Book list

Books about hauntings

It isn't always easy to classify a ghost story, especially with someone like David Almond, for instance, who writes on many levels. That's really why I use the word 'hauntings' - in case it is possible to be haunted without a ghost.

If you like a straightforward ghost story, there are plenty of good ones to choose from. Not all ghost stories are scary. If you are a younger reader you might like to meet the Children of Green Knowe. They're really fun. Or if you like tingles up your spine, try something else.

Books for younger readers

The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestley

Haunted house. Or is it Michael himself who is being haunted?

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley

Short stories of terror collected within a long story of terror. And quite surprisingly horrid.

Milrose Munce and the Den of Professional Help by Douglas Anthony Cooper

Kids who converse with ghosts on a regular basis need Professional Help, right? But will Milrose Munce survive to tell the tale?

Fearless by Tim Lott

Locked away for no reason. Stripped of name, shaved of hair, dressed in grey. Little Fearless fights against the injustice for herself and all the other girls who aren't so brave.

The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney

To be an apprenticespook Thomas Ward has to leave his old life behind him. And he has to sharpen up his wits too. But he's already well-equipped, being the seventh son of a seventh son...

Other Echoes by Adele Geras

Flora, living in Borneo, finds there is more to life than being frightened of spiders and snakes . . . and some things you just needn't fear at all.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Gothic horror fantasy. Coraline's got a job on, saving her parents, and herself, from the witch.

The Dungeon by Lynne Reid Banks

'I am with you 'til you die'. Peony, the wretched slave girl, etches it into the dungeon wall, and finally, into McLennan's heart.

Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman

You would know better, wouldn't you, than to strike a bargain with Zamiel, the Demon Huntsman?

Dead Gorgeous by Malorie Blackman

The only person who takes any interest in Nova is the dishy Liam. Unfortunately, he's a ghost . . .

Firewing by Kenneth Oppel

Adventures in the Underworld. Superhero bats, unlikely hero bats, deadly enemy bats. Fluffy beasties, human emotions.

Cold Tom by Sally Prue

He thinks he's an elf, but the Tribe don't want him. He's a liability. His fangs haven't grown. His voice is ugly. He's losing his sharp eyesight and hearing. Where can he go where he will be safe, and where does he belong?

When Marnie Was There by Joan G Robinson

Is Marnie an imaginary friend? Or is she real? Perhaps it doesn't really matter. Anna and Marnie share a wonderful friendship, but when Marnie has to leave, Anna finds she is better able to make new friends . . .

The Girl Who Knew by Sandra Glover

Injured in a hit-and-run accident, Kits learns more about her best friend than she ever knew before. She learns that her friend is in danger, and she knows that she is the only one who can help.

Caught on a Train by Carlo Gebler

A harmless competition to tell the best tale. But nobody would want to judge this competition with the vindictive Mr Cink determined to win at any cost.

The Ghost Behind the Wall by Melvin Burgess

David roots around in the old service shafts of the flats where he lives, and disturbs something that would have been much better left alone.

Clockwork or All Wound Up by Philip Pullman

Do you think you can sell your soul to the Devil, and get away with it?

Why the Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo

Not so much why the whales came as what happened when they did come. Old Birdman of Bryher turns out to be not so much a mad old coot, but a stalwart of the community.

Moondial by Helen Cresswell

Minty finds that the sundial in the grounds of the old house holds the key to time travel, but can she do any good deeds while she's hovering about in time and space?