Ghost Stories for Middle Schoolers
This post includes ten book middle grade book recommendations perfect for middle schoolers (or anyone) who love ghost stories!
As a child, I really wanted to love ghost stories. Honestly, I still want to love ghost stories! But I am one of those people who just can’t handle them if they’re over-the-top scary. However, I am all for the creepy atmosphere. I am a huge fan of old, dilapidated houses and crumbling cemeteries. As long as nothing pops out at me or has a creature I would see in my nightmares, I am okay. As an adult, I’ve found that middle grade ghost stories fit that bill perfectly. They’re likely not going to keep you up at night, even children (and I am a firm advocate for getting a good night’s sleep, no matter how old you are), but they still have that spooky, mysterious atmosphere. The main characters tend to be learning life lessons as they’re befriending/fighting off ghosts. So, if you have a child who loves all things spooky, these books might be a good fit for them! Or even yourself, if you’re a spooky atmosphere person who doesn’t want to be scared out of their skivvies.
As important as I think it is to support libraries and independent bookstores, I understand this is not a possibility for everyone. So, I’ve included links to purchase the books mentioned in this post through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which is the best way you can support this blog. Ultimately, please choose the method that works best for you!
**If you or your child have sensitivities or objections to specific types of content, I ask that you do your own research before reading these books. When creating book lists, I purposely choose not to go into detail about character identities/experiences/struggles unless it is important to the plot.
The Swallow:
A Ghost Story
By Charis Cotter
(2014)
Polly and Rose come from two different families, but have a common bond: both are lonely, and in need of a friend. When the two girls meet and Polly finds out that Rose can see ghosts, she is hoping she can learn to see them, too. But something is off about Rose… it’s as if other people don’t see her at all. Then the craziest thing happens: The two girls find a gravestone with Rose’s name on it…. This ghost story is not too scary, but feels atmospheric, as it takes place in an older home next to a graveyard.
The Girl in White
By Lindsay Currie
(2022)
Mallory Denton recently moved to the town of Eastport, Massachusetts, which is a town obsessed with its haunted history. Their most notable claim to fame is the legend of Sweet Molly. As much as Mallory doesn’t buy in to the spooky vibe, she also can’t explain the nightmares she’s been having since she moved to Eastport. Once she realizes that her nightmares include none other than Sweet Molly herself, Mallory must investigate why she is having these dreams. What is Molly trying to tell her? Can she reconcile the problem before it’s too late? Get ready to be spooked by this creepy tale!
The International House of Dereliction
By Jacqueline Davies
(2023)
Alice and her family have been moving from house to house as long as she’s been alive. The newest house they move into is next door to an abandoned old home in shambles. Alice loves to fix things, so she sees this house as a great opportunity! But as she starts working on the home, she finds that she is not alone, as there have been spirits living in the home for a very long time - spirits in need of her help. This not-so-spooky ghost story is perfect for all the independent children out there who are always ready to take on a challenge!
The Girl
in
the Lake
By India Hill Brown
(2022)
Over the summer, Celeste and her cousins are visiting their grandparents at their house on a lake. Celeste is not a strong swimmer, but it is important in her family that everyone knows how to swim - a result of her Black grandparents being denied swimming lessons as kids at the public pool. While at the lake, Celeste starts having dreams of drowning. Weird things also start happening in the house. Then, Celeste sees a girl in the bathroom mirror. Who is she? And why does she look so much like Celeste? Celeste must uncover the truth of what happened in her family’s past, and why it’s coming back to haunt her.
The Fall of the
House of Tatterly
By Shanna Miles
(2023)
Theo Tatterly can see ghosts, including his dead relatives. He can also exorcise ghosts to help them “cross over”. But when one of his exorcisms goes wrong, it seems to unleash dark forces working against Theo and his family. The ownership of the Tatterly’s historic Charleston home comes under question, and it’s up to Theo to put a stop to whatever is trying to corrupt his family’s legacy. This book highlights the history of enslaved African Americans in the south and the importance of family, all with a spooky twist!
Ghostlight
By Kenneth Oppel
(2022)
Gabe Vasilakis is just minding his own business, giving his daily ghost tour to tourists on Toronto Island, when he accidentally summons the ghost of Rebecca Strand. He knows Rebecca’s story all too well, how she and her father died falling from the top of a lighthouse in 1839. But there is more to the story than this. And it seems that Rebecca’s ghost has been summoned just in time, as an evil ghost (conveniently Rebecca’s old rival) has also been reawakened. Gabe and Rebecca must team up to take on this ghost before he takes over the town!
Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters
Emi Ponti
(2023)
Instead of going to a fun amusement park with her best friend, Bee Bakshi is forced to go on a trip to a small town lake with her super-embarrassing family. While there, Bee finds a magical (or haunted?) house and a girl, Alina, who can make Bee’s dreams of being cool and fitting in come true. But Alina says that there is a witch at the lake who is on the hunt for children, and it seems that Bee is her next victim…. This creative re-telling of Hansel & Gretel is going to keep you guessing until the very end!
Seven Ghosts
By Chris Priestley
(2019)
Jake and some of his classmates are on a tour of an old manor house. The tour is centered around the seven ghosts that supposedly haunt the manor, each of which have died in different ways. Jake notices that he is being followed by some peculiar shapes and shadows, but none of the other kids can see them. Are they the seven ghosts of the manor? Why have they chosen to haunt Jake? This short novel will leave readers sufficiently spooked!
The Haunting of Henry Davis
By Kathryn Siebel
(2019)
Barbara Anne isn’t sure how she feels about the new kid in her school, Henry Davis. He’s sort of odd, with how he keeps to himself and is constantly drawing. He also seems a little sickly. Things start to make sense when Barbara Anne finds out that Henry is being haunted by a ghost named Edgar, who died in the flu pandemic of 1918. Barbara Anne and Henry team up to figure out why he is being haunted, and what unfinished business Edgar may have that is keeping him tied to this earth.
The Ghosts of Nameless Island:
Vol. 1
By Carly Anne West
(2024)
Gus Greenburg and his mom decide to make a change after Gus’s dad mysteriously disappears. Gus’s mom gets hired to restore an old manor house on an island called Nameless, so the two pack up and move to the island. Gus can see ghosts and is typically able to help them move on. But one ghost in the old manor house is angry, and Gus is the target. With the help of some new friends, Gus needs to find out who this ghost is and see if he can help them move on before it gets to him! This funny read will have you rooting for Gus and his crew to solve the case!