Goosebumps may have been “the training bra for Stephen King,” but the treasured R.L. Stine series also paved the way for whole subgenres to flourish. Middle Grade and Young Adult horror novels are booming and have been for awhile. Unlike novels from past decades, modern genre titles for kids aren’t necessarily afraid to be scary alongside being spooky and eerie. Besides, if Five Nights at Freddy’s is a thing, then your kid can surely survive a slim novel with some character arcs and moral themes. Below are some upcoming titles from great authors who’ve seen the potential in MG horror. They’re genuinely frightful reads for the young at heart and the young alike.
July 22nd, 2025
Another marks Tremblay’s first foray into MG horror. His foreboding tale of identity revolves around Casey, a lonely 6th grade boy who is delivered a new friend during spring break. The friend’s name is Morel, and he appears to be made of clay. He has no facial features or needs… at first. Casey’s parents don’t seem to think he’s strange at all, but they haven’t exactly been themselves, either. Casey isn’t sure why but Morel seems to be molding himself into a better, brighter version of Casey. Something is very wrong and it’s up to Casey to confront his new friend before too much damage is done.
Another is an accessible story of bravery and fright. The character of Casey is a humble, loveable hero to anyone who fears inadequacy or rejection. The villain is insidious, revealing its face and intention in harrowing glimpses. True to form, Tremblay’s brand of heartbreak horror has the emotional stakes running high. The trials of adolescence are beautifully captured here: hurt, confusion, and indifference to certain strangeness. The cadence is catered more to young readers, but the message will ring clear to all. And the backdrop of mind-controlling fugus? Heebie-jeebies OVERLOAD.
Welcome to the Ghost Show by J.W. Ocker
August 26th, 2025
Ocker’s fourth middle-grade novel is an engrossing read for adult and kid readers alike. It follows Hazel Gold, a tenacious girl who happens to be obsessed with seeing a ghost. Alongside her equally curious pals Lucien and Theo, they investigate haunted buildings and graveyards as The Creepy Club. But one day, the ghosts come to them in The Ghost Show, a mysterious pop-up that happens to be in a ginormous black skull-shaped building. What they and the rest of their town encounter inside is both unbelievable and terrifying.
Like The Black Slide, Welcome to the Ghost Show deals with themes of grief, death, and pain. Ocker’s exploration of ghosts comes from a seemingly agnostic, scientific angle that may intrigue older readers a bit more. The influence of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes meshes well with the modernized sci-fi feel of the ghost show and its villain, giving today’s readers that same swell of dreadful enchantment sans 1930’s nostalgia. Guaranteed to chill and disturb with its goopy, gory splendor, Welcome to the Ghost Show is another dark, heartfelt addition to must-read MG horror.
Broken Dolls by Ally Malinenko
September 30th, 2025
Malinenko’s portfolio glows with supernatural stories, and Broken Dolls may be the spookiest. Kaye was recently diagnosed with arithmomania, an anxiety disorder involving numbers, and the death of her beloved grandfather has only made things worse. Staying in his old house over the summer is just too much, but her little sister doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, she’s having a great time with all the weird dolls she keeps finding. Kaye swears that they blink. They smirk. They even whisper to her in the dead of night.
Many middle grade horror titles toe the line on what’s too scary, but Broken Dolls boldly stomps on said line. Fear of dolls is a diehard trope in the genre, and Malinenko taps into what makes it absolute nightmare fuel. The visuals and constant tension are perfect for chill-seeking readers. Malinenko’s background in poetry shines through in Kaye’s poignant journey with grief, speaking directly to readers in the midst of their own mourning. Broken Dolls is a certified eerie entry into doll horror that youngsters and adults alike can hide under the covers from.
Haunted by Deadlines 
All those stories look fun!
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Very much so! All very different too.
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