 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
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The Netherbeast, a slinking creature with an overwhelming stench, impossibly charms young Nell. Befriending this shapeshifter propels Nell into an unforgettable summer. A beast, a haunting, a fire, and a basement that should be avoided at all costs are just part of the adventures Nell didn’t ask for. This story is equal parts heart-pounding and heartwarming.
Twelve-year-old Nell Stoker loves animals. She’s been working toward becoming a junior volunteer at her local animal shelter for what feels like forever. But now it’s summertime, and her parents are making her go to her Aunt Jerry’s old bed and breakfast in Deer Valley with her older sister Lulu. When Nell crosses paths with the Netherbeast (a creature that is decidedly not a cat), his hijinks leave her wondering if she’s made a new best friend or if Netherbeast will destroy the whole B&B (not even by accident). It’s up to Nell to help save her aunt’s B&B and solve the mystery of what might be in the basement. Between the mysteries of Rose Cottage and the creepy Netherbeast — Nell is in for an unforgettable summer adventure.
Publication Date August 15th 2023 by Walden Pond Press
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The Brothers Grimm meets Knives Out in this unexpected, hilarious, and wholly original fantasy-murder-mystery.
The Lilac. The bard songs say that she’s the world’s most fearsome bounty hunter. That there’s no criminal she can’t catch, no mystery she can’t solve.
None of that is true. Yet.
In reality, the Lilac is just a kid, and the bard who wrote all that is her best friend, Dulcinetta. But the Lilac has set her goals on becoming the best bounty hunter in the Thirteen Kingdoms — and when a priceless artifact goes missing from the home of famed monster hunter Baron Angbar, the Lilac and Netta are eager to apprehend the thief and make a name for themselves.
But when their investigation brings them to a dinner party at Castle Angbar, and they meet the Angbar family and their servants and guests — an unsavory group of nobles, mages, and assorted creatures, each more shady than the last — the Lilac begins to wonder if the reward is worth the trouble.
And that’s before the dead body is discovered.
Now, everyone is magically sealed inside the castle — and there is a murderer among them. If the Lilac wants to make it out with her reputation intact, it’s going to be up to her to figure out who the killer is. But everyone in the castle — even the Lilac herself — has secrets to hide, and as the walls literally start to close in around them, the Lilac worries that her first job as a bounty hunter may be her last…
Publication Date August 15th 2023 by Melissa de la Cruz Studio
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Middle school is hard — add a deadly embarrassing family and a huge secret, and it’s nearly impossible. An Addams-esque family faces a perilous plot in this energetic, ghostly middle grade mystery.
Molly Dade has big problems. She’s got an important violin audition coming up, she’s been paired with her nemesis for a group project, and she’s struggling to hide a life-or-death secret from…well, from everyone. It wasn’t long ago that the Dades were just a regular Maine family living in their reportedly haunted house in the local cemetery. But then Molly’s mom and twin brother Marty were killed in a freak accident. And Molly, her older brother Timothy, and her father became the town’s newest bereaved family.
Except Mom and Marty are still very much present. No one knows why, but Mom is now a ghost and Marty is a poltergeist. Oh, and there’s also Molly’s younger sister Dyandra, who is a zombie.
Keeping all this supernatural stuff a secret from everyone is hard work, especially when the dead (undead?) members of the family still want to participate in things like the Parent Teacher Association meetings or come to the (very public, very potentially embarrassing) school concert.
When Dad’s new cemetery assistant seems to know the Dade family secret, Molly and Marty worry about the future of their family. And when Marty begins to regain his memories of the explosion that killed him and Mom, the twins realize that the situation might be even more grave than they thought. Someone might be after the Dade family — but who? And why?
Publication Date August 15th 2023 by Penguin Workshop
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From the co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series The Magic Misfits comes a spectacularly creepy follow-up to Tales To Keep You Up At Night that will keep you up way past bedtime.
Perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark!
Gilbert is visiting his injured brother, Ant, in the hospital, when he sees a shadowed figure leave behind a satchel filled with old cassette tapes. Despite a strange, garbled voicemail telling him “Don’t listen to the tapes,” Gilbert can’t resist playing them and listening to the chilling stories they reveal: tales of cursed seashells, of doors torn through the fabric of the universe, of cemeteries that won’t let you leave, of a classroom skeleton that hungers for new skin. And wandering through all the stories, a strange man named November, who might not be a man at all…
As Gilbert keeps listening to the tapes, he slowly realizes that the stories may hold the key to helping Ant. But in order to save his brother, he may be opening a door to something much, much worse…
With hair-raising, spine-chilling prose, Dan Poblocki delivers a collection of interconnected stories that are sure to keep you up late in the night.
Publication Date August 8th 2023 by Razorbill
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The Nameless Witch is the wickedly exciting and queer sequel to The Devouring Wolf!
For fans of Soman Chainani, Anne Ursu, and stories with lots of magic, action and a big heart.
If you give your witch your name…
…she’ll steal your magic and grind your bones.After defeating the Devouring Wolf, Riley and her friends hoped they could leave scary legends behind and focus on being the best werewolves they can be. Nicknamed the Winter Pack because of when they turned, they’ve got a unique bond thanks to how different they are as a prime, and some of the other pups think they get special treatment. It’s all Riley and her friends can do to practice their magic skills, get all their homework done, and not let the other young wolves pick fights.
Suddenly their bond leads them to a new threat — a young witch on the run. She isn’t just any runaway, though. She’s the next in line to become the magic-hungry Nameless Witch and even being in her presence is dangerous for werewolves. They say the Nameless Witch can take anything she wants from you if she knows your name.
But this runaway doesn’t want to be Nameless, she wants to choose for herself. The Winter Pack understands better than other wolves what that feels like, and they pledge to help her. Too bad the terrible power of the Nameless Witch has already marked the runaway, and Riley and her pack have no time before their new friend will turn, steal their magic and bones, and possibly even destroy all of Clawroot…
Publication Date August 8th 2023 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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From Sarah Allen, the acclaimed author of What Stars Are Made Of and Breathing Underwater, comes a chilling middle-grade tale of fear, friendship, and finding courage even in the darkest of moments. In this monster story that’s also an allegory for relentless anxiety, see how far a penny’s worth of hope will take you when you enter The Nightmare House.
I saw a person with blank, colorless eyes…and this time, I wasn’t dreaming.
Penny Hope used to be brave, but that was before she met the Fear Maker. Years later, he still haunts her nightmares ― a tall, thin man with red eyes, in a haunted house in the woods, who devours human souls and leaves their eyes hollow and empty. Penny’s beloved grandma tells her to write down these nightmares as poems in her notebook. But then Penny starts seeing blank-eyed people in the waking world, too. She’s the only one who notices.
As more people around her fall prey to the Fear Maker, Penny must gather her courage once and for all to save the souls of those she loves. With the help of a magic garden and a new friend, she ventures to the Fear Maker’s house. But the house is a labyrinth of shadows and tricks ― and the Fear Maker’s fun is just beginning. Can a pocketful of sunflower seeds and a notebook filled with poems be enough to defeat a master of nightmares? And if Penny sets foot in the Fear Maker’s house, will she ever leave?
Publication Date August 8th 2023 by Razorbill
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Perfect for fans of Wednesday, Monster High, and anyone in need of a wickedly good laugh, this graphic novel debut follows an aspiring witch and her two best friends as they try to have a fun-filled Halloween…while also dealing with a pair of neighborhood do-gooders hell-bent on vanquishing evil.
Learning to become a witch is hella difficult! Luckily, Gwen can always count on her two best friends in the whole world for help. Except Sloane and Miles aren’t exactly from this world. They’re from the Hallowlands, a monstrous realm, which they can only leave as the year creeps toward Halloween. This year, Gwen is determined to flex her magical skills. Armed with her first-ever grimoire, she’s hoping her friends will finally see that she has what it takes to leave boring suburbia behind and join them in the Hallowlands.
Except Gwen hadn’t counted on Hiro, a local kid obsessed with hunting the supernatural. When he and his reluctant sidekick start making trouble for them, the monster squad will have to fight to avoid having their secrets exposed — or worse. But when Gwen’s quest to prove herself leads to a string of unintended consequences, the five of them may just have to band together to take on something even more nightmarish than being a teen.
Publication Date August 8th 2023 by HarperCollins
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Fans of Ghost Squad will love this lightly scary creature feature standalone novel about a tween aspiring horror movie actress who pairs up with the twin children of her favorite director to defeat zombifying octopus-like creatures!
Halle dreams of becoming a scream queen. She practices her loudest scream every day and has learned a lot from studying the horror movies of her favorite director, Maximus Price. Maximus lives just outside town, and when the chance to go to his home arises, Halle grabs it with both hands. She doesn’t realize that real life horrors await her at Price Manor.
Paisley and Argyle, Maximus’s twin children, think that the creepy, squid-like creatures that have attached themselves to the faces of the manor’s staff, putting them in a zombie-like stupor, are just another one of their prankster dad’s tricks. When Halle arrives and is attacked by one of the creatures, she meets the twins and assures them that this is no joke. The three kids will have to work together using all of their unusual talents to defeat the monsters — and maybe even save the world.
Blending quirky humor and poignant heart with delightfully creepy monsters, this debut middle grade novel is a perfect entry point for young readers to the horror genre.
Publication Date August 1st 2023 by Scholastic Press
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From bestselling horror master K.R. Alexander comes this twisted take on a school for magic, where the line between life and death grows thinner with every nightfall.
Sebastian Wight is cursed.
He sees things other kids don’t see. Things he shouldn’t see.
Ghosts. Monsters. Ghouls. And now, they want him dead.Sebastian’s home is no longer safe…and the only place that will take him in is Gallowgate Academy, where students are taught to hunt the things that haunt them.
There are some lessons, though, that the school doesn’t want to teach Sebastian. Secrets about his deadly family history that refuse to stay in the shadows.
For Sebastian, fighting the dead might be hard…but it’s the living who may destroy him.
Publication Date August 1st 2023 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Pixar’s Coco meets Neil Gaiman in this chilling middle grade novel about a girl whose quest to ensure her deceased grandmother is resting peacefully leads her to the magical and perilous kingdoms of the underworld.
Everyone in Whispering Pines knows their town is full of ghosts, but Helena Novak hasn’t seen a trace of her late grandmother, Babi. Helena and her best friend, Ben, spend most of their free time in the cemetery, yet no amount of gifts on Babi’s grave has lured her spirit out. But someone else has been paying attention.
Helena feels she’s being followed, and one day, all Babi’s grave gifts disappear. When Helena and Ben investigate, they find a secret door in a crypt that leads to the underworld itself. The sprawling subterranean world is a maze of eerie kingdoms, piercing castles, creepy forests, swirling seas, and crowded marketplaces full of unsavory characters. While the living can visit, if they get lost — or taken by the mysterious Nightmare — they won’t be able to leave. Despite the danger, Helena is set on finding her grandmother and seeing for herself that Babi is doing well in this strange place.
So when eccentric underworld guide Grumbones offers to help Helena and Ben find their way, they think it’s their lucky break. Sure, he looks like Santa’s skinny evil brother and some of the memento mori spilling out of his pockets look awfully familiar, but better a slightly suspicious helper than none at all…right?
Publication Date August 1st 2023 by Tundra Books
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Two vampire brothers must set aside their differences to solve a series of murders in this humorous and delightfully spooky novel for young readers. For fans of Too Bright To See.
Adam and Victor are brothers who have the usual fights over the remote, which movie to watch and whether or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people. Well, not so much eat…just drink a little blood. They’re vampires, hiding in plain sight with their eclectic yet loving family.
Ten-year-old Adam knows he has a better purpose in his life (well, immortal life) than just drinking blood, but fourteen-year-old Victor wants to accept his own self-image of vampirism. Everything changes when bodies start to appear all over town, and it becomes clear that a vampire hunter may be on the lookout for the family. Can Adam and Victor reconcile their differences and work together to stop the killer before it’s too late?
Publication Date August 1st 2023 by Scholastic Inc.
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Welcome back to the EXIT 13 Motel!
We are so so happy you decided to return.
After all, why would you ever want to leave? IF you’d like, we can even make sure that your stay is… permanent.
With black-and-white comic pages throughout, EXIT 13 is perfect for mystery and horror loving kids everywhere!
Try as they might, the McGinn family can’t seem to escape from the clutches of the EXIT 13 Motel. Other guests come and go, totally unaware of the fact that Ash, Willow, and the rest of their family aren’t able to leave, no matter how hard they try.
But as they attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery of the Motel, things only seem to get more bizarre. Ash is hearing and seeing strange things almost every night, and Willow’s attempts to learn more about Kristoff – the dark and brooding Motel receptionist – uncover a massive secret that has so far remained hidden underneath the Motel itself.
New guests, new frights, and new animals in need of saving mean that the McGinn siblings – and Daisy the goldendoodle – have their work cut out for them. Can they get to the bottom of it all before the Motel closes its doors on them, once and for all?
Return to the weird and creepy world of EXIT 13 in this hair-raising sequel. Whether you’re a fan of mystery, a lover of horror, or even a graphic novel super reader, EXIT 13 is sure to grab you. This illustrated novel – the second in the series – includes black-and-white comic pages throughout!
Publication Date August 1st 2023 by
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A new pulse-pounding supernatural mystery about twelve-year-old Rebecca, who has always wanted to hunt ghosts…until she meets one.
Paranormal enthusiast Rebecca Graff isn’t happy about being dragged to Iowa to spend the summer with family she barely knows. But when she tracks a ghostly presence to an abandoned farmhouse, she starts to think the summer won’t be a total lost cause!
The trouble is no one believes her. Then Rebecca finds a note stashed in a comic belonging to her late father — a note that proves the same spirit haunted him when he was twelve. Suddenly she feels a connection to the dad she pretends not to miss, and she is determined to uncover the story behind the haunting.
But the more Rebecca discovers, the scarier the ghost becomes. Soon she is in a race to piece together the puzzle and recover a family legacy before it is lost forever and a horrible tragedy repeats itself.
Publication Date July 25th 2023 by Penguin Workshop
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From the creator of My Life As A Teenage Robot comes a middle-grade horror story about a horrible bag, the spine-chilling world hidden within it, and a terrifying adventure into the world of GrahBhag.
When Zenith finds a strange, unsettling bag at his front door, he’s not sure where it came from or who sent it to him. He knows better than to expect his overprotective older sister Apogee to help him figure it out, because ever since she became a teenager, she’s been acting more like a parent to him than a sibling. But he certainly did not expect for a horrifying spiderlike creature to emerge from the bag, kidnap Apogee, and drag her inside to the equally horrifying and unsettling world of GrahBhag.
Zenith sets off into the bag to bring her back but soon finds a bizarre realm where malicious forests, a trio of blood-drinking mouths, and a sentient sawdust-stuffed giant are lurking within the seams. And from every corner of the world come whispers of the Great Wurm, an eldritch horror with a godlike hold over the creatures of GrahBhag, who seems to have a dark, insidious purpose for Apogee. With the help of a greedy, earwax-nibbling gargoyle, Zenith will have to save Apogee from the Great Wurm and help them both escape the horrible bag before it’s too late.
With a combination of dry, absurdist humor and no-holds-barred horror, Rob Renzetti has crafted a delightfully imaginative fantasy world that will hook readers as surely as it will send chills down their spines.
Publication Date July 18th 2023 by First Second
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From the director of the Oscar-nominated movie Boxtrolls comes a middle grade horror anthology that will leave you holding onto your blankets for dear life! Perfect for fans of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark and Goosebumps!
School is tough.
School is scary.
School is EERIE.No one knows this better than Davis and Emily. But they’re not scared of school because of tough tests or merciless vice-principals. No, they’re scared because their teacher wants her students to present the class with the spookiest, most chilling stories they can think of.
From the twisted mind of Graham Annable comes five horrifying stories that will scare your skeleton right out of your skin. Are you ready to stare down “The Face in the Forest”? Do you think you can handle the truth behind “The Village that Vanished?”
Lock the doors, turn on all the lights, and arm yourself with candy ― you’ll need all the help you can get to face these nightmares.
Publication Date July 18th 2023 by Quill Tree Books
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In this magical and chilling Coraline-esque retelling of the Japanese folktale “The Melon Princess and the Amanjaku,” one girl must save herself — and her loved ones — from a deceitful demon she befriended.
Melony Yoshimura’s parents have always been overprotective. They say it’s because a demonic spirit called the Amanjaku once preyed upon kids back in Japan, but Melony suspects it’s just a cautionary tale to keep her in line. So on her twelfth birthday, Melony takes a chance and wishes for the freedom and adventure her parents seem determined to keep her from.
As if conjured by her wish, the Amanjaku appears. At first, Melony is wary. If this creature is real, are the stories about its destructive ways also real? In no time, however, the Amanjaku woos Melony with its ability to shape-shift, grant wishes, and understand her desire for independence. But what Melony doesn’t realize is that the Amanjaku’s friendship has sinister consequences, and she quickly finds every aspect of her life controlled by the demon’s trickery — including herself.
Melony is determined to set things right, but will she be able to before the Amanjaku turns her life, her family, and her community upside down?
Publication Date July 18th 2023 by Feiwel & Friends
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A twelve-year-old cemetery boy and monster hunter – along with his flesh-eating mermaid friend – has to race against the clock to save the ghost of his dead mother in Brick Dust and Bones, M.R. Fournet’s magical middle grade debut.
Marius Grey hunts Monsters. He’s not supposed to. He’s only twelve and his job as a Cemetery Boy is to look after the ghosts in his family’s graveyard. He should be tending these ghosts and – of course – going to school to learn how to live between worlds without getting into trouble.
But, Marius has an expensive goal. He wants to bring his mother back from the dead, and that takes a LOT of mystic coins, which means a LOT of Monster Hunting, and his mother’s window to return is closing.
If he wants her back, Marius is going to have to go after bigger and meaner monsters, decide if a certain flesh-eating mermaid is a friend or foe, and avoid meddling Demons and teachers along the way. Can Marius navigate New Orleans’s gritty monster bounty-hunting market, or will he have to say goodbye to his mother forever?
Publication Date July 18th 2023 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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Perfect for fans of Small Spaces and Doll Bones, this spooky, highly illustrated middle grade novel follows a girl who hopes to fix her outcast status through a game in the haunted woods, only to discover that some legends shouldn’t be played with.
Everyone knows Fall Hollow is haunted. It has been ever since Abigail Snook went into the woods many years ago, never to be seen again. Since then, it’s tradition for the sixth graders at Beckett Elementary to play the Bellwoods Game on Halloween night. Three kids are chosen to go into the woods. Whoever rings the bell there wins the game and saves the town for another year, but if Abigail’s ghost captures the players first, the spirit is let loose to wreak havoc on Fall Hollow — or so the story goes.
Now that it’s Bailee’s year to play, she can finally find out what really happens. And legend has it the game’s winner gets a wish. Maybe, just maybe, if Bailee wins, she can go back to the way things used to be before her grandma got sick and everyone at school started hating her. But when the night begins, everything the kids thought they knew about the game — and each other — is challenged. One thing’s for sure: something sinister is at play…waiting for them all in the woods.
Publication Date July 18th 2023 by Clarion Books
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In this not-so-scary ghost story from Jacqueline Davies, bestselling author of the Lemonade War series, quirky, tool-wielding Alice Cannoli-Potchnik begins to repair the dilapidated mansion next door — only to discover the old house is home to ghosts, and they need mending, too!
Home is where the heart is. But can a house have a heart of its own?
Ten-year-old Alice is moving for the eleventh time.
She’s lived in so many houses, each more broken than the last, that home to Alice is nothing more than a place you fix and then a place you leave. After all, who needs a permanent home when you’re a whiz at fixing things?
But when Alice arrives at her new home, she can’t take her eyes off the house next door, the stately dark house that hulked in the dimming light. The once-grand mansion, now dilapidated and condemned, beckons Alice; it’s the perfect new repair job!
As Alice begins to restore the House to its former splendor, she senses strange presences. Is there a heartbeat coming from the House’s walls? Is someone looking at her? Soon she realizes she’s not alone. Three ghosts have been watching, and they need Alice’s help to solve their unfinished business.
Will Alice be able to unravel the mysteries of the House and find her forever home…before it’s too late?
Publication Date July 11th 2023 by Inkyard Press
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Welcome back to East Emerson, a town chock-full of monsters, in this spooky and hilarious middle grade series about three kids who must unravel centuries of secrets to save the day.
Will Hunter just wants a quiet day in East Emerson. But instead:
● A bully won’t leave him alone at school
● His mom is struggling to make ends meet
● Together with friends Ivy and Linus, he’s had to save the town from a pet-napping vampire and a werewolf armyWhen someone starts raising the dead all over town, it’s up to Will, Ivy, and Linus to unlock the centuries of secrets hiding underground and prevent a terrifying monster from being unleashed. And if they fail, it won’t just mean the end of East Emerson — but the end of the entire world.
Publication Date July 11th 2023 by HarperCollins
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Ellen Oh of Spirit Hunters delivers this spooky middle grade novel about the friendship between a Korean American boy and his dog, Haru — who becomes a zombie! Fans of Frankenweenie will enjoy this scary yet heartwarming read.
Even though the world is changing and zombie attacks are on the rise, the bond between this boy and his dog remains strong, and when their town is threatened, Haru must rescue them all. Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award Honor for Children’s Literature, Ellen Oh delivers another standout story.
Eleven-year-old Luke and his dog, Haru, are the best of friends. Totally inseparable. But when their nasty landlord falsely accuses Haru of biting her, Haru is kidnapped!
As Luke and his friends go on a serious mission to find and bring Haru home again, they discover mysterious experiments happening at the old laboratory at Painted Lake, owned by an evil multibillionaire named Mr. Thomas Sinclair. And Luke and his friends soon fear that Sinclair’s scientists could be doing illegal testing that may endanger Haru and their whole town.
As more strange clues emerge, the boys realize their world is changing fast, and soon Painted Lake is plagued by zombie attacks. But the love between Luke and Haru endures, ultimately helping to save them all.
Publication Date June 20th 2023 by Random House Graphic
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The monster hunting hero Ham Helsing is back for his biggest challenge yet — a family reunion? Vampires, monsters, and now your dad?! This action-packed graphic novel brings on the laughs and the drama!
Ham and his pals are snowed in at the old Helsing manor…and they aren’t the only ones haunting its dusty halls. All Ham wanted to do was get some closure after the death of his father, but when his father turns out to be very alive? Ham will have his hands full just trying to keep his friends safe from his legendary monster hunter dad!
Publication Date June 6th 2023 by Balzer + Bray
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From Julie Murphy, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’, comes a hilarious and creepy middle grade summer camp story that takes a bite out of fat camp and diet culture. Perfect for fans of Spooky Stories and Starfish.
Magnolia “Maggie” Hagen is determined to be in the spotlight…if she can just get over her stage fright. This summer, though, she has big plans to finally attend Camp Rising Star, the famous performing arts camp she’s been dying to go to for three whole summers.
But on the last day of school, her parents break the news: Maggie isn’t going to Camp Rising Star. She’s being shipped off to fat camp — and not just any fat camp. She’s going to Camp Sylvania, run by world-famous wellness influencer Sylvia Sylvania, who is known for her soon-to-be-patented Scarlet Diet.
When Maggie arrives at camp, things are…weird. There are the humiliating weigh-ins and grueling workouts, as expected. But the campers are also encouraged to donate blood — at their age! The cafeteria serves only red foods and the oddly specific rules change every day. There are even rumors of a camp ghost.
Despite these horrors, Maggie makes friends and starts to actually enjoy herself. There are even tryouts for a camp production of The Music Man! This place might not be so bad…until campers start going missing and other suspicious things begin happening — especially after dark. The camp ghost might be the least scary thing about this place…
Publication Date June 6th 2023 by Papercutz
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Join The Nightmare Brigade on another adventure into the unknown!
Professor Angus and his three 14 year old kids, Tristan, Esteban and Sarah make up the NIGHTMARE BRIGADE – saving people from the terrors of the night one nightmare at a time. In this volume, the gang faces their biggest challenge yet – the mad mind of Leonard – to save Tristan’s beloved mother, Alice. She ventured into Leonard’s dreams ten years ago, but got trapped when the dream turned tragic. Tristan and Angus have gotten more experienced and the Brigade is bigger and better than ever, but to save Alice requires more; it means delving into Alice’s own past to bring her into the NIGHTMARE BRIGADE’S future. Can they do it? And what will happen if they do…?
Publication Date June 6th 2023 by Scholastic Press
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From rising star Shakirah Bourne, author of Josephine Against The Sea, comes a mysterious adventure that explores one of the most chilling tales in Caribbean mythology: the faceless douen children.
Twelve year-old Serenity Noah has never told anyone about her recurring nightmares — the haunting images of silver butterflies whose flapping wings drive away all sound, leaving only suffocating silence in their wake. Her parents already favor her “perfect” younger brother, Peace, and she doesn’t want to be seen as the “problem” child.
Instead, Serenity’s found a productive way to channel her fears: creating a horror movie as scary as her nightmares.
When Peace suddenly becomes afraid of the dark and refuses to sleep alone, their parents take him away for “treatment” on Duppy Island. Serenity has a very bad feeling about the mysterious island and the facility’s creepy leader, Dr. Whisper. And when she sees a silver butterfly from her nightmares in the forbidden forest she realizes that something is seriously, dangerously awry.
But nothing could’ve prepared Serenity for the truth: the island is home to douens – faceless children with backward feet who are trapped in limbo between the world of the living and the land of the dead. And unless Serenity acts soon, her brother is going to join their ranks…
Publication Date May 9th 2023 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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Here’s the second book in the series of terrifying tales that combine monsters and mysteries, perfect for fans of Goosebumps.
When her small town is rocked by a series of baby kidnappings, Teo vows to spend her summer break solving the mystery, and convinces her friend Logan — who would much rather spend his vacation relaxing—to help.
Their search for answers soon leads them to the woods at the edge of town, and Teo fears some kind of supernatural creature might be behind the snatchings. What else could explain the creepy figure they see moving through the trees, or the bloodcurdling screams coming from the forest at dusk?
Logan has his doubts, but when another child is taken, there’s no time to waste. Can he and Teo get to the bottom of the kidnappings and rescue the missing babies before it’s too late?
Publication Date May 9th 2023 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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Here’s the first book in the series of terrifying tales that combine monsters and mysteries, perfect for fans of Goosebumps.
In a mansion on a hill,
lived a man no one could kill.
Raised the dead with magic dark
to rule the world and make his mark.Zari has always been fascinated by creepy stories about Hezekiah Crawly, the real-life inspiration behind her local amusement park’s haunted house attraction, so she’s thrilled when her friends Mateo and Taylor agree to go on the last ride of the day before the park closes.
But when the ride breaks down, the three get trapped inside the haunted house for the night! As if that weren’t scary enough, the kids stumble onto a hidden staircase leading to a dark, cobwebbed crypt that doesn’t seem like part of the ride — and by the looks of it, they aren’t alone down there. Is it possible the stories about Hezekiah Crawly and his monstrous experiments are true? And if so, can Zari, Mateo and Taylor make it through the night in one piece?
Publication Date May 9th 2023 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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Ghost Squad meets Hotel Transylvania in this sweetly spooky fish-out-of-water middle grade story about a human girl who must put on the performance of her life when she realizes what she thought was a LARPing summer camp is full of real monsters!
With her stick-on fangs and widow’s peak drawn in waterproof eyeliner, Sylvie is an expert at pretending to be a vampire. More kids at school would know that if they bothered to join her monster LARPing (live action role playing) club. Not even her dad understands her passion for the undead and denies her request to attend a monster LARPing summer camp. But Sylvie is not so easily deterred.
She decides to tell her dad she’s attending another camp located near Monster Camp then sneak over to her real destination after he drops her off. Sylvie feels bad lying to her dad, but there’s no way she’s going to miss the chance to finally meet other kids that share her interests. And when she lays eyes on Monster Camp, she knows it was all worth it — the immersive campgrounds look like they came off a Hollywood lot!
But when an obnoxious kid dressed like a werewolf gets punished by being magically turned into a Pomeranian, Sylvie realizes she made a critical miscalculation. These aren’t LARPers, they’re real monsters, and Sylvie’s preferred costume means she’s placed with blood-sucking, human-biting campers who would breathe fire if they knew the truth about her. She has no choice but to try to stick it out by doing exactly what she does best: pretending to be a monster.
Publication Date May 2nd 2023 by Delacorte Press
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Book four in the tragic series about the Sinister-Winterbottom twins, who must solve one wretched mystery after the next, brought to you by #1 New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White. The electrifying penultimate adventure finds the Sinister-Winterbottoms at the manor of Mr. Frank and Dr. Stein!
After escaping from Edgaren’t and Dr. Jay, the Sinister-Winterbottoms and their friends arrive at Stein Manor Science Camp. They all work together to distract the friendly teenage camp director so they can explore and look for clues about where their parents might be.
Meanwhile, Theo and Alexander settle on a daring plan. They know exactly where Edgaren’t is going to be: coming for them, and the books. This time, they’ll be ready. This time, they’ll get answers. And this time, they won’t trust the adult in charge, which is easy enough when it’s enormous, lurking, unfriendly Mr. Frank. But as they get closer to opening the books and their parents’ histories, an unexpected foe is watching everything they do…
Fake volcanoes! Real sea caves! Strangely modified frogs! Startling betrayal! And a lightning-struck manor! all combine for the electrifying penultimate Sinister Summer adventure.
Publication Date April 18th 2023 by Kokila
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The twelve-year-old daughter of La Llorona vows to free her mother and reverse the curses that have plagued the magical town of Tres Leches in this delightfully sweet and spellbinding adventure by beloved author Diana López.
When Felice learns that she’s the daughter of La Llorona, she catches a ride to the magical town of Tres Leches, where her mother is said to be haunting the river. Growing up with her uncle Clem in Corpus Christi, Felice knew that she had been rescued from drowning — it’s where her intense fear of water comes from — but she had no idea her mother remained trapped between worlds, looking for her. Guided by the magical town’s eccentric mayor, Felice vows to help her mother make peace with the events that turned her into the most famous monstruo of US–Mexico border lore. Along the way, she meets the children of other monstruos, like La Lechuza and the Dancing Devil, and together they free Tres Leches from magical and metaphorical curses that have haunted its people for generations.
Diana López’s electric return to middle grade — the first in a series — brims with magic, adventure, and Mexican folklore, and is perfect for fans of Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega and the Jumbies series by Tracey Baptiste.
Publication Date April 4th 2023 by Scholastic Paperbacks
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This is Slappy’s world — You only scream in it!
Beak-a-boo, it sees you! Cooper Klavan and his sister Anna are fishing with their parents at a woodland pond when they come across an injured bird. Anna, a huge animal lover, insists on taking it home to rehabilitate.
But the bird really does not want to be rescued. It bites Anna, and scares Cooper. Soon, Anna is behaving very strangely. She’s perching high up in trees, gathering sticks to hide in her room, and refusing to eat eggs– once one of her favorite foods. Cooper doesn’t want to jump to any conclusions, but his sister seems to be going to the birds.
Publication Date March 14th 2023 by HarperAlley
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Fans of The Bad Guys and Catwad will love The Cryptid Club, a hilarious new four-book graphic novel series about an unlikely team of kid sleuths out to solve the mysteries behind the sudden spate of monster sightings around their school.
The Cryptid Club has found its next case! When they discover strange writing on the bathroom stalls and that something is stealing paper and pens, they know it’s going to take some super sleuthing to crack this caper.
But when a monster starts popping up in every toilet around the school, the principal orders all the bathrooms immediately closed. Now Lily, Henry, Oliver, and their superhero-wannabe friend, Ernie, must solve the mystery before the whole school can’t hold it in any longer!
Everything is not as it seems in this hilarious new graphic novel series debut by Emmy Award–winning writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Michael Brumm and bestselling illustrator Jeff Mack.
Publication Date March 7th 2023 by Balzer + Bray
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The first in a new graphic novel series from indie comic stars Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge is a coming-of-age story about the transformative power of friendship. And an immortal demon with the power to take over the world. But mostly the friendship thing.
Welcome to Bolingbroke. It’s a small town just like any other…or so eighth graders Val and Lanie think. They’re the best of best friends — they love the same comics, they watch the same shows, and they’re always there for each other. Which is important when you’re queer, like Lanie, or on the spectrum, like Val, and just don’t seem to fit in anywhere.
When a school project about their hometown’s supernatural history leads to a for-real ghost sighting, Val and Lanie realize Bolingbroke might not be as boring as they’d always thought. But after a run-in with the resident middle school queen bee (who also happens to be Lanie’s former friend), they decide to take things to the next level…and accidentally summon the Ojja-Wojja, a demonic presence connected to a slew of mysterious tragedies throughout Bolingbroke’s sordid history.
Now all heck has broken loose. With the whole town acting weird and nowhere left to turn, it’s going to be up to Val, Lanie, and their small group of friends to return things to normal — if “normal” is even something they want to return to.
Publication Date March 7th 2023 by HarperCollins
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In her first book for middle grade readers, New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young brings together a thrilling ghost story, a heartfelt coming of age journey, and a poignant reminder that those we’ve loved and lost are never far away — perfect for fans of Bone Hollow and The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street.
Twelve-year-old Calista Wynn will lose her ability to speak with the dead on her thirteenth birthday.
And with only a few weeks left, children have started going missing.
When Calista meets The Tall Lady — an angry spirit with a grudge against Calista, her family, and the entire town — she knows she’s found the ghost responsible for the disappearances.
It’s up to Calista, the only one who can see The Tall Lady, to stop her. If she doesn’t, Calista won’t just lose her powers…she’ll lose everyone she has left.
Publication Date February 21st 2023 by Quill Tree Books
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In the sequel to middle grade graphic novel The Accursed Vampire, Drago and their vampire buds head to Witch Camp for a summer of spells and magic…but what they find is far more sinister!
It’s summertime and Drago, Eztli, and Quintus are heading to witch camp, where they’ll learn spells and magic alongside human kids.
Drago is skeptical about this joint venture with the living, but as long as their vampire pals are with them, how bad could it be?
Pretty bad, actually. Eztli and Quintus end up making friends with the campers while Drago stumbles onto an abandoned mini golf course housing a sinister supernatural entity with intentions of overtaking the camp.
Drago may not like camp, but they can’t leave their buds in danger. What will they do?
Publication Date February 7th 2023 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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A strange woman seems to have eerie control over people. Is it science…or strange and ghostly? Find out in this new spooky chapter book series, Spooky Sleuths.
Asim’s field trip is freaking him out! His class is on a boat, exploring the Salish Sea, when he sees a pale, scowling woman staring at him from under the water. Asim’s friend Rokshar thinks it’s just a seal. She always finds a scientific explanation for the strange things that happen in town.
But when Asim’s dad hears otherworldly music coming from the water, he feels so drawn to it that he tries to throw himself in! Could a fairmaid — a mermaid from Guyanese folklore — be to blame?
Find out…if you dare! Don’t miss this new series based on ghost stories from Guyana.
Publication Date February 7th 2023 by Scholastic Inc.
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Welcome to the Exit 13 Motel!
Pets welcome!
And don’t worry, we’ve been waiting for you, so stay as long as you like.
With black-and-white comic pages throughout, Exit 13 is perfect for mystery and horror loving kids everywhere!
The McGinns were supposed to be going on a perfectly normal family vacation. Sure, Ash’s older sister Willow was a pain, their dog Daisy was a whiny scaredy cat, and their parents were being kind of lame. All of that was to be expected. Perfectly normal! But when the family decides to make an unplanned stop one night, it quickly becomes clear that this family vacation is about to get more than a little weird, because there is nothing normal about the EXIT 13 Motel.
Rooms and hallways that don’t go where they’re supposed to, a receptionist that looks like he came straight out of a horror movie, and creepy woods that Ash swears have some kind of monster lurking in them – maybe even more than one. Something has been going on ever since the McGinns checked in to this motel, and if Ash and Willow can’t get to the bottom of it, they might never be able to check out.
Explore the weird and creepy world of Exit 13 in this spine-chilling series. Whether you’re a fan of mystery, a lover of horror, or even a graphic novel super reader, Exit 13 is sure to grab you. This illustrated novel – the first in a new series – includes black-and-white comic pages throughout!
Publication Date January 31st 2023 by Holiday House
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The Addams Family meets The Westing Game in this exhilarating mystery about a modern magical dynasty trapped in the ruins of their once-grand, now-crumbling ancestral home.
Twelve-year-old Garnet regrets that she doesn’t know her family. Her mother has done her best to keep it that way, living far from the rest of the magical Carrefour clan and their dark, dangerous mansion known as Crossroad House.
But when Garnet finally gets summoned to the estate, it isn’t quite what she hoped for. Her relatives are strange and quarrelsome, each room in Crossroad House is more dilapidated than the last, and she can’t keep straight which dusty hallways and cobwebbed corners are forbidden.
Then Garnet learns the family secret: their dying patriarch fights to retain his life by stealing power from others. Every accident that isn’t an accident, every unexpected illness and unexplained disappearance grants Jasper Carrefour a little more time. While the Carrefours squabbles over who will inherit his role when (if) he dies, Garnet encounters evidence of an even deeper curse. Was she brought to Crossroad House as part of the curse…or is she meant to break it?
Written with loads of creepy atmosphere and an edge-of-your-seat magical mystery, this thrilling story reads like The Haunting of Hill House for preteens. Perfect for late-night reading under the covers.
Publication Date January 3rd 2023 by Delacorte Press
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The third book in the middle-grade series that’s part Scooby-Doo, part A Series of Unfortunate Events, and entirely genius! Follow the Sinister-Winterbottoms on their most outrageous adventure yet, when they find themselves at a normal summer camp!
After leaving the Sanguine Spa in pursuit of Edgaren’t, the kids find themselves at a mysterious summer camp, Camp Creek. There are lake games and happy counselors, and there’s even a tie-dye cabin. It’s all very…normal.
But if Theo and Alexander know one thing, it’s that normal doesn’t always mean good. When everyone around her starts acting strange, Theo wonders if maybe the fumes from the tie-dye cabin are seeping into their brains, and she resolves to investigate what’s really going on at Camp Creek.
The third book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White’s Sinister Summer series continues the adventures of the Sinister-Winterbottoms and their aunt, who never saw a discount vacation destination she didn’t love.
Publication Date January 3rd 2023 by Scholastic Inc.
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Christopher Krovatin is on fire with his latest horror thriller for Scholastic.
Aly Theland doesn’t understand what’s happening to her. She comes from a very normal family and lives a very normal life.There’s only one thing off. When Aly gets angry, things burst into flame. Aly doesn’t feel she’s in control of this. But as the fires get better and the stakes get higher, something has to be done. Because it’s not just flames Aly’s unleashing, it’s…evil.
Publication Date January 3rd 2023 by Chicken House
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From award winning author Lucy Strange comes a thrilling story of six sisters who must fight against circumstance and fate, gorgeously told and steeped in history and legend.
On a poor farm surrounded by marshlands, six sisters – Grace, Willa, Freya, and triplets Deedee, Darcy, and Dolly – live in fear of their father and the superstition that haunts him: The Curse of the Six Daughters. Their beloved grandmother tries to protect them, but the future seems bleak.
When the Full Moon Fayre makes a rare visit to Hollow-in-the-Marsh, the girls slip out to see the famous Shadow Man, an enigmatic puppeteer. Afterwards, oldest sister Grace is missing.
Following the Full Moor Fayre into the Lost Marsh, Willa will have to battle her inner doubts and the legends that have haunted her family. Can she save her sister from one fate, and outrun her own?
The thrilling new novel from acclaimed author Lucy Strange, author of The Secret of Nightingale Wood, The Ghost of Midnight Lake and the Waterstones Prize-shortlisted Our Castle By The Sea.
