Age 8 plus
Dracula & Daughters
Emma Carroll
SHARPEN your fangs and let them sink into the first book of a blood-curdling, inventive and thrilling world-building new series from master storyteller Emma Carroll whose historical fiction has proved a big hit with young readers. In this gloriously gothic adventure, Carroll ramps up the spooks for her highly original – and high stakes – tale which delivers a unique and fiendishly feminist spin on all those familiar vampire stories. Packed full of atmosphere and gothic detail, this deliciously dark adventure introduces us to three cousins who discover they are descendants of Dracula and combine their covert female powers to form an infamous vampire healing company called… Dracula & Daughters!
In the city of Temstown, for the first
time in twenty years, vampires are prowling the streets. The only way to make
the city safe again is by culling the undead with a stake through the heart.
But vampire slayers are in dangerously short supply. Then three girls, Mina,
Buffy and Bella, discover a mind-blowing secret which they must keep hidden at
all costs. Could they alone have the powers to cure – not cull – vampires?
Temstown is about to welcome its very own vampire healing company, and their
first case is perilously close to home. With magic abounding, villainous
vampires, three coruscating star players, and an inventive world that includes
a talking raven, this spooktacular and entertaining new series looks set to be
a ghouls’ paradise!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback,
£7.99)
The Last Day of October
Phil Hickes and Oriol Vidal
BORED with trick-or-treating, three
friends venture into the woods on Halloween night to hunt for the haunted
McBride House in this spine-tingling horror story from Phil Hickes, a writer
with a self-declared passion for horror, ghosts, and all things that go bump in
the night! If you go down to the woods today,
you’re in for a nasty surprise! Seeking creepy thrills instead of candy, Cody
and his friends set out on Halloween to search for the ruins of the haunted
McBride House in the woods near his home in Oregon. The house has taken on a
sinister legendary status after it burned down a hundred years ago with tragic
consequences, and it’s said that the ghosts of the family who lived there
return each year on the last day of October. But when they find the house, the
truth of what is happening on this eerie autumn night is more terrifying than
the three teenagers could ever have imagined… Hickes is at his ghostly, gothic best
in this Halloween horror story in which the past bleeds into the present with
terrifying results and is brought to vibrant, visceral life by the atmospheric
and haunting illustrations of Oriol Vidal. Packed with eerie, electrifying
small town America vibes, this is a spectacular spine-chiller from a master of
the macabre.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
Do You Believe in Ghosts?
Danny Robins and Ellen Walker
HAVE you ever wondered if ghosts
really exist and what it’s like to live in a ‘haunted’ house? Well wonder no
more because Danny Robins, the award-winning writer, creator and host of the
hit BBC podcast and TV series Uncanny, has a ‘spooktacular’ new collection of
real-life ghost stories. Robins is on a mission to inspire a
new generation of ghost-hunters in his thrilling first book for children, so
join him on an adventure into the world of the paranormal. Explore bizarre and
intriguing mysteries from poltergeists and apparitions to messages from the
spirit world, ghostly photos, and even a haunted toilet! This is a journey of
discovery for anyone curious about the paranormal, exploring the science and
history behind these incredible stories. With an assurance from the author that
the book is ‘spooky not scary,’ Do You Believe in Ghosts? – illustrated by
Ellen Walker – is an exhilarating page-turner that dares young readers to
discover if they are #TeamBeliever or #TeamSceptic as they try to solve that
biggest of all mysteries… do ghosts exist? So climb under the covers, grab a
torch, and prepare to get ghost hunting!
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
Spooksmiths Investigate: Circus of Shadows
Alex Atkinson
‘Roll up, roll up to be terrified out of your wits at the Circus of Shadows! Run in horror from the phantom clown... Meet a man made of flies on a real ghost train... But scariest of all, hide from Hell Mary and her rings made of teeth. Because she has a deadly deal for you...’
Spooksmiths
Indigo and Rusty, a pair of squabbling siblings who live in a funeral parlour in
the seaside town of Greyscar, can speak to the dead and know how to fight
dangerous ghosts. But now powerful spirit Hell Mary has kidnapped their parents
and if they don’t agree to track down her cursed crystal ball by sunrise, she’ll
trap them all in her haunted circus for ever. Will the Spooksmiths’ skills be
enough to beat her? Join the Spooksmith twins on their fast-paced and
spine-tingling adventures. Including fascinating facts about Victorian London, and
inspired by the real-life London Necropolis Railways which was used to
transport corpses out of the capital, Atkinson’s super-spooky, fast-paced and
fun-filled adventure reminds us about the importance of family and friends and
is a treat for your Halloween tricksters!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Mallory Vayle and Maggoty Skull
in the Beast from Beneath
Martin Howard and Pete Williamson
BRACE yourself for gruesome giggles, spooky sniggers and creepy cackles when youngsters get their hands on the second hilarious ‘horror’ story featuring a talkative skull and a necromancer-in-training from the top team of comedy king and author Martin Howard, and creative illustrator Pete Williamson. With deliciously dark humour, hellish hags, a gloriously ghoulish girl, a wig-loving skull and a spine-chilling, fast-paced adventure to devour, this spectacular spooky romp (rightly!) comes with a warning that readers might just die of laughter and is perfect for both Halloween and as a side-splitting and spine-tingling year-round read.
Mallory is getting to grips with her new powers and her new
talkative friend, Maggoty. But when Maggoty sees a wig in Les Wigs shop, he
just won’t shut up about it! It's expensive, and no one seems able to pay
Mallory properly for her cosmic services. So her Aunt Lilith takes matters into
her own hands but, in her quest to increase her own supernatural skills, she
accidentally summons a Nightmare. It, inevitably, goes HORRIBLY wrong and
Mallory must take a perilous journey into the bowels of Carrion Castle in search
of the solution to Aunt Lilith’s problem. But it’s only when a bony fella with a
scythe turns up (that’s Death himself, by the way!) that she knows she and
Maggoty are in for some terrifying fun and games! Budding horror fans will love Howard’s gleefully spooky and very,
very funny adventure which stars the chattiest, wig-wearing skull in the whole
of Halloween history, and is brought to hilarious pictorial life through Williamson’s
prodigious imagination. Dangerously good!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Where the Dead Live
Sam Fern and Rômolo D’Hipólito
DISCOVER the most wondrous – and downright
spooky – homes of the dead in this globe-trotting journey from our world to the
underworld as author and editor Sam Fern explores the celebrations, customs and
ancient mythologies of the afterlife. Lavishly illustrated by artist Rômolo
D’Hipólito, Where the Dead Live, takes readers on a tour of festivals and
catacombs… and how some believe we go on beyond the end. Learn about the mythological
afterlives of ancient civilizations and find out about spiritual celebrations
throughout the ages, all revealed with a healthy splash of joie de vivre and
not a hint of gloom. Along the way, wander through labyrinths of bone and stone,
swim through sunken cemeteries, unearth ancient festivals and sacred sites of
long-lost legends, and join in heartfelt traditions from around the globe which
joyfully reunite the living with the lost. From Mexico’s vibrant Day of the
Dead to the Pirate Cemetery of Saint-Pierre and the shadowy depths of Hades, this
is a thrilling adventure through folklore, mythology and cultural practices, revealing
the beauty and mystery of the afterlife.
(Templar Books, hardback, £14.99)
Fright Club: Let’s Boo This!
Sibéal Pounder and George Ermos
SUPER-SPOOKY adventures get an exciting choose-your-character
twist in this frighteningly clever new series from Sibéal Pounder, bestselling
author of Witch Wars and Bad Mermaids. With friendships, frights and lots of
fun to enjoy, this intriguing book is guaranteed to thrill readers as they choose
which club members to follow on diverging adventures. The night Joe Bones spots a cloaked figure leaving his
gran’s house, he's sure that something is afoot. So, when he hears that his
gran has passed away, he’s convinced the mysterious man has something to do
with her death. Then Joe discovers that his gran was keeping a secret… she was
part of an ancient society called Fright Club, investigators of crimes in
supernatural hidden worlds ranging from Clinks, the world of skeletons, to the
ghostly Veilooo and demon-filled Devilbend. Joe convinces his three best
friends, Hal, Debbie and Rose, to revive the club and track down the mysterious
figure to find out what really happened to his gran. What Joe doesn’t know is
that each of his friends has a supernatural secret of their own and starting
their own Fright Club could unleash a whole heap of trouble… With each friend having a secret to hide, twists and turns
guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats, and a deliciously
devious cast of characters to enjoy, Pounder’s journey into the unknown is a
spectacular romp from start to finish.
(Puffin, paperback, £8.99)
Aliens Made Me Do It!
David Macphail and Rory Walker
MEET the aliens… it’s not every day a
spaceship crash-lands in your garden! All the family – and that includes crusty
old grandads! – will enjoy this wickedly funny aliens adventure which stars two
scheming Galactic rulers, a boy called Hillman (after the car) and girl whose
greatest wish is to pull off a bank heist. Expect to wipe the tears from your
eyes rather than the sweat of fear from your forehead with this madcap sci-fi
fantasy – written by David Macphail, author of the Lollies-nominated Thorfinn
the Nicest Viking series, and illustrated by Rory Walker – which has 21st
century issues, like war and peace, jealousy and friendship, embedded deep
within all the hilarious twists, mash-ups, disguises, plans and schemes. Eleven-year-old Hillman thinks it’s a
prank when a spaceship turns up in his garden… until a real alien steps out,
followed by a homicidal maniac robot manservant armed with explosive custard.
Princess Cassiopeia is in a fix. She shrank her entire space armada while
making a smoothie (don’t ask!). She came to rally Earth’s leaders but instead
landed in a nowhere town called Bilgeley and got Hillman Patel, aged eleven,
and his crusty old grandad. Meanwhile, Perseus crash-lands on Bilgeley rubbish
tip, intent on chasing down Cassiopeia, and gets Roz, age eleven, who is here
to help but has got her eyes set on a bank heist. The galaxy’s most ridiculous
war has landed on Earth, and things are about to get very, very messy. Can
Cassiopeia defeat Prince Perseus? Luckily, Hillman has got one excuse: ‘Aliens
made me do it.’ Brought to vibrant life by Walker’s
fun-filled illustrations, Mcpahail’s brilliant satire will delight readers with
its sheer exuberance, short, snappy chapters, sparkling dialogue and
entertaining cliffhangers. Anarchy on steroids!
(Everything with Words, paperback,
£8.99)
Croaky: Escape from Crow Castle
Matty Long
A SCOUT mission to uncover the cause of
mysterious hauntings at spooky Crow Castle delivers paranormal fun and frights
in the fourth book of an action-packed and colourful chapter book series from
Super Happy Magic Forest creator Matty Long. Croaky Hopper isn't like other
little frogs. His head is filled with thoughts of wild adventures. He dreams of
hopping across crocodile-infested waters, or being chased by a giant boulder,
just like the famous TV explorer Tennessee Toad. But where can an energetic
amphibian like Croaky find real-life adventure? When his Aunt Lilly signs him
up for the Woggle Scouts, he expects to spend his time crafting with pinecones
and selling cookies, but he soon discovers there's much more in store! In Croaky’s
new adventure, the Woggle Scouts leap into action when they find hidden
passageways, puzzle rooms and a murder of meddling crows! Packed with Long’s classic
humour, lovable characters and eye-catching illustrations, this action-packed
series is ideal for emerging readers and youngsters who like their laughs to
come with lots of pictures!
(Oxford University Press, paperback,
£6.99)
Where's Stitch? Halloween Edition
Marvel Entertainment International Ltd
CAN you spot Stitch? Don’t miss out on all the spooky fun
packed inside Disney’s simply marvellous limited edition of the Lilo &
Stitch search-and-find activity book featuring a brand-new Halloween scene and
a glow-in-the-dark cover! Brought to life by stunning, full-colour original
illustrations, the Where's Stitch? Halloween edition is available for a limited
time only. Look for Lilo’s mischievous alien pet in jam-packed scenes from the
beaches of Kaua’I to the Galactic Federation and back. Can you spot Stitch,
Lilo and their 'Ohana friends hiding amongst the pumpkins? Perfect for Marvel
and Disney fans young and old, this beautifully created search-and-find book
guarantees hours of entertainment!
(Studio Press, paperback, £7.99)
Ghost Hunt
Isabel Otter and Kathryn Selbert
THE youngest members of the family can enjoy some ghostly
goings-on with this magical search-and-find adventure which sheds an extra
special light on all the phantom fun of the Halloween season! Children’s books
editor Isabel Otter’s delightful rhyming verse invites little ones to blow off
the cobwebs and join a host of cute characters on their ghost-hunting mission.
Shine the magical UV torch on to every page to search for more than 50
fiendishly friendly creatures hiding in the invisible ink and discover lots of
spine-tingling scenes, such as a haunted house, a bat’s cave and a pumpkin
patch. This super interactive board book, colourfully illustrated by Kathryn Selbert,
packs in lots of spooks without the scares!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £12.99)
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