Embedded Files
2025-26 Mystery/Scary Stories
2025-26 Mystery/Scary Stories
JASPER RABBIT'S CREEPY TALES: TROUBLING TONSILS
Aaron Reynolds
JASPER RABBIT'S CREEPY TALES: TROUBLING TONSILS
Aaron Reynolds
Summary: “The early chapter book spin-off from the Caldecott Medal-winning duo's Creepy Carrots is both creepy and fun. This installment features young Charlie Marmot. When Charlie learns that he needs to have his tonsils removed, he decides to bring them to school to show them off. He is in for a shocking and hilarious series of surprises from the time he arrives at his doctor's appointment and finds that his tonsils have disappeared!” (School Library Journal Xpress September 12, 2025)
Audience: K-5
WE ARE ALREADY HAUNTING HERE!
Gideon Sterer
WE ARE ALREADY HAUNTING HERE!
Gideon Sterer
Summary: “A bowler hat-clad, Casper-styled ghost is in search of a home to haunt. Every spot he finds is occupied, from creaky houses to creepy sewers, with bad-tempered boo-ers in every nook and cranny.” (School Library Journal Xpress June 13, 2025)
Audience: K-5
THE PICASSO CURSE
Dan Gutman
THE PICASSO CURSE
Dan Gutman
Summary: “An entertaining roller-coaster ride that combines Gutman's trademark humor and love of history. Who hasn't dreamed of making a fortune from a flea market find? When Edwin, almost 13, discovers an original Picasso drawing hidden behind a Kobe Bryant poster he buys for $10 at a flea market, it threatens to ruin his life. After an auction house offers to sell the authenticated painting, everything begins to go wrong for Edwin, and he's convinced he's cursed. Edwin grapples with tough decisions and the pitfalls of sudden wealth”. (School Library Journal September 1, 2025)
Audience: 3-5
IT'S WATCHING
Lindsay Currie
IT'S WATCHING
Lindsay Currie
Summary: “Famed Chicago purveyor of spooky stories Currie sends three tweens to tackle the myths of Bachelor's Grove Cemetery on a Halloween night. Bachelor's Grove in suburban Chicago is one of the most haunted spots in Illinois. Budding journalist Josie and her friends hope to witness the infamous lady in white and the phantom farmhouse. The tweens take in more than they expected when spirits follow them home and harass them through their phones, sending shivers and inciting research.” School Library Journal starred (January 1, 2025)
Audience: 3-5
BROKEN DOLLS
Alli Malinenko
BROKEN DOLLS
Alli Malinenko
Summary: Kaye is struggling with the death of her beloved grandfather, her grief manifesting in unexpected ways: compulsive counting and selective mutism. It’s a lot for any young person to handle, and it threatens to make this summer—spent helping renovate Grampa’s old house—emotionally overwhelming. And then the dolls arrive. The first one is creepy enough—a porcelain poppet that looks eerily like her younger sister, Holly—but before long, the house is overrun with grotesque, frightening figures. Most disturbingly, the dolls seem alive; Kaye sees them moving around at night and hears them whispering in the dark. This thoughtful, profoundly compassionate exploration of anxiety and grief also serves up some serious scares. (Booklist September 1, 2025)
Audience: 3-5
GLOAM
Jack Mackay
GLOAM
Jack Mackay
Summary: “After her mother’s untimely passing, Gwen and her siblings, along with Henry, their stepfather, move into their late grandmother’s house—known simply as “The House”—on the small, gray, aptly named island of Gloam. There they meet the ethereal Esme, a local babysitter whose demeanor and general attitude toward the bereaved family seems just a tad too perfect to be genuine, earning Gwen’s immediate mistrust. Sure enough, Esme’s mere presence heralds the arrival of a sinister, creeping darkness—one that threatens to consume not only the old, mysterious house itself but Gwen and her family as well. Now it’s up to Gwen to unlock the house’s secrets and banish the stirring nightmares within.” (Booklist June 1, 2025 )
Audience: 3-5
Grades K-1 (24-25)
Grades K-1 (24-25)
A MISCHIEF OF MICE
A MISCHIEF OF MICE
Christie Matheson
Summary: With rhyming text and charming illustrations, this woodland mystery offers an engaging introduction to animal collective nouns. (Booklist)
Curricular use:. LR.A.1 Explore books that tell stories and books that share information.
THE THINGAMAJIG
THE THINGAMAJIG
Rilla Alexander
Summary: There's a lot happening in this clever picture book with an all-dialogue text that introduces the nonsense words used when we can't remember the proper name for something. (Horn Book)
Curricular use: LR.A.1 Explore books that tell stories and books that share information.
Grades 2-3 (24-25)
Grades 2-3 (24-25)
EVIDENCE! HOW DR. JOHN SNOW SOLVED THE MYSTERY OF CHOLERA
EVIDENCE! HOW DR. JOHN SNOW SOLVED THE MYSTERY OF CHOLERA
Deborah Hopkinson
Summary: "Welcome to Broad Street, in hot, stinky old London," begins this enthralling 1854-set work focused on epidemiology, smartly pitched for younger audiences as an intriguing medical mystery. (Publishers Weekly)
Curricular use: LR.A.1 Identify different literary genres (e.g., fantasy, realistic fiction, historical fiction, mystery, poetry.)
DETECTIVE SWEET PEA: THE CASE OF THE GOLDEN BONE
DETECTIVE SWEET PEA: THE CASE OF THE GOLDEN BONE
Sara Varon
Summary: Parkville's ready to celebrate their precious famous attraction, the Golden Chew Bone, when misfortune strikes and the bone is stolen! (SLJ)
Curricular use: LR.A.1 Identify different literary genres (e.g., fantasy, realistic fiction, historical fiction, mystery, poetry.)
Grades 4-5 (24-25)
Grades 4-5 (24-25)
FOWL PLAY
FOWL PLAY
Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
Summary: Though very much heartbroken over the death of her uncle Will, Chloe Alvarez is cheered by his parting gift to her: an African gray parrot named Charlie. Charlie provides a welcome distraction from her grief. But when Charlie starts saying things like “homicide,” “skull,” and “cyanide,” Chloe begins to think that Uncle Will might not have died from a rare genetic disease like they thought; he just may have been murdered. (Booklist)
Curricular use: LR.B.2/II.D.3/II.D.4 Explore and respond to texts with both familiar and unfamiliar perspectives.
THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
Tracy Badua
Summary: Badua and Dow's suspenseful, engaging book offers readers a plot-driven tale. Laila and Lucy have been best friends since kindergarten. Lucy loves journalism while Laila loves cooking. This year will be different, however, because they will have to go to different high schools.
This book features a diverse cast of characters for readers who like cooking, mysteries, and realistic fiction. (SLJ)
Curricular use:LR.B.2/II.D.3/II.D.4 Explore and respond to texts with both familiar and unfamiliar perspectives.
Grades K-2 (23-24)
Grades K-2 (23-24)
MR. S
MR. S
Monica Arnaldo
Summary: Prepare for plenty of giggles as a kindergarten class arrives for their first day of school but can't find their teacher—only a delicious-looking sandwich and the words "Mr. S" scribbled on the chalkboard. (from the Publisher)
Curricular Use: This could be used as a fun first day of school activity where students can work together and build community.
HOW DOES SANTA GO DOWN THE CHIMNEY?
HOW DOES SANTA GO DOWN THE CHIMNEY?
Mac Barnett
Summary: The beloved, multi-award-winning duo of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen tackle a perennial question. When Santa arrives at a child's house on Christmas Eve, does he go down the chimney feet first or headfirst? What if he gets stuck? What if there's no chimney? (from the Publisher)
Curricular Use: To be used in lessons of folklore and holidays and traditions. This would be a great companion to compare and contrast as cultures and traditions from around the world are celebrated and discussed.
Grades 3-4 (23-24)
Grades 3-4 (23-24)
THE SKULL
THE SKULL
Jon Klaussen
Summary: Jon Klassen's signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and runs away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. (from the publisher)
Curricular use: A great addition in a lesson of folklore or relationship skills with others different than yourself.
BIG TREE
BIG TREE
Brian Selznick
Summary: A mysterious voice has been speaking to Louise in her dreams. She and her brother Merwin are Sycamore seeds, who hope to one day set down roots and become big trees. But when a fire forces them to leave their mama tree prematurely, they find themselves catapulted into the unknown, far from home. Alone and unprepared, they must use their wits and imagination to navigate a dangerous world--filled with dinosaurs, meteors, and volcanoes!--and the fear of never finding a safe place to grow up. (from the Publisher)
Curricular use: This could be used to illustrate personification, lessons to make predictions or inferences based on illustrations.
Grades 5-6 (23-24)
Grades 5-6 (23-24)
THE SWIFTS: A DICTIONARY OF SCROUNDRELS
THE SWIFTS: A DICTIONARY OF SCROUNDRELS
Beth Lincoln
Summary: On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match. Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker. Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile’s long-lost treasure. She’s excited to finally meet her arriving relatives—until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs. So what if everyone thinks she’ll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? (from the publisher)
Curricular use: A great addition to units discussing families and how all families are different.
THE FIREFLY SUMMER
THE FIREFLY SUMMER
Morgan Matson
Summary: For as long as Ryanna Stuart can remember, her summers have been spent with her father and his new wife. Just the three of them, structured, planned, and quiet. But this summer is different. This summer, she’s received a letter from her grandparents—grandparents neither she nor her dad have spoken to since her mom’s death—inviting her to stay with them at an old summer camp in the Poconos. Ryanna accepts. She wants to learn about her mom. She wants to uncover the mystery of why her father hasn’t spoken to her grandparents all these years. She’s even looking forward to a quiet summer by the lake. But what she finds are relatives…so many relatives! Aunts and uncles and cousins upon cousins—a motley, rambunctious crew of kids and eccentric, unconventional adults. (from the publisher)
Curricular use: Appropriate for use in units discussing family dynamics and how all families are different.
FINAL WORD
FINAL WORD
Janet Sumner Johnson
Summary: In this twisty middle grade mystery for fans of Knives Out, The Inheritance Game, and The Westing Game, thirteen-year-old twins Hope and Gordon enter a spelling bee in a last-ditch effort to save their family from financial ruin, only to find themselves in a cut-throat competition to uncover a fortune and dark secrets about the wealthy relations they've never known. (from the publisher)
Curricular use: This book would work well for a mystery unit or genre activities because it has traditional elements of a mystery for students to explore.
Grades 3-6 (22-23)
Grades 3-6 (22-23)
INVESTIGATORS PRESENTS: AGENTS OF S.U.I.T
John Patrick Green
Get ready to dive into the first volume of AGENTS OF S.U.I.T., featuring the weird and wacky co-workers of everyone's favorite sewer-sleuthing super-agents, Mango and Brash! At S.U.I.T. headquarters, Cilantro the Chameleon finally gets what she's been waiting for: a field assignment. Only...it's literally out in the middle of a field, and her orders are so vague, she can hardly tell what she's supposed to be investigating. (From the publisher)
This is a great edition to the InvestiGators series and a fun introduction to Cilantro. For the reluctant reader this series has a companion website, designed by the author, that will help to keep students engaged in the series, up-to-date series news, and games. Visit: https://investigatorsbooks.com/
THE WEIRD SISTERS: A NOTE, A GOAT, AND A CASSEROLE
Mark David Smith
The first book in a mystery series features three sleuthing sisters. One spring evening, three strange visitors arrive in the town of Covenly. Sisters Hildegurp, Yuckmina, and Glubbifer are hoping to start fresh with a new business: a pet store! Their first customer is nine-year-old Jessica Nibley, who has lost her pet goat and hopes the sisters can help track it down. The book is filled with hilarious misunderstandings, clever wordplay, and dynamic illustrations. The sleuthing sisters, who are inspired by the three witches from Macbeth invite Covenly residents and readers to look past appearances and embrace people for who they are, weirdness and all. (From the publisher)
use with a Social Studies unit on Families, Names, Family Dynamics; this book leads to a great story mapping project with ELA due to all of the twists and turns in the story.
THE SWIFTS: A DICTIONARY OF SCOUNDRELS
Beth Lincoln
On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match. Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker. Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it's packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important. (From the publisher)
A great book to use about Families, traditions, selection of names and their importance to one's identity.
ICEBERG
Jennifer A. Nielsen
As disaster looms on the horizon, a young stowaway onboard the Titanic will need all her courage and wits to stay alive. Hazel Rothbury is traveling all alone from her home in England aboard the celebrated ship Titanic. Following the untimely death of her father, Hazel's mother is sending her to the US to work in a factory, so that she might send money back home to help her family make ends meet. But Hazel harbors a secret dream: She wants to be a journalist, and she just knows that if she can write and sell a story about the Titanic's maiden voyage, she could earn enough money to support her family and not have to go to a sweatshop. Readers will be caught up in the terror and suspense alongside Hazel as she fights to save her friends and herself. An extraordinary tapestry of survival and disaster in this magnificent thriller. (From the publisher)
So many connections can be made by connecting this book with others that have been written about the Titanic. A compare and contrast with a non-fiction Titanic book; Compare and contrast “I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic” and “Iceberg” for two different takes on Historical Fiction.
Grades K-2 / Grades 3-4 (21-22)
Grades K-2 / Grades 3-4 (21-22)
HORNSWOGGLED!
Josh Crute
Deer wakes up to find one of his antlers is missing...and there's a tennis racket in its place? One by one his friends also uncover that their important items from glasses to lucky boots have been swapped with silly, useless replacements like donuts and swim flippers. (From the publisher)
This book would be perfect to discuss using context clues, illustrations, etc. to help you figure out the meaning of new words.
HOW TO CATCH A CLOVER THIEF
Elise Parsley
This hilarious tale about problem-solving and ingenuity from bestselling author-illustrator Elise Parsley celebrates nonfiction books as a way to build skills and smarts! All Roy the wild boar wants is to enjoy his precious patch of delicious clover . . . but every time he turns around, his tasty treasure seems to be shrinking! Who's stealing his favorite meal from right under his snout? (From the publisher)
With its clear plot this would be a great way to practice sequencing and making predictions.
WILLODEEN
Katherine Applegate
Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favorites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as “screechers.” The villagers of Perchance call them pests, even monsters, but Willodeen believes the animals serve a vital role in the complicated web of nature. Lately, though, nature has seemed angry indeed. Perchance has been cursed with fires and mudslides, droughts and fevers, and even the annual migration of hummingbears, a source of local pride and income, has dwindled.
This title would be a wonderful addition to a unit exploring endangered species. It would also be helpful when learning about natural disasters and its effects on wildlife in the area and what we can do to help.
AVEN GREEN: SLEUTHING MACHINE
Dusti Bowling
Third grader Aven Green, who was born without arms but believes that her missing arm cells went to her super-powered brain, tries to solve two cases involving her teacher's missing lunch and the disappearance of her great-grandmother's dog. (Follett) This is a prequel to Bowling’s Life as a Cactus character and is one of a two book series accompanied by Aven Green, Baking Machine.
This story that shows life from a different perspective gives students a glimpse into the everyday life of someone born without arms and would be a nice addition to guidance lessons around empathy.
Grades 5-6 (2021-22)
Grades 5-6 (2021-22)
AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS
AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS
B. B. Alston
Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good. So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real. (From the publisher)
This book could be the beginning of the conversation about inequality, comparing and contrasting ways of life, and perseverance.
THE IN-BETWEEN
THE IN-BETWEEN
Rebecca K.S. Ansari
A dark, twisty adventure about the forgotten among us and what it means to be seen.
This book would work well to provide a narrative to accompany a research project learning about natural disasters and/or unsolved mysteries. Students would be provided many opportunities to discern fact from fiction as well as credible sources.
Grades K-2 / Grades 3-4
Grades K-2 / Grades 3-4
THE POWWOW DOG
Joseph Bruchac
This (as of now) trilogy of mysteries are told in a comic book style, with bright bold illustrations that showcase a modern Native American family. Twins Jamie and Marie Longbow travel with their grandparents to sell jewelry at different Powwows. At each Powwow they encounter a mystery and become known for their sleuthing skills.
MEET THE CREW AT THE ZOO
Patricia Reilly Giff
Luke moves from Florida to New York because his father is a veterinarian at a zoo and has a new job. Luke is sad to leave behind his home and abuelo, but soon finds himself occupied with learning about his new neighborhood.
THE AMAZING LIFE OF AZALEAH LANE
Nikki Shannon Smith
Azeleah Lane is a middle child in a middle class Washington D.C. family- and it isn’t always easy getting her own stuff done. She is always helping her sisters, as her mom is a chef and her dad a lawyer who both work a lot. Azaleah’s little sister loses her favorite stuffie and there will be no peace in the house- and no time for Azaleah to work on her big extra credit report- until it is found.
THE 30,000-FOOT GHOST
Brandon Terrell
Ellis Baker is aboard a plane in which a priceless necklace is stolen. The nighttime flight is dark and stormy, and Ellis sees a strange woman who seems to disappear. Is there a ghost on this flight? Who could have stolen the necklace? This story is written in short chapters with black and white illustrations intermingled.
Grades 4 +
PREMEDITATED MYRTLE
Elizabeth C. Bunce
This delightful Victorian mystery stars a young 12 year old woman who is on the cusp of “ladylike” expectations, but would rather use her brain and enjoy life as she wants. When her eldery neighbor dies, Myrtle is convinced that is was murder and takes it upon herself to investigate.
FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON
Janae Marks
From the publisher, "Zoe Washington isn't sure what to write. What does a girl say to the father she's never met, hadn't heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who's been in prison for a terrible crime? A crime he says he never committed. Could Marcus really be innocent? Zoe is determined to uncover the truth."
SUPER PUZZLETASTIC MYSTERIES
Chris Grabenstein
This superb collection of twenty short stories is loads of fun to read and offers the chance to be an armchair detective. Authors like Ponti, Grabenstein, Milford, Hale, and Gibbs offer stories for satisfying bite size mystery fun. All cases are “crackable” and the clues are layered in. A modern Encyclopedia Brown style collection for the upper elementary crowd. Makes for a great read aloud!
COOP KNOWS THE SCOOP
Taryn Souders
From the publisher, “Thirteen-year-olds Cooper Goodman and Justice and Liberty Gordon investigate the eccentric residents of Windy Bottom, Georgia, after the remains of Coop's long-missing grandmother are uncovered and his Gramps is the prime suspect.”
CITY SPIES
James Ponti
A jam packed action and spy story of five children with different talents at a boarding school in Scotland.
THE VALLEY OF LOST SECRETS
Lesley Parr
A historical fiction book that has a whisper of mystery. Jimmy and his little brother are evacuated from London to a mining village in Wales. Jimmy must learn how to adapt and accept love from others- shedding off the old cliques and routines of his London school boy days. While exploring and escaping into the countryside, he discovers the remains of a body in a tree. Haunted by this mystery, he starts to see the village in a new way.
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