6 Haunting Middle Grade Novels That will Have You on the Edge of Your Sleeping Bag

A Tale Dark & Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz
The author warns in A Tale Dark & Grimm that Grimm’s stories are violent and bloody, and “if such things bother you, we should probably stop right now.” But don’t close this fairy tale of horrors, be brave and read it aloud instead. Hansel and Gretel, after being beheaded by their parents and subsequently reunited with their heads, set off on a journey through eight other scary fairy tales to find parents worthy of them. Along the spine-chilling way, they encounter people who are not as they seem, riddles to solve, spells to break and ravens who see the future. And there’s a touch of humor—with well-timed interruptions from the author—to keep you going even through the darkest moments. If the younger children start biting their nails, Gidwitz offers them a few more opportunities to leave the room with their bravery still intact. A Tale Dark & Grimm is indeed “Awesome…in a horrible, bloody kind of way.”

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, by Claire Legrand
As if we needed more proof that horrible things are often happening when things look a little too perfect, Claire Legrand reminds us again in The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls. Twelve-year-old Victoria Wright, the top student in her class, thinks everything is perfect in the town of Belleville where she lives. That is, until she notices the fixed smiles and altered behaviors of those around her. When her best friend Lawrence disappears, Victoria heads to the spooky boarding school to find him and bring him back. She has to rely on more than her sheer brains to outsmart the sinister forces lurking about, and discovers hidden resources in herself and other kids. Sarah Watts’ Gothic black-and-white illustrations make the creepiness seem just a little too real.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
In Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, haunting stories turn out to be the stuff made of truth. Jacob’s grandfather shares the most fascinating of tales with his sixteen-year-old grandson, claiming they aren’t made up but are about his very real childhood, and it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not. After his grandfather’s death, Jacob and his father head to Wales, to the orphanage where his grandfather was sent before WWII, and discover a world of Peculiars, monsters, and time loops. Riggs’ inclusion of 40 unusual black-and-white photographs help blur the line between fantasy and reality even further. This chilling adventure is meant for older readers, so hold off scaring the young ones for a few more years.

Doll Bones, by Holly Black
This one scores high on the goose bump scale, but without all the violence and gore. Twelve-year-olds Zach, Poppy, and Alice have a long-running story about the empire of the Great Queen, an antique bone china doll locked in a glass cabinet. When Zach’s father tells Zach it’s time to grow up and give up his childhood toys, Zach quits the Great Queen game. Then Poppy dreams that the Great Queen is somehow linked to the mysterious death of a young girl long ago, and the three set off on an overnight journey to bury the doll in her proper grave so the girl can find peace at last. Zach wonders if Poppy really saw the girl or if this is just a ploy to keep the game—and their friendship—alive. The trio learns how to navigate the changes of adolescence—including burgeoning romantic feelings—and the last days of childhood in this spooky, coming-of-age quest.

The Haunting of the Sunshine Girl, by Paige McKenzie
When Sunshine and her mom Kat move from Austin, Texas, to Ridgemont, Washington, the creepiness begins. This unnerving tale is about things lurking unseen inside their new house. Sunshine notices extreme temperature changes, the presence of something she can’t see, and the voice, laughter and footsteps of a young child who may have met a tragic fate in the house. She soon realizes she’s not a normal teenager and senses things others can’t. When her mother starts acting odd, Sunshine must use her unique powers to help save her. This book is a real page-turner, but beware: it’s not for the faint at heart.

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
No list is complete without The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, who also wrote the chilling Coraline. Gaiman has a gift for the strange and frightening. “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife,” opens this suspenseful and menacing tale in which Owens, or Bod, as he is affectionately known, lives amongst the ghosts of the graveyard, where they protect him from the dangers lurking in the outside world. Bod spends his youth childhood gaining confidence and strength, learning from his ghostly parents and vampire guardian and surviving adventures with ghouls and snake-like tomb guards. But he soon learns that the graveyard is never as frightening as the world beyond it.
What are your favorite scary middle grade novels?