8 Super Spooky Middle Grade Stories to Read by the Campfire
by Dena McMurdie
One of my favorite childhood memories is sitting around the campfire and reading scary stories with my brothers. Safely within the firelight, we would scare ourselves senseless with stories of ghosts, monsters, and local folklore. Sleep was impossible after that, so we stayed up roasting marshmallows and telling jokes until we’d calmed our nerves enough to brave the walk to our tents.
If your kids love reading terrifying tales that keep them up at night, you’re in the right place. Grab the s’more stuff and a few of these bone-chilling books for a night your kids won’t forget!
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The Dark-Thirty
Available from:Based on African American folklore and set in the deep South, these short horror stories are both dark and suspenseful. Kids will be clutching their flashlights in fright as they read these spooky historical tales.
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The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Kids who saw the movie adaptation will want to read the spine-tingling book as well. Warlocks, witches, ghosts, and an ominous ticking clock will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
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Rip Van Winkle & Other Stories
Available from:This book features classic horror stories such as "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle." If your kids enjoy older tales that still pack a punch, snag a copy of this book and enjoy the creepy stories of another era.
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The X-Files (Origins)
Join teenage Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they investigate two eerie mysteries in this graphic novel. Even though they haven’t yet met, Mulder and Scully’s lives are already connected through the sinister cases they explore.
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Goosebumps: Monsters At Midnight
Fans of the original Goosebumps novels by R.L. Stine won’t want to miss this graphic novel series. With eye-popping artwork and a grisly story, young readers will be hooked from page one.
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Horowitz Horror
Each of the grim and ghastly stories contained in this book are ideal for fireside reading. Anthony Horowitz delivers an abundance of blood-curdling chills with tales of haunted houses, hitchhikers, cannibals, and deadly cameras.
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Bloody Horowitz
Available from:Older readers into bloody horror stories will get their kicks with this collection of twisted tales. Featuring terrifying TV shows, creepy tech, and bizarre murder mysteries, there’s no shortage of shivery entertainment.
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Little Camp of Horrors
If you’re looking for kid-friendly chills, you can’t go wrong with R.L. Stine. Max is going to camp for the summer, where he encounters ghosts, ghouls, and a snake-infested lake. This short little book will thrill younger readers without giving them nightmares.
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