Ghost stories Books for Kids

41 books in ghost stories. Every book rated for reading level and content intensity.

Ghost stories books for kids span a wider readiness range than parents usually expect. The same genre category contains gentle picture books and high-intensity middle-grade novels — Lexile and grade-level scores measure text complexity, not what's actually in the story. A ghost stories title appropriate for a confident 8-year-old reader could still cover themes a sensitive 12-year-old isn't ready for.

Across HootRated's 41 ghost stories titles, books span Grade 1–7. About 93% are rated Gentle or Mild — safe picks for sensitive readers and kids reading ahead of their emotional readiness. 0% sit at the Intense or Very Intense end. Average content intensity is 1.8/5.

Use the intensity badges (green → red, low → high) to filter by emotional readiness rather than just age. For deeper detail on how we rate, see our rating methodology.

BOO YEAR'S EVE (Graveyard School)

Tom B. Stone

Cover of BOO YEAR'S EVE (Graveyard School)

BOO YEAR'S EVE (Graveyard School)

Tom B. Stone

Never say boo!

Robin Pulver

Cover of Never say boo!

Never say boo!

Robin Pulver

Picture the dead

Adele Griffin

Cover of Picture the dead

Picture the dead

Adele Griffin

Level 5-6 Moderate

The creature double feature

Susan Saunders

Cover of The creature double feature

The creature double feature

Susan Saunders

Scary tales to tell in the dark

Anthony Masters

Cover of Scary tales to tell in the dark

Scary tales to tell in the dark

Anthony Masters

The Haunting of Hiram C. Hopgood

Eva Ibbotson

Cover of The Haunting of Hiram C. Hopgood

The Haunting of Hiram C. Hopgood

Eva Ibbotson

God bless America.

Johnson, Stanley

Cover of God bless America.

God bless America.

Johnson, Stanley

The moon lamp

Mark Smith

Cover of The moon lamp

The moon lamp

Mark Smith

Ghost story

Genevieve Gray

Cover of Ghost story

Ghost story

Genevieve Gray

Night spell

Robert Newman

Cover of Night spell

Night spell

Robert Newman

The Headless Horseman

Emma Harding, Washington Irving

Cover of The Headless Horseman

The Headless Horseman

Emma Harding, Washington Irving

Five little ghosts

William Boniface

Cover of Five little ghosts

Five little ghosts

William Boniface

Spooks

Colin Hawkins

Cover of Spooks

Spooks

Colin Hawkins

How to Catch a Ghost

Martin

Cover of How to Catch a Ghost

How to Catch a Ghost

Martin

Haunted

Meg Cabot

Cover of Haunted

Haunted

Meg Cabot

Fortunately, the milk ...

Neil Gaiman

Cover of Fortunately, the milk ...

Fortunately, the milk ...

Neil Gaiman

Lost Boy

Linda Newbery

Cover of Lost Boy

Lost Boy

Linda Newbery

There's a dead person following my sister around

Vivian Vande Velde

Cover of There's a dead person following my sister around

There's a dead person following my sister around

Vivian Vande Velde

Haunted Kids "True Ghost Stories"

Allan Zullo

Cover of Haunted Kids "True Ghost Stories"

Haunted Kids "True Ghost Stories"

Allan Zullo

The Shadows of Owlsnap (Dent Duckling Series)

Angela Bull

Cover of The Shadows of Owlsnap (Dent Duckling Series)

The Shadows of Owlsnap (Dent Duckling Series)

Angela Bull

Can You See What I See? On a Scary, Scary Night

Walter Wick

Cover of Can You See What I See? On a Scary, Scary Night

Can You See What I See? On a Scary, Scary Night

Walter Wick

Scary stories 3

Alvin Schwartz

Cover of Scary stories 3

Scary stories 3

Alvin Schwartz

The Ghost of Graylock

Dan Poblocki

Cover of The Ghost of Graylock

The Ghost of Graylock

Dan Poblocki

Abe Liincoln's Dream

Lane Smith

Cover of Abe Liincoln's Dream

Abe Liincoln's Dream

Lane Smith

The Mirror Image Ghost

Catherine Storr

Cover of The Mirror Image Ghost

The Mirror Image Ghost

Catherine Storr

Chilling Ghost Stories

Bernhardt J. Hurwood

Cover of Chilling Ghost Stories

Chilling Ghost Stories

Bernhardt J. Hurwood

Ghost That Came Alive

Vic Crume

Cover of Ghost That Came Alive

Ghost That Came Alive

Vic Crume

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Washington Irving

Cover of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Washington Irving

Little Ghost

Vivian French

Cover of Little Ghost

Little Ghost

Vivian French

Haunting of Holroyd Hill

Brenda Seabrooke

Cover of Haunting of Holroyd Hill

Haunting of Holroyd Hill

Brenda Seabrooke

Night Mare (Bullseye Chillers)

Vicki Forman

Cover of Night Mare (Bullseye Chillers)

Night Mare (Bullseye Chillers)

Vicki Forman

True Ghost Stories

Theresa Dowswell

Cover of True Ghost Stories

True Ghost Stories

Theresa Dowswell

Gussie Ghost (Monster Madness) (Monster Madness)

Jane Massey

Cover of Gussie Ghost (Monster Madness) (Monster Madness)

Gussie Ghost (Monster Madness) (Monster Madness)

Jane Massey

Wait Till Helen Comes (Avon Camelot Books)

Mary Downing Hahn

Cover of Wait Till Helen Comes (Avon Camelot Books)

Wait Till Helen Comes (Avon Camelot Books)

Mary Downing Hahn

Rogers, Gregory

Gary Crew

Cover of Rogers, Gregory

Rogers, Gregory

Gary Crew

Stories of Ghosts

Russell Punter

Cover of Stories of Ghosts

Stories of Ghosts

Russell Punter

Beware of the Blabbermouth!

Marcia Thornton Jones

Cover of Beware of the Blabbermouth!

Beware of the Blabbermouth!

Marcia Thornton Jones

Creeper Man

Dawn Kurtagich

Cover of Creeper Man

Creeper Man

Dawn Kurtagich

Pioneer Ghost

K. L Morgan

Cover of Pioneer Ghost

Pioneer Ghost

K. L Morgan

Sally gets silly

Paul Martin

Cover of Sally gets silly

Sally gets silly

Paul Martin

The room of Woe

Rich Wallace

Cover of The room of Woe

The room of Woe

Rich Wallace

Questions parents ask about ghost stories books

What are the best ghost stories books for kids?: HootRated catalogs 41 ghost stories children's books spanning Grade 1–7. Each is rated on reading level and content intensity. The picks above are sorted by quality signals — hook factor, discussion potential, and content appropriateness.
Are ghost stories books appropriate for sensitive readers?: 38 books (93%) are rated Gentle or Mild — safe for sensitive readers. 0 (0%) are rated Intense or Very Intense. Average intensity is 1.8/5. Filter by intensity badge to match your child's emotional readiness.
What reading level are ghost stories books?: Ghost stories books in our catalog span Grade 1–7. The typical reading level lands around Grade 5. Reading level measures text difficulty — separate from content intensity, which measures emotional weight. The two often don't track together for gifted readers — the Gifted Kid Paradox.