Books should expose children to complex emotions and experiences, and sometimes these may be scary and unsettling. Still, it’s important to share these types of stories with them. Kids deserve stories about loneliness, anxiety, death and fear. These are feelings they experience in real life but may not be reflected in their books. I don’t think these emotions need to be explained in explicit detail but reflected in the character’s experiences and relationships. This is why I love spooky kids’ books—ones that are a bit scary and ignite curiosity about complicated things. Not the cute, cheesy Halloween books often on display at bookstores in October. I want my kids to have books that are strange, quirky, funny and delightfully eerie. I’ve rounded up 10 of my favorites (many of which you may remember from your own childhood).

Last month, I started a section of our book newsletter, where I share a few of my favorite children’s books. Subscribe to our newsletter here.

The Doubtful Guest by Edward Gorey

I’m a big fan of Edward Gorey’s work. Most of his books are set in eerily enchanting Victorian and Edwardian settings. What I appreciate is the ambiguity of his stories. Very little is explained or solved, which leaves room for the reader to make their own conclusions. The Doubtful Guest is a dark, humorous little book. An odd, mysterious creature wearing sneakers and a scarf wreaks havoc in a family’s home and decides never to leave.

“It came seventeen years ago – and to this day it has shown no intention of going away.”

 

The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer

Here is another wonderfully weird book! Three creepy, dark-cloaked robbers terrorize the town with their lethal weapons and steal from people in horse-drawn carriages. They come upon an orphan girl in one of the carriages and kidnap her (these are not scenarios you see in many kids’ books today!). By stealing the girl, they end up saving her from her wicked aunt. This changes everything, and they take in more orphans and use their stolen riches for good. However, this is another story with an ambiguous moral. It probes the readers and their audience to ask questions. For example, can someone be bad and good simultaneously? Good art should leave us wondering about life, not explicitly tell us about it.

It’s Halloween by Jack Prelutsky, pictures by Marylin Hafner

This is a charming collection of spooky poems written in 1977. I remember this book vividly (and the cassette tape read by the author!). These magical and mystical poems are quietly haunting but also silly. I love “The Haunted House” and “The Countdown.” This book is very nostalgic, but one that kids today will love, too.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen

This story makes my kids jittery and scared even though it ends in a comforting way. I adore the combination of Lemony’s clever writing with Klassen’s simple, effective illustrations. A young boy is afraid of the dark (who is a character in this book). Then one night, The Dark visits him in his room and asks him to follow him downstairs to the basement so he can show him something. No monsters are lurking in corners. This is a fear of the dark itself. It’s a delightfully interesting take on confronting your fears and learning to live alongside them.

“… without the dark, everything would be light, and you would never know if you needed a lightbulb.”

 

The Witches by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake

Roald Dahl’s books were some of my favorites as a young girl. I’ve already written about my admiration for Matilda, but I also loved The Witches. This is a story about real witches! An orphan boy is adopted by his grandmother, who comforts him by telling him stories. She teaches him about the real, horrible witches who despise children and do awful things to them. Dahl portrays witches in a cunning, evil way that I find terrifying yet somehow endearing. You’ll have to read it to discover the full story.

“‘Come down out of that tree, little boy,’ she said, ‘and I shall give you the most exciting present you’ve ever had.’ Her voice had a curious rasping quality. It made a sort of metallic sound, as though her throat was full of thumbtacks.”

 

There’s a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer

This is actually one I didn’t discover until recently, even though it was first published in 1968. It’s another story about a boy who is afraid of the dark. He goes to bed every night, terrified of what could be lurking in his closet. He makes sure it’s shut tight every night. Tired of being afraid, the boy confronts his fear of the monster living in his closet, only to find that the monster isn’t scary at all and is looking for a friend. A reminder that sometimes befriending our fears can help to diminish them.

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz, pictures by Dirk Zimmer

More childhood nostalgia for you. In a Dark, Dark Room is a collection of scary stories that are delightfully spooky. Its illustrations are fabulous, and the writing is very rhythmical. The stories have a great buildup to the scary punchline. Adults and children will enjoy this one!

My husband and I both remember this one fondly. We decided this would be the year we’d introduce it to our kids. Let’s just say they were so afraid they won’t allow the book to back their room (so keep that in mind. It may be better suited for 8+)!

 

How To Make Friends with a Ghost by Rebecca Green 

I’m fascinated by ghosts, and I wouldn’t mind befriending one, and this charming book teaches you how. My daughter and I enjoy this story’s whimsical illustrations and heartwarming details. Did you know ghosts like earwax truffles?! This is definitely the most wholesome book on this list—a nice one to balance out my more eerie picks.

Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban, pictures by Garth Williams

Now that I’m making this list, I recognize how afraid of the dark I was as a kid (and still am!). Frances has many creative reasons to get out of bed (something parents can relate to). Frances imagines all kinds of scary and interesting things in her room. I like how the parents respond to Frances; they don’t tell her that nothing is there and go back to bed. They ask her questions to help diminish her fears. Eventually, Frances tires herself out and falls fast asleep.

There is a mention of spanking, but I use it as an opportunity to talk about spanking with my kids.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd 

This is another classic from my childhood. It’s a fantastic read-aloud, especially for younger kids. My kids love to read along with me. Its rhythm and use of onomatopoeia make it an engaging, fun story to read every Halloween.