6 Wickedly Wonderful Kids Books to Celebrate the Spooky Season

The time of year has come again when the treats come out, the pumpkins get carved and monsters roam the streets. And what better way to celebrate the spooky season of Halloween but with a good old book? And why stop at only one, why not six? Here at Better Reading, we’ve gathered six must-read kids books that are the perfect night in after trick-or-treating with the little ones. So grab your lollies, put on your costumes, and prepare yourselves for the most chilling chapters ever penned in the history of kids’ entertainment…

Little Jiang by Shirley Marr, Illustrated by Katy Jiang

Mei Ling Pang was born at an inauspicious time on an inauspicious day, so wherever she goes, misfortune follows. When Little Jiang hops out of his grave and into Mei’s life, fangs and all, her luck goes from bad to worse. But in trying to help Little Jiang, Mei might just make her own future brighter. A fresh and funny take on an old Chinese legend, this fast-paced, page-turning adventure for middle readers is full of heart.

Age: 9+

Buy a copy of Little Jiang here.

Carousel by Brendan Ritchie

Trapped in a giant shopping centre should be the dream. They have everything they need, except a way out. Nox is an arts graduate wondering what to do with his life. Taylor and Lizzy are famous indie musicians, and Rocky works the checkouts at Target. When they find themselves trapped in a giant shopping centre, they eat fast food, watch bad TV and wait for the mess to be sorted. But when days turn into weeks, a sense of menace grows.

Age: 13+

Buy a copy of Carousel here.

The Graveyard Gift by Fern Forgettable

A girl who knows how you die. Her banshee roommate who knows when it happens. And wishes that sometimes, maybe come true … Rosemary Thorpe has aways been a bit different. She has the uncanny and unfortunate ability to foresee people’s deaths, which tend to land her in hot water. Well, not actual hot water – where it lands her is a place between worlds called Fern’s School for Wayward Fae, where Rosemary learns that hear powers come from being part fae. At Fern’s school, Rosemary meets other who are part fae – including Trym, her banshee roommate whose screams can kill, and Essie, a djinn who grants wishes. But just as Rosemary settles, in, a student vanishes in thin air. And it’s up to all the kids to use their curious gifts to find their missing friend …

Age: 8+

Buy a copy of The Graveyard Gift here.

Funny Kid #13: Spookytime by Matt Stanton

ARGHHHH! Laugh your head off with the super-popular Funny Kid series! Every kid wants to laugh, but Max is the boy who can make it happen. When his friends start talking about a new scary movie, Max realises they don’t just want to laugh … they also want to scream! Max is the funny kid, but does he know how to make his own scary movie? An oversupply of slime, a bumbling babysitter, a ghastly ghost, a melodramatic mummy and a terrifying beast called Duckenstein are just some of the things in store for Max and his friends in this brand-new Funny Kid adventure.

Age: 7+

Buy a copy of Funny Kid #13: Spookytime here.

Ghost Book by Remy Lai

Twelve years ago, the boy and the girl lived. But one was supposed to die … July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren’t real. So she pretends they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it’s Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth – for William to live, July must die.

Age: 8+

Buy a copy of Ghost Book here.

A Walk in the Dark by Jane Godwin

That’s what the head teacher, Johan, says. And so the Year Nines from Otway Community School set out on an overnight hike, with no adults. But doesn’t Johan know that a storm is coming? When five teenagers head in to the forest that late afternoon, none of them is aware what the night will bring. Each will have to draw on their particular strengths to survive. Each will have to face the unknown, battling the elements, events beyond their control, and their own demons. It’s a night that will change everything. Set in the rainforest of Victoria’s Otway Ranges, A Walk in the Dark is about friendship, trust, identity and family, consent and boundaries, wrapped in a compulsively readable, suspense-filled adventure. Five head into the forest, but will all five make it out?