The Kids Are Alright: Horror Books for 13 Year Olds, Part 4

The Kids Are Alright: Horror Books for 13 Year Olds, Part 4 | The Young Blood Library

The Kids Are Alright reaches Year 9, and school librarian Tony Jones is back with the horror books for 13 year olds that his pupils borrow and review. Every pick comes from the 100 Book Challenge at his school, where readers chase Bronze, Silver and Gold awards and write a review of at least 50 words for each book. The result is a list of 42 horror and dark fiction titles, from Darcy Coates and Kat Ellis to Stephen King and John Wyndham, each judged by a reader aged 13 or 14. It is the fourth stop in his age by age tour for The Young Blood Library. Tony explains how the challenge works below.

Year 9 readers take their dark fiction seriously. Their reviews move from ghosts and bunkers to deadly rain and copyrighted speech, and many tie the fear to real pressures, from online harassment and exam stress to bullying and AI. Not every pick is pure horror, and the pupils say so honestly.

— GINGER NUTS OF HORROR

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Horror Books for 13 Year Olds From the 100 Book Challenge

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 2023. 

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 highlighting 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, 2023 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 common for books which have single digit reviews on Amazon to have significant numbers on our system. A notable example would be Melinda Salisbury’s AI thriller Adelaide which has 18 reviews on Amazon but 123 on ours! 

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

These are for the 13-14 age group (Year 9) and the next feature, coming soon, will focus on ages 14-16 (Year 10 and 11 combined). 

Click here for the previous three articles on the 10-11, 11 to 12 and the 12-13 age groups: 

Laura Bates – The Burning

DAMLA WRITES: I really enjoyed reading this book about two girls experiencing related stories to each other. I thought the concept of involving past events to connect with present ones was both clever and unique, which is why this book was extra likeable. The Burning had great historical descriptions of Maggie and her life, making it really easy for me to imagine her. Finally, the book also had a very feminist wider message, about 21st century online harassment being not that different from witch hunts in the past.

Kendare Blake – Anna Dressed in Blood (series)

GABRIEL WRITES: Anna Dressed in Blood is a deep, gripping, gritty horror novel about Cas Lowood, a ghost hunter, and Anna Korlov a powerful, murderous ghost known as ‘Anna Dressed in Blood’ due to the manner in which she was murdered. Amongst the violence the romantic undertones are both subtle and incredible, beginning with awe and ending with something else entirely. The ghost hunter thinks he’s tough, but Anna is next level! I grabbed the sequel straight after finishing this. 

Richard Farren Barber – Closer Still

HAYDEN WRITES: Rachel can see the ghost of her dead best friend Katie. Rachel however has no friends other than Katie to talk to, and gets bullied by her old friends in school. As the bullying gets worse, Katie gets angrier. The story escalates quickly as Rachel tries to control the ghost and stop the bullying. This was a short, interesting read and I was hooked early on by the mysteriousness of Katie. I rattled through Closer Still; I would recommend this to anyone who likes quick reads with shocking powerful endings.

Virginia Bergin – Rain (series) 

PENELOPE WRITES: The Rain is a highly entertaining and vividly descriptive book about a post-apocalyptic world where the rain is deadly. I found this book highly realistic and such an enjoyable read for an apocalyptic fan like me. One of the things I thought was amazing about Rain was that it included a sense of danger and tension with it could be sunny one moment and deadly rain next. Excellent read and highly recommended. I jumped into the sequel straight after finishing this.

Lily Braun-Arnold – Last Bookstore on Earth

CHARLOTTE WRITES: The Last Bookstore on Earth is a dystopian book which is surprisingly peaceful. I really enjoyed the idea of trading stories and lives, and the complicated dynamics between Liz and the rest of the world, and how she viewed it. The flashbacks to before the natural disaster were really interesting, and the way you had to piece together the story showed how traumatic it was for Liz but ends with more than a slither of hope.

Kevin Brooks – The Bunker Diary

ALEKASDER WRITES: I absolutely loved The Bunker Diary, from the start to the end, it was intense, suspenseful and gripping. It is about an imprisoned teenager that is trapped in a bunker. It is written as a diary, which would usually make it not particularly interesting, but the manner in which Brooks presents it, creates tension and a perspective that immersed me in the book. I particularly enjoyed the ending chapters as they were really moving and powerful. It definitely deserved to win the Carnegie Medal book prize.

Triona Campbell – A Game of Life and Death 

DEA WRITES: This is an amazing and gripping murder mystery which will keep you on the edge of your seat. It also has a brilliant romance/ love triangle that people who love romances will jump into this too. There is a lot about coding or AI so it is also perfect for people who are interested in technology. It is about a girl called Asha who lives with her sister. One day she finds her sister dead which turns her entire world upside down.

Now with her old friend Dark she is determined to prove that company that her sister worked for – Zu Tech – was the reason that she died… It had me glued to the very end and I finished it in one sitting. It also made me read the sequels which were just as good as the original. Highly recommended.

Darcy Coates – Where He Can’t Find You

ALICE WRITES: Don’t go out after dark or the Stitcher will take you. In Doubtful, a small town in Illinois something is very wrong, people keep disappearing and those that do come back aren’t the same as they were before. After main character’s Abby’s sister is taken, she and her friends must race against a time to get her back before it’s too late. This book is pure terror, and I loved every second of it.

Darcy Coates creates such an atmosphere of tension and fear you can honestly believe all the characters are real. Another feature of the book I really liked was getting to read the different perspectives from other characters, from Jen’s cynicism to Abby’s unrelenting fear and love for her sister Hope. Five stars no questions needed.

Kat Ellis – Harrow Lake

ELODIE WRITES: This short read is about a girl called Lola Nox, daughter of Nolan Nox a famous horror film maker. One day, her father gets brutally attacked and she gets sent off to live with her grandmother at Harrow Lake, the town where her father’s most famous film was shot. However, the town is very superstitious and almost everyone has a scary belief. As Lola meets more people and travels further and further into the place, she starts to find out more and more dark secrets about her family and dead mother. Harrow Lake is slowly turning her insane. Will she be able to escape its clutches in this exceptionally creepy read?

Awkaeke Emezi – Pet

DIANA WRITES: This is a world where there are no monsters anymore, or that’s what Jam and the children of the city Lucille think. This book is a whirlwind, of imaginative plot, interesting characters and inner struggles, which Jam (the main character), faces. The second I picked this book up, I could not put it down due to how I became sucked into Jam, and her best friend: Redemption’s world hunting down monsters. There is a clear moral of the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Naomi Gibson – Every Line of You

TALIA WRITES: I really enjoyed Every Line of You. It is a brilliant AI novel, and I would definitely put it up there with Adelaide by Melinda Salisbury. The book has great themes of getting too close with AI, and shows the slow unravelling of the protagonists mind and personality. The protagonist has a great backstory, and I really enjoyed it. Overall, a terrific book mixing realistic mental health issues, bullying and the dangers of AI and technology.

Frances Hardinge – The Lie Tree

HASAN WRITES: This book was very captivating and had a brilliant plot. It is set on the Island of Vane in the 1800s. Set from the perspective of a young girl called Faith, the story develops into a murder mystery after her father dies under unknown circumstances. While rich men on the island are busy excavating a site on the island, Faith discovers a tree with special powers depending on what stories you tell it. The book is captivating and very suspenseful at some stages.

Kiran Millwood Hargrave – The Deathless Girls 

SOPHIA WRITES: The Deathless Girls explores many different themes like determination and the strong friendship bonds between the two Slavic twin sisters, Lil and Kizzy. The book is about the two sisters who travel across medieval Europe as Gipsies until they are kidnapped and taken to a strange castle. They are enslaved and are sucked into the world of a powerful vampire, with this story giving a new perspective on Dracula. Overall I enjoyed the uniqueness and thrill of this book.

Gregory Scott Katsoulis – All Rights Reserved

THOMAS WRITES: This book is a dystopian thriller set in a world where every action, gesture and remark is copyrighted. This book caught my attention for one primary reason, its relevance. In the current world we find ourselves in, people are obsessed with creating a brand and making a name for themselves, so a book where the concept of branding and trademarks where taken to the max intrigued me.

This book is also a challenge to the concept of free speech and how easily it can be restricted. I admit I did find the protagonist a little infuriating at times due to the fact that through their silence they actually hurt the ones they loved but I feel that’s a message that could be taken that to take a stand against injustice is not also an easy and comfortable thing to do.

Stephen King – The Long Walk 

SARUS WRITES: I really enjoyed reading The Long Walk, which has recently been turned into a film. The intensity keeps you hooked from the beginning due to the brutal competition and rivalry between the characters, as well as the detail King goes into. The novel also explores themes such as survival, friendship and the pressure of society, which made it more than just a thriller. Although some parts were quite disturbing, it made the story more realistic. Overall, I found it exciting, thought-provoking and difficult to put down.

Daniel Kraus – Bent Heavens

TOM WRITES: Bent Heavens is a riveting novel about a girl called Liv Flemming who had a father who disappeared for two years, and after returning had developed an obsession with aliens and starts setting dangerous traps for them. Liv and her friend Doug check the traps he set and the story concerns what they catch. This was an amazing novel and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good adventure story with a sad and powerful ending.

Kim Liggett – The Grace Year 

CHARLOTTE WRITES: I really enjoyed this book as it was extremely entertaining, very well written, and the story was amazing! It is in a society where women are treated much less favourably than men. They cannot talk or do pretty much anything freely. When the girls turn sixteen, they are sent away to a forest for a year without any help to get rid of their “magic”. This is the story of Teirney and her experience at being a “grace year girl”. She is very brave and tries to fight the injustice… I would definitely recommend this book to people who like thrillers and dystopian novels. It was amazing.

E. Lockhart – We Were Liars (series)

EVE WRITES: We Were Liars is such a suspenseful story it can be read in a single sitting. It follows the life of Cadence, from before and after the life changing ‘accident’ which is kept deliberately vague. The format of the book was a really interesting way to tell the story, with each chapter jumping between different summers. The book looks into themes of life behind privilege, money and what it can do to people.

Cadence has little memory left from the summer of the accident, and she is determined to discover the truth no one seems to want to tell her. This book was thrilling, gripping and haunting all at once, while also playing on emotion and the reality of tragic loss. It is also famous for its clever twist ending which is guaranteed to send you back to page one for fresh clues.

Amy Lukavics – Women in the Walls

HASAN WRITES: Women in the Walls is about a girl called Lucy, whose mother died when she was three. She has lived in a huge mansion her whole life with her cousin Margaret. Her aunt Penelope lives with them and acts almost like a mother to Lucy. Strange things start happening after Penelope disappears and Lucy begins to wonder if her cousin is going insane, until Lucy realises she might be too. Overall, this is a fascinating read, it was, however, a bit confusing at the start but I began to understand more as the story unfolded. I really loved the plot twist and all the action at the end!

Gretchen McNeil –  #MurderTrending (series)

SERAPHINA: I loved this book because it was fast paced as well as exploring ideas such as entertainment versus justice. In the dystopian world Dee Guerrera (the protagonist) lives in, millions of people watch criminals’ executions and their lives in Alcatraz 2.0, a prison where they all live. She is wrongfully convicted of the murder of her stepsister Monica and has to find a way to fight against being killed for a crime she did not commit after ending up at Alcatraz 2.0. 

Lou Morgan – Sleepless

NADIA WRITES: Sleepless is a chilling book, about the effect of exam pressure and what it can do to some people. The fact that it was set in central London and in genuine, everyday places added an eerie sense of realism to it. Though this was a really creepy story, it got quite confusing and hard to keep track of. The ending does not resolve everything but overall the story has a great balance of teen paranoia, murder mystery and the potential of the supernatural. 

Ben Oliver – The Kill Factor

HECTOR WRITES: The Kill Factor follows the story of a 16-year-old girl called Emerson Ness. She has committed a terrible crime, and could face years in prison, however, a man comes up to her and tells her if she competes in a dangerous game show she could win her freedom. I loved reading this book, as it really drew me in very quickly – I couldn’t put it down. Ben Oliver did an excellent job of painting a picture of this dystopian world, much like his other series, The Loop, I really felt as if I was a contestant too!

Kenneth Oppel – Best of All Worlds

HAYDEN: Xavier, his father and stepmother have woken up to find that their holiday home has mysteriously moved as the familiar lake outside has vanished. After exploring, they find out that they are enclosed by a large, invisible dome, which they cannot escape from and they have to adapt to this new reality. Foods and tools appear mysteriously which help the family to survive on their own.

Three years pass and a new family arrives, but they have different ideas which bring conflict between the two families and tension rises. I enjoyed this book; I was interested right away by the unsettling atmosphere and how the story turned out. However, I would have preferred if the book focused on being more of a survival story, rather than a drama between the characters. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy dystopian and science fiction stories.

Sarah Pinborough – The Death House 

LIVIA WRITES: The Death House is written from the perspective of 16-year-old Toby, who has been removed from his family after the ‘Defective’ gene was identified in his blood test. His life is miserable, and he spends his time awaiting to see when he gets taken to the top floor – the Sanatorium.

Those who go up never return and it means certain death. But when new girl Clara joins, his life changes. He no longer waits in nervous anticipation until his time is up – she teaches him to live every moment of his life to the fullest. This was a beautiful book about never giving up hope, even in the darkest moments of despair. It explores the difficult topic of death, especially in children, and how that is dealt with by teenagers who await their own demise. I would definitely recommend.

Rory Powers – Kill Creatures

TALIA WRITES: This was an extremely gripping book and I found it thrilling until the last page. It follows the protagonist of Nan, whose three best friends died a mysterious death unknown to anyone. Everything changes when one of the friends comes back and the big revelations begin to drop. This book had an interesting view, because it was from the perspective of Nan, an unreliable narrator, who cannot really be trusted, so I really liked this aspect of it.

Lisa Richardson – Channel Fear

WINIFRED WRITES: Channel Fear is a book about a group of friends, who start an investigative You Tube channel; however, they end up in a series of dangerous and terrifying events after chasing the wrong story. The author throughout the book creates huge suspense constantly, furthermore the author generates lots of extremely vivid imagery throughout. Overall, Channel Fear is a must read for people who like thrillers, and it is extremely gripping and watch out for that ending.

Mar Romasco-Moore – Deadstream

KAI WRITES: Deadstream follows an online game streamer girl named Teresa who struggles to connect with the real world. After surviving a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Teresa is now terrified to leave the safety of her bedroom. She spends all day with an online community she found through streaming and dreams of having more followers. But one night, the safe world Teresa created starts to break down. A shadowy figure appears in the background of her favourite streamer’s video. Teresa then tries to figure out what happened to her favourite streamer.

Melinda Salisbury – Hold Back the Tide

NADIA WRITES: The story is about Alva, who lives with her father in a remote part of north Scotland in the eighteenth century. I really enjoyed this story as it was well-written, as well as having a great climax and ending as Alva has to come to terms with her dark family history and the creatures which live in the caves connected to the lake managed by her father. I highly recommend this book if you like Scottish heritage, gore, fantasy and strong characterisation.

Rebecca Schaeffer – City of Nightmares (series)

IDRIS WRITES: If you fall asleep, you are at risk of turning into your Nightmare. Ness helps to neutralise Nightmares, but one day, whilst on a job, a ship that she’s on explodes and she’s the only survivor, apart from a boy who is a vampire. Together, they try to figure out who was behind this attack, whatever the consequences may be…

This book is incredible! The character development for Ness was amazing, and we as the readers root for her from the start. The author brings the non-naturalistic circumstances of the novel to life and writes an eerie and engaging story that I struggled to put down. The plot twists in the book were outstanding, and came as a complete surprise to me, and when thinking about it, has been written very cleverly.

Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones

ANNABEL WRITES: I enjoyed this book very much but I wouldn’t recommend for people who are looking for a light and easy read before bed. The story is about a young girl named Susie Salmon who was murdered by her neighbour and is in heaven overlooking her family and her thoughts and feelings about being murdered and the grief and hurt of her family after her death. This book is an emotional roller coaster for sure, but I think it’s a beautiful read and really grips the reader by writing in a perspective of which makes you believe it is about you. I would recommend for ages 13+,  as it has very disturbing parts and focuses on dark themes.

Neal Shusterman - Unwind (series) 

SARUS WRITES: I read this book because I loved Scythe by the same author but Unwind completely surpassed my expectations. Connor, Risa and Lev are all waiting to be unwound, where their body parts will be cut off to be used as transplants for other people, like many other teenagers of their age. On the journey to get unwound, they manage to escape, find each other and go on the run from the authorities.

The book stood out to me due to its relatable characters in an unimaginable world, where all the characters want is for their lives to go back to normal. I also enjoyed the way the book was presented through the eyes of not just one perspective, but from all three protagonists, showing me a vivid picture of their world.

Scott Sigler – Alive (series)

EESA WRITES: Alive is a book where the main group of characters (Em, Spingate and Bishop) find themselves locked underground, surrounded by numerous coffins. As they come to their senses and realise the danger that they’re in, they must work as a team to try to free themselves. The plot twist towards the end of the book is unexpected, and it adds a new layer of surprise to the book and makes you want to read the sequels. My favourite character is Em, who takes charge and leads the group throughout the story. My favourite moment is definitely the plot twist towards the end which turns the story on its head.

Robert Louis Stevenson – Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

NOAH WRITES: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a true masterpiece which portrays two personalities of the same person one good and one evil and the events that occur with Dr Jekyll’s sinister transformation that causes him to do things that he later regrets. Its famous nature gave me the idea to choose it for my homework and I am glad that I did an absolute treasure of a book that will stay with me long after completion. 

Krystal Sutherland – House of Hollow

ELISE WRITES: This book is a peculiar experience. It took me time to appreciate the writing style, but towards to end I enjoyed it considerably. It is a puzzling book about a sister gone missing amidst a family who have an aspect of supernatural beings and mystery around them. Each character is written in depth and had quirks and unique personality that defined who they were. House of Hollowhas a dreamy feel and an outstanding ending. 

Rosie Talbot – Sixteen Souls (series)

CHARLOTTE WRITES: Sixteen Souls is a book I really enjoyed, and I liked the manner in which it incorporated the history and lore surrounding the city of York, and how Charlie and Sam’s relationship develops in a way that is thoughtful but doesn’t overpower the original plot. I also enjoyed how the author presents how seeing ghosts may affect day to day life, with Charlie struggling to tell if someone is ghost or real. I am now keen to read the sequel. 

Teri Terry – Dark Blue Rising (series)

MAUD WRITES: This is a fantasy thriller about a girl named Tabby who lives with the woman that she believes to be her mother, Cate. When Cate is arrested, Tabby hears the truth, she was kidnapped from her real parents at an early age. I love this book; it is full of smart twists and turns! My favourite character is probably Ariel, Tabby’s friend from swimming camp, who shares Tabby’s love of the ocean. I would definitely give this book five stars- although this first book doesn’t end on a completely settled note, it makes you have to read the next book of the series, Red Sky Burning.

Amy Tintera – Reboot (series)

KAI WRITES: Reboot is about people who when they died can be brought back to life and used as a type of near human cyborg. The book follows Wren who is 17 years old when brought back to ‘life’. But when people come back, they come back more aggressive and heal faster, as well become more less emotional the longer they have been dead before they are revived. When a new boy with an extremely low number is brought into the facility Wren becomes unknowingly attached to him and the story concerns their odd friendship and the government conspiracy about the revivals. 

Julia Tuffs – Hexed (series)

FLORENCE WRITES: Feminism. This book is about a girl, Jessie Jones, who has moved house many times and ends up on the Isle of Wight. She comes home one night from school, and her Mum tells her she was a witch and now that she is back on the island her powers will strengthen. The story concerns how she struggles with being a fledgling witch whilst trying to negotiate new friendships, romance and a school where sexism is everywhere. Part comedy, not much horror, but very funny. 

Diana Urban – Under the Surface

ISABELLA WRITES: Under the Surface is a thrilling read, not for the faint hearted which is engaging, romantic and features constant elements of betrayal and trust. It is based around a group of teenagers on a school trip to France but the trip does not go to plan and they find themselves in the maze of the catacombs fighting for their lives. The main character, Ruby who is a popular vlogger, battles her feelings for Sean and her broken friendships amongst the other teenagers. Uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs and constant twists, a truly gripping novel.

Danielle Valentine – Two Sides to Every Murder

DEA WRITES: Years earlier Camp Lost Lake became infamous for a series of brutal murders in which Olivia was born during the massacre. As she gets older she questions more about her family and past which means digging into the killings. In the other main narrative Reagan has been trying to clear her mum’s name and she has to come back to camp lost lake to do this. This is a gripping murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It has great plot twists that really surprised me! My favourite character is Reagan because even though she has always been on the run has stayed true to herself and her belief in her mother.

John Wyndham The Midwich Cuckoos

CHARLOTTE WRITES: The Midwich Cuckoos is a thrilling, intriguing, and – at times – morally challenging tale. When the mundanely quiet and unassuming town of Midwich is plagued with a forcefield of unconsciousness, Richard Gayford and detectives in the surrounding villages are baffled and concerned. This feeling only heightens when all the women of the town awaken to discover they are pregnant, but otherwise unharmed.

The story concerns the very strange children which are later born. Although this book is in a style that may not be the most captivating or fast-paced, I really enjoyed reading about the ideas and themes that are presented by this scenario, and it was definitely a deeper challenge to Midwich than one would expect. After reading the ending a few times, I was sure I understood fully what the author was suggesting, and, as I had wondered what a suitable closing image on multiple occasions would be, I thought this was an effective way to end the novel: with some disappointment but overall hope for humanity.

John Wyndham – The Chrysalids

SAM WRITES: The Chrysalids is a fascinating post-apocalyptic story set hundreds of years after a nuclear war. I liked how at the start when David first meets Sophie he doesn’t see her six toes, a deformity punishable by death in their society. Set in an isolated backward community, soon David begins to hear telepathic voices in his head and he realises Sophie is not the only one with a deformity. A clever mix of science and dystopian fiction. 

Deadly rain, a locked bunker and a tree with a taste for stories: these horror books for 13 year olds put Year 9 through more than any exam season, and half the class still came back asking for the sequel.