Librarians recommend spooky reads for Middle Schoolers
As the days get colder, the nights get longer, and the houses sprout giant spiderwebs and skeletons, a book lover’s thoughts naturally turn to the spooky stuff.
By Kate Pritchard, MS/HS Librarian
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If you’re craving a good scare, let our librarians offer a few recommendations that run the gamut from somewhat unsettling to downright horrifying. Read on for suggestions for Middle School students:
Small Spaces, by Katherine Arden
It’s October in Ollie’s small Vermont town, which means her class is taking a field trip to Misty Valley Farm. But then the bus breaks down on the way home, and the mist and shadows start closing in … and Ollie receives a message on the watch her mother gave her before she died. The message says: RUN.
The Wrong Train, by Jeremy De Quidt
A boy misses his train and gets on the wrong one by accident. Realizing his mistake, he gets off at the next stop, which is dark and deserted, to wait for another train to take him back. Then the old man shows up and starts telling stories. Scary stories. Gruesome stories. The boy wants to get away, but what choice does he have? And what does the old man want from him? Above all, how can he make the stories stop?
The Jumbies, by Tracey Baptiste
Corinne La Mer lives with her father in Trinidad, where she’s been raised on stories of the jumbies: evil creatures who lurk in the shadows, waiting for their chance to steal children or suck their blood. She knows they aren’t real, but then strange things start to happen on the island, in the forest, and even inside her own house. What do the jumbies want from her? Corinne and her friends must discover the truth before it’s too late.
Scary Stories for Young Foxes, by Christian McKay Heidicker
Seven young foxes ask their mother for a scary bedtime story, but they’ve already heard all her best ones. Before she drifts off to sleep, she says, “You must promise that no matter what you do tonight, you will not go to Bog Cavern.” What’s in Bog Cavern? Oh, only the old storyteller, who tells stories “so frightening it will put the white in your tail.” Once their mother is asleep, seven young foxes creep off to find the old storyteller … but before the night is over, they will wish they’d stayed in bed.
Come to the Hassenfeld Library to find these books and many more. You can browse our list of scary stories for Middle School readers, or check out our displays of spooky books. Looking for another kind of book? You can always submit a request for a book recommendation, and our librarians will respond with personalized suggestions just for you. Happy reading!
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Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
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University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.