Scary Halloween Stories for Children

Get ready to shiver and giggle! This collection brings together spine-tingling tales perfect for little ones who love a good scare. From brief, bite-sized frights to longer adventures that have even i

Book list · 25 titles

Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at halloweencostumes.com.

This curated compilation offers a variety of spooky narratives tailored specifically for children. The selection spans different lengths, providing both quick reads and more extended stories. Notably, several of these tales have been adapted for television and film, making them familiar to many young audiences. It serves as an excellent resource for parents and educators looking to share age-appropriate Halloween entertainment.

About this

A roundup of spooky short stories kids and young teens can read, ranging from very short flash pieces to the classics, many of which have inspired movies, TV episodes, or audio recordings. Each entry links out to a free online version or PDF and describes the scare in a line or two. The page also suggests dimming the lights, doing dramatic read-alouds, and encouraging kids to write their own ghost stories.

The list

The Boarded Window

American frontier tale; narrator and readers unclear what is happening with his wife.

A Collapse of Horses

Animal in danger and a narrator who can't tell real from unreal.

Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets

Young man chasing a promotion finds his life hanging in the balance.

A Ghost Story

Twisty ghost story written by Mark Twain, of Tom Sawyer fame.

Haunted

Ghosts haunting an Arkansas house who really love to bake.

The Hitchhiker

Written for radio; the original broadcast adds extra chills.

It's A Good Life

Child who reads minds and punishes thoughts; became a Twilight Zone episode.

Lacrimosa

Silvia Moreno-Garcia blends Mexican and Canadian elements; great for seventh and eighth graders.

The Landlady

Young man rents from a seemingly nice landlady; is she really?

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

First published in 1820; classic horror story called the perfect Halloween ghost story.

The Lottery

Shirley Jackson's small town with an unusual tradition; quick but memorable.

The Masque of the Red Death

Edgar Allan Poe tale that starts with a pandemic and goes unexpected places.

The Monkey's Paw

Three wishes seem like a dream come true but come at a great price.

The Mortal Immortal

Chilling tale by the author of Frankenstein about an unusual relationship with life.

The Pit and the Pendulum

Edgar Allan Poe story narrated by a condemned man.

The Possibility of Evil

Shirley Jackson story published after her death; questions judging others' hearts.

The Screaming Skull

Unimaginative narrator hears a scream and knows the dead screamer.

A Sound of Thunder

Science fiction and horror collide in a space story set in 2055.

Specter Bridegrooms

Collection of tales in which doomed bridegrooms haunt the words.

Strange Tales: Three Uncanny Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson

Three short stories read aloud by Scottish actors.

The Tell-Tale Heart

Edgar Allan Poe tale of a sick person who hears something inescapable.

The Tomb

H.P. Lovecraft story of a young man obsessed with a nearby tomb.

What's In My Sandwich

Short story written on Twitter by Goosebumps author R.L. Stine.

10 Best Scary Stories for Kids

Very short stories that pack lots of thrills into few words.

15 Short Horror Stories For Teenagers

Middle schoolers will enjoy reading these stories out loud.