The Kids Are Alright: Horror Books for 10 Year Olds

The Kids Are Alright: Horror Books for 10 Year Olds

A quiet war plays out in school libraries every September. On one side, a freshly printed reading list, laminated and hopeful. On the other, a ten-year-old who has learned, early and efficiently, that “school books” taste like dust. The list says read. The child says make me. Into this standoff steps the librarian, armed not with demands but with a better weapon: Jennifer Killick’s Crater Lake, placed face-out on a display shelf.

Tony Jones, senior librarian at Emanuel School in London and curator of Ginger Nuts of Horror’s Young Blood section, has spent three decades in that skirmish. He knows what lands and what sinks. In 2023, he launched the 100 Book Challenge, a reading incentive programme where pupils earn Bronze, Silver and Gold awards by submitting fifty‑word reviews. The reviews are brutally honest.

The challenge has become a quiet phenomenon. In its first year, forty‑five pupils earned awards. That number nearly doubled to eighty‑seven in year two. The library rotates forty per cent of its stock annually, cutting titles that don’t circulate. What remains is a curated spine of children’s horror novels that a classroom of Year 6 readers has stress‑tested and endorsed. For school library horror recommendations, that student‑generated data is gold.

Jones’s own YA horror almanack, published in 2024, gathers four hundred reviews and features connecting commentary from authors including Frances Hardinge and Ramsey Campbell. But the first‑hand pupil voices collected here, unvarnished, specific, occasionally breathless, carry a different authority. A child who calls Coraline “amazingly terrifying with the words fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle” has found their critical voice. A kid who clocks that a ghost story is “still a heartwarming tale of a girl struggling with life” has understood something deeper.

These are the readers librarians and teachers are actually serving. Not hypothetical reluctant readers in a training manual. Real ten‑ and eleven‑year‑olds who will tell you, loudly, if a book bores them. The twenty titles below have survived that scrutiny.

The Kids Are Alright: Horror Books for 10 Year Olds

by Tony Jones

Many who use the Young Blood section of Ginger Nuts of Horror realise I am a school librarian and my tips help purchase new stock. My latest series of articles is perfect for this task, as I will be sharing horror titles featured in my own school, based on our ‘100 Book Challenge’, which has been running successfully since 2024. 

The 100 Book Challenge has proven to be a huge hit and has driven library borrowing. Over the course of a school year, if a pupil manages to read 20 books from the list they win the Gold Award, Silver for 15 and 10 for Bronze. There is a massive range of novels on each of the lists, with this article showcasing the horror and other dark fiction titles.

Each age group, Year 6 (age 10-11), Year 7 (11-12), Year 8 (12-13), Year 9 (13-14), Year 10-11 (14-16) and Sixth Form (16-18) have their own unique lists. Every year I update each list by around 30% and these articles include horror titles ranging from all the lists, 2024 to 2026 and heading into 2027, not just the current selection.  

Our library catalogue system has in excess of 11,000 pupil reviews which have been driven by the 100 Book Challenge. To qualify for our Gold, Silver or Bronze Awards, pupils must submit reviews of a minimum of 50 words, which must then be added to the catalogue. It is not uncommon for books which have single digit reviews on Amazon to have significant numbers on our system. A great example would be Melinda Salisbury’s AI thriller Adelaide which has 18 reviews on Amazon but 113 on ours! 

All the reviews below have been taken from our library catalogue and have been written by my pupils for the 100 Book Challenge. I have edited them slightly and they illustrate how popular the horror genre is with our younger readers.

These are for the 10-11 age group (Year 6) and the next feature, coming soon, will focus on ages 11-12 (Year 7) 

Carey Blankenship-Kramer – Ghost Scout’s Honor (2025)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scholastic Press

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 April 2025

DULGUUN SAYS: I found this book to be really entertaining. It’s about Evey a girl who does everything on her own, ever since her best friend Laura dumped her. She finds herself in the position as a contender for the ‘Pupil of the Year Award’.

The world Evey lives also happens to be inhabited by ghosts but there’s a twist, only the children can see them and it just so happens that her ex-best friend is the leader of the Ghost Scouts which protects people from ghosts. As she is a contender of the Pupil of the Year Award she has to join the Scout with her rival also going for the award, Matilda. The Scouts give the opportunity for Evey to become a different person, evaluate her friendship and hunt ghosts.

Lindsay Currie – Girl in White (2022)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Young Readers

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 6 Sept. 2022

ELIZABETH SAYS: I loved this book! Although it is a slightly longer read, the book was constantly entertaining and always kept me on the edge of my seat. I entered a world with Mallory ,who has moved towns from the bustling and busy Chicago to the small town of Eastport. This is not a regular seaside town and is rumoured to be haunted.

Mallory is adjusting to her new home which constantly attracts tourists, similar to being Halloween all year round. My favourite character is Joshua as he is quirky and has a very fascinating and artistic personality. I love how throughout the book, Mallory and Joshua become closer friends and find they have more in common than they thought. When Mallory starts being haunted by a ghost from one of Eastport’s oldest legends, she becomes sure that Sweet Molly is posing more of a threat to tourists than an attraction.

Lindsay Currie – The Mystery of Locked Rooms (2025)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Young Readers

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 9 Jan. 2025

NIOBE SAYS: “The Mystery of Locked Rooms” is a magical book about three kids, Sarah, Hanna and West. They go through so much throughout in this thrilling story, from family problems to curses that are not really curses. Throughout the story they always manage to stay strong no matter the circumstances. They are always there for each other with the thrills balancing nicely with an exciting, locked room style mystery.

Christopher Edge – Black Hole Cinema Club (2024)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nosy Crow Ltd

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 Mar. 2024

AMADEUS SAYS: “Black Hole Cinema Club” is an amazing book! It’s about kids who discover a magical cinema that shows movies with them becoming the main characters. The story is full of action, mystery, and unexpected twists. It makes you think about what you’d do if you were in a movie and a similar situation. I loved the characters because they were brave and relatable. The idea of a magical cinema is so cool, and it kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s one of the best books I’ve read, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves exciting stories!

Neil Gaiman – Coraline (2003)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 10 Oct. 2013

WILLIAM SAYS: This book was amazingly terrifying with the words fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle keeping me engaged. I also really liked the fact that the author did not reveal everything all at once and kept me guessing. My favourite part was the build-up to finding out what is behind the door and the secrets behind it. The ‘Other Mother’ is one of the creepiest characters I have ever come across. 

Rochelle Harrison – Nox Winters & the Midnight Wolf (2024)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Collins

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 3 Sept. 2024

GEORGE SAYS: This fascinating novel is about a pair of very different twin brothers. Nox will always take the math test for both of them and Noah takes the detention in return. But something horrible happens when Noah gets a sleeping illness after they move to a new town. The author was smart at linking the darkness with the stars as the uncovered something that Nox does not want to admit. For any one ready for an exciting roller-coaster of emotion which blends fantasy, creepy forests and action into a terrific story which also has a cool sequel.

A.F. Harrold – The Imaginary (2015) 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 5 Nov. 2015

ARIANNA SAYS: This book was a book like no other. I admire A.F Harrold’s way of writing a new type of story, that seemed unfamiliar to me, as if I couldn’t fit it into any specific genre. I was spooked by Mr Bunting, and his evil imaginary friend. The characters were really brought to life (even the imaginary ones!). I felt the cosiness of indoors, in the library, or the fear and hatred out and about. I felt the fear whenever Mr Bunting appeared and the ripple his character had on the children. This story seemed very serious and scary but also had plenty of lighter moments and is aimed at those who like a touch of magic. 

A.F. Harrold – The World We Leave Behind (2024)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 Aug. 2024

RAY SAYS: This book was amazing, loaded with winding twists and a zing of horror. One day a boy called Hex goes into the woods with his friend and a little girl follows them. They play on a swing and suddenly anger overcomes Hex and he starts throwing stones at her until she falls. Later the world changes and something much more sinister awakens in a strange time shift. This book was incredible and I very much enjoyed the fabulous illustrations.

Phil Hickes – Shadowhall Academy: The Whispering Walls (2024)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Usborne Publishing

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 13 Feb. 2025

STEVIE SAYS:  I really enjoyed this book. It was by the same author of another series I read which I also loved, ‘Aveline Jones’. It starts slowly, set in the eighties, Lillian is going to boarding where she meets new friends and discovers the school is haunted. After seeing some ghosts and are curious to find out more. They soon discover a ghost is on the hunt for a new sister. One of her friends, Marian is snatched and this supernatural mystery is off and running.  For fantasy, thriller and horror fans, a great start to a new series!

Polly Ho-Yen – The Boy in the Tower (2015)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Corgi Childrens

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 29 Jan. 2015

BILLY SAYS: I highly recommend this book because it has a range of themes like caring and isolation, also showing how Ade reacted to being stuck on top of a block of flats. It also builds suspense because every once in a while they mention other towers falling down, with the weird Blucher creatures destroying homes at their foundations. The story concerns a boy called Ade, who lives in this tower when a mysterious plant starts devouring houses and nobody knows what the cause is. In the background Ade looks after his sick mum whilst more and more towers crumble to the ground. A nice mix of horror, fantasy and science fiction. 

Padraig Kenny – After (2025)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Walker Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 6 Mar. 2025

GEORGE SAYS: This satisfying thriller is about the world of the future… or maybe our future? A girl named Jen, who has a father who isn’t an ordinary human but a human shaped AI robot with incredible power, such as the ability to be bulletproof. The AI is a creation of Seacroft, who was once the richest man on Earth until his machines in the Hive malfunction. The machines were programmed to protect the Earth but humans contributing to Global Warming led to them taking matters into their own hands. The novel is also a warning note to everybody, that we should protect Earth rather than contributing to Climate Change.

Jennifer Killick – Crater Lake (2020)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Firefly Press

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 19 Mar. 2020

KATE SAYS: It was amazing! I absolutely loved it, it was so engaging, I could not put it down! I especially enjoyed that there was action 24/7, and the plot was so well thought out. A group of Year 6 kids go on their end of school trip to a remote activity centre only to find out that their teachers and other adults have been taken over by bodysnatching aliens. My favourite character probably is Adrianne, because everyone seems to have false assumptions about her, and everyone starts to understand who she really is. I think this book is unique, and like no other, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!

Tanya Landman – Midwinter Burning (2022)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Walker Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 3 Nov. 2022

CLEO SAYS: This book is incredible! It is convincingly lifelike and cleverly transports you into the story. Centred around a boy called Alfie ,who is evacuated to Devon during World War Two, who finds happiness with his new family away from his neglectful mother. When he meets a mysterious new friend, his life begins to change in unexpected ways as this is no normal boy. This is a time-bending adventure which stays engaging and surprising throughout the course of the entire book connecting to the days of the druids.

Jack Mackay – Gloam (2025)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rock the Boat

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 Aug. 2025

STELLA SAYS: I liked the book because it is compelling and develops into a serious page turner. I think my favourite characters are the Gwen, Hazel and Hester. I like Gwen because she tries to save her younger siblings and I like Hazel and Hester because they believe Gwen when she tells them that Esme (their evil babysitter) is a monster. Together they each face their fears and earn the key that reveals what’s in their Grandma’s basement in this very clever and atmospheric haunted house story. It even has a talking tree!

Hilary McKay – Jodie (2023)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Barrington Stoke

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 18 May 2023

ELIZABETH SAYS: I really enjoyed this book. This is an amazingly quick read that never once gets boring. It may have been a ghost story, but it is still a heartwarming tale of a girl struggling with life. I loved how as the story unfolds, Jodie comes out of her shell and eventually becomes more confident and friendly to the other girls like Lucy and Mia. My favourite characters  are the twins, who despite their constant arguing bring fun and joy to the atmosphere together on their schools residential. Can lonely Jodie get to the bottom of the mysterious barking echoing she hears echoing across the boggy marches close to the sea?

Nicola Penfold – Where the World Turns (2020)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stripes Publishing

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 6 Feb. 2020

ARIANNA SAYS: This was a wonderful, emotional story like no other. I think this book really carries the message that Climate Change is coming for all of us, fast, and where the book is set is a possibility of what lies in store for humanity. I felt really sorry for the poor children who had never seen even a blade of grass in their lives! Because of a disease which affects plants, it was very brave of the children to venture into the forest for the first time. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, as to what happens next to the siblings.     

Emily Randall-Jones – The Witchstone Ghosts (2023)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chicken House

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 Sept. 2023

NADIA SAYS: This book is both mysterious and captivating. I loved every moment of it! A young girl can see ghosts but then one day after the death of her father is sent to a remote mysterious island where she sees every possible ghost except him. Scarily, a complex mystery develops as this is not a normal island in a fun mix of gentle supernatural hauntings and fantasy.

Lora Senf – The Clackity (2023)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 17 Aug. 2023

ELIDA SAYS: Evelyn Von Rathe lives in a town called Blight Harbour, the seventh most haunted town in America, with her Aunt D. She was always told to never enter the abandoned slaughterhouse, but when her Aunt goes missing she feels she has no choice. She encounters a supernatural being called the Clackity who challenges her with a series of scary and dangerous puzzles. All this happens whilst being pursued by the ghost of a dead serial killer. My favourite part of the book is the final puzzle when the ghost killer John Jeffery Pope makes an exciting appearance.

Dave Shelton – 13 Chairs (2015)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ David Fickling Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 4 Sept. 2014

KATE SAYS: This spine-tickling book is about thirteen frightening stories that all revolve around Jack, the main character who sneaks into the building. I loved this book, even if it scared me a lot and my favourite story was ‘The Wrong Side of the Road’, which is about a man who causes a car accident which circles into a story or revenge. I also loved how everything points towards Jack, especially in the final story. 

Paul Tremblay – Another (2025) 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quill Tree Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 22 July 2025

PENELOPE SAYS: What would you do, if somebody copies you, steals your identity and slowly erases you from this world? Cassie’s parents buy an antique white phone, a few days later there is a knock on the door and they are given a sack. A clay boy emerges from the sack and easily charms his parents. It’s all fun and games until Morrel starts slowly changing.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end, in a perfectly written story. I found this whole idea very fascinating because it plays with the ideas of doppelgängers, but instead of a swift change in the night is it more of a slow burn. Another thing I liked was that Morrel actually didn’t understand or know what was happening to him, so he just played along with Cassie’s parents. Overall an amazing and seriously creepy read, with tension released perfectly in a satisfying ending.

Tony Jones

Praise for the YA Horror 400 almanac, published in 2024:

“Massive congrats to Tony Jones, his colossal almanac of teen horror is out! With a whopping 400 reviews, it’s a corker!” RL BOYLE (YA author of The Book of the Baku)

“If you’re looking for a curator for your reading journey, Tony Jones is about as excellent as you could ask for. And if you wanted that curation available in a one-stop shopping destination, he has just published an extensive almanac of young adult horror over the years.

It’s available for the kindle and in print as well. I was truly honoured to see one of my books gracing its pages and there is a short piece I wrote for this project as well. Do yourself a favour – if you’ve been looking for a great reference book to grace your home, check this out!” CHAD A. CLARK (YA and adult author of The Curse of Worthwood Castle, Tracing the Trails & Winward)

“The YA Horror 400 is a spectacular resource for lovers of horror and YA fiction. It’s a comprehensive guide to the past 15+ years of YA horror with reviews and author insights on over 400 YA horror novels and books, including my ‘We Mostly Come Out at Night’. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to YA horror readers. 10/10!” ROB COSTELLO (YA author and editor of We Mostly Come Out at Night & The Dancing Bears)

“Thanks so much to Tony Jones for featuring FOUND in his awesome ‘YA Horror 400’ almanac and for the opportunity to talk about my love of found footage horror.” ANDY CULL (Adult author, editor and filmmaker of FOUND & Remains)

“My first novel ‘Parasite Life’ gets a mention in this fabulous mega resource for all things YA. Check it out!” VICTORIA DALPE (YA and adult author of Parasite Life & Les Femmes Grotesques)

“The YA Horror 400 is such a good and constructive push for YA horror.” JEREMY DE QUIDT (YA author of The Wrong Train & The Toymaker)

“Tony Jones is a rare expert on YA horror, an influential reviewer who’s been a school librarian for 30 years. This A-Z almanac is a must own for horror fans and writers.” CAROLINE FLARITY (YA author of The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter)

“An amazing teen horror guide, with fabulous features like fear factor ratings and ‘If You Like This Try” recs. Perfect for librarians, teachers, and anyone who wants to live their best YA horror life” ANN FRAISTAT (YA author of What We Harvest & A Place for Vanishing)

“A must have for anyone looking to help connect younger readers to the best genre in the world. Expertly compiled by Tony Jones” PHIL HICKES (Middle Grade author of the Aveline Jones and Shadowhall Academy series)

“Humbled to feature in ‘The YA Horror 400’ almanac, out now from top genre librarian and reviewer Tony Jones” DAVE JEFFREY (YA and adult author of the Beatrice Beecham series & A Quiet Apocalypse series) 

“So excited that my books have been featured here. Teachers and librarians – this is the PERFECT resource for you!” LORIEN LAWRENCE (Middle Grade author of The Stitchers series)

“If you’ve ever wished there were an easily accessible almanac of YA horror, I’ve got great news, Tony Jones, who has been reviewing and supporting my work since I first started and is one of my biggest professional cheerleaders has released his YA Horror 400 almanac! I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to contribute to it, too. What a cool project! Go Tony!” AMY LUKAVICS (YA author of Daughters Unto Devils & The Ravenous)

“This almanac is massive! Huge congratulations to Tony Jones on his new book on YA Horror! Very grateful to contribute a wee bit to it.” TIM McGREGOR (Adult author of Wasps in the Ice Cream)

“I want to alert English teachers and librarians to the most definitive resource I’ve ever seen highlighting the best YA horror novels since 2008. 400 of the best dark fiction for readers 9-15+ . Where do you go for advice yourself to know what to purchase? It’s all here. What do you give a middle-grade reader or teen with a taste for the darker side? This … and let them pick and choose their own! CLIFF McNISH (YA author of Breathe & The Hunting Ground)

“Librarians! Bloggers! Readers! Educators! I am wildly pleased to see The Call on, and between, the covers of THE YA HORROR 400 by Tony Jones. Reviews of brilliant books, author interviews. Scares aplenty.” PEADAR Ó GUILÍN (YA horror/fantasy author of The Call duology)”

“Great news for teen horror fans! The YA Horror 400 is out! A massive horror almanac w/ fab features including fear factor ratings, articles, notes from authors and much more. Absolutely perfect for librarians, teachers and anyone who reads YA horror.” BRYONY PEARCE (YA author of Savage Island & Raising Hell)

“The YA Horror 400 is a fabulous resource for librarians, parents, and fans of horror kidlit.” Lora Senf (Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Blight Harbor series)

“I highly recommend the YA Horror 400: an almanac of 400 teen horror novel reviews published between 2008-2024 by Tony Jones, featuring reviews of the best YA and middle grade horror (including my own novel Channel Fear”. LISA RICHARDSON (YA author of Channel Fear)

“Teachers, librarians, readers… This brand new almanac from horror guru Tony Jones is all you need to navigate your way through YA spookiness, gore and thrills. SJ Wills (YA author of the Bite Risk series)