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7 Spookily Fun Books for Backyard Camping
In honor of summertime and that long-held tradition of telling spooky stories to your friends while camping out in the backyard, we have compiled a list of books tailormade for getting in the scary-story mood. After roasting hot dogs and making s’mores, catching fireflies and trying to figure out how to get the tent up, set the scene for some spooky fun with one of these delightful books. Some are specifically about camping out, whether in the backyard or in the woods, and keep things light, while others are just plain old creepy, and perfect for kids who like a good scare. To make sure you keep the fright level age and sensibility-appropriate (and so your kids don’t all end up begging to sleep in your bed at the end of the evening), the books are ranked on a “Scary Scale” from NOT VERY SCARY, to OK FOR SCAREDY-CATS, to HAIR-RAISINGLY SCARY. Happy Camping!
NOT VERY SCARY:
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Sleepover Squad: Camping Out, by P.J. Denton and Julia Denos
Taylor and her best friends, also known as the Sleepover Squad, are planning a campout. There’s just one problem, though. Taylor’s afraid of bugs and spiders! Will she tell her friends, or will she be too embarrassed? And what will she do if a spider does crawl on her while she’s sleeping? A fun book all about camping out in the backyard with friends, readers get to see if Taylor can overcome her fear with a little help from her friends.
Ready, Freddy! Camping Catastrophe!, by Abby Klein and John McKinley
Freddy, his dad, and his best friend, Robbie, are all set to go camping in the wilderness. Kids will get excited for their own campouts by reading about Freddy and Robbie’s bouts with bees, fish, and even a bear! This one is good for younger kids, since the only scary part is the real live wild animals, not ghost stories!
Humphrey's Creepy-Crawly Camping Adventure (Humphrey's Tiny Tales Series #3)
Betty G. Birney
Paperback
$6.99
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Humphrey’s Creepy-Crawly Camping Adventure, by Betty G. Birney and Priscilla Burris
Humphrey is the class hamster, and this weekend, he gets to go home with Heidi. She’s having her friends over for a campout in the backyard, and he gets to sleep in the tent, too! The boys next door are also having a campout in their backyard, and they want to try and scare the girls. But will the boys get scared, too? A fun, not-too-scary book about backyard camping that will get your younger kids ready for their own night in a tent!
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OK FOR SCAREDY-CATS:
The BFG, by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake
Not much is scarier than getting kidnapped from your own room by a giant! Granted, it’s not from your own camping tent, but it’s still a terrifying thought! And when he brings you back to his cave and you learn all the other giants eat humans, well, you know you are in trouble. Thankfully, “BFG” stands for Big Friendly Giant, but that doesn’t mean the other giants are also friendly. Now also in theaters, this is a slightly scary must-read that will keep kids entertained.
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HAIR-RAISINGLY SCARY:
Goosebumps: Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes (and really, any books in the Goosebumps series), by R. L. Stine
R.L. Stine and his Goosebumps books are notorious for giving kids (and their parents!) the creeps, so read these stories if you love a good scare! Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes features a duo of lawn gnomes who seemingly come to life—and wreak mischief in the neighborhood! Are they really alive? Kids might be suspicious of their own lawn ornaments after this one!
The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide, Book One, by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Siblings Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace just moved to a ramshackle house where they hear noises in the walls. Soon, they realize there is something living in their house, and it is definitely not nice. What will happen as the children discover more about the faerie world? This fast-paced read might keep your kids up at night!
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The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Nobody Owens, also known as Bod, grew up in a graveyard. When he was just a toddler, “the man Jack” killed his entire family, and now he is being raised by ghosts. Filled with ghouls and ghosts, The Graveyard Book is super creepy and will definitely set the stage for a scary night in the backyard by getting imaginations going.
What are your kids’ favorite scary books?