Middle Grade Halloween Books To Read

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Over the years middle grade books, which are books aimed at 8-12 years olds, have become a staple in my reading list come Halloween. These spooky stories offer up all of my favourite themes in a book; they're easy to read, can be finished in a day and actually have some pretty scary plots. If this is something you would be interested in, then here are four middle grade Halloween books I would recommend. 

Crater Lake

If I had to be pushed for an answer on what is must-have book you should read this Halloween it would have to be Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick. Whilst maybe not the best if you're reading to a young child, this book had some pretty scary themes in the plot and I quickly read through all the chapters to find out what happened next. It's set at a Summer camp, which means it's perfect for those 'summerween' vibes, but the added aliens definitely caused a few shudders. 

Small Spaces

Similar to Crater Lake, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden is seriously creepy at times, but is incredibly well written considering it is aimed at a younger audience. It feels like a classic spooky film set on a school trip and has an eerie atmosphere throughout. If you're already scared of scarecrows, well they certainly live up to their name in this book! There's other books in the series and despite not being a huge series reader, I'm tempted to get them all. 

The Haunting of Aveline Jones

This was the first middle grade book I read for Halloween and is the reason I have such a love for the genre. It's got the perfect mix of mystery and spookiness, all whilst set in a gloomy town on the lead up to Halloween. I think this one is perfect to read on a rainy day in autumn and I would personally recommend it for children in their October half term. 

The Ghouls of Howlfair

If you want a mystery book with ghost hunting characters set in a creepy town - then The Ghouls of Howlfair will be the book for you. I find this one a little less scary than the first two and has a bit more of an adventure theme throughout making it lighthearted compared to your traditional murder mystery book. We've got talk of ghosts, ghouls and werewolves in this book, so it's still perfect for the spooky season. 

What are your favourite books to read at Halloween?