Do you ever tell your kids they are "being melodramatic?" Well perhaps they should read gothic novels! After all, what's more enticing than forbidden secrets, sinister forces, atmospheric settings, remote castles, disquieting omens and never-ending suspense?
Gothic children's books can be scary, but they don't have to be. Yes, this list of gothic novels for ages 8-13 includes some creepy choices, however the terror is sometimes offset by a tongue-in-cheek humor and a cleverly mischievous narrative voice. Nevertheless, they aren't for the faint of heart.
When you think "gothic literature" you probably think of 19th century British literature like Jane Eyre, The Woman in White, Oliver Twist, or perhaps American authors such as Edgar Allen Poe, and Washington Irving.
So dim the lights, get out the candelabras, grab something to hold on to, and crack open the spines of one of these fantastical and whimsical gothic novels for kids.
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THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE (series) by Joan Aiken
I loved this classic book as a child, and as an adult I love the alliterative title. It takes an ultra talented author like Joan Aiken to turn what could easily be a predictable, gothic plot into an exciting, suspenseful tale. Two cousins persevere against all odds when they are thrown under the protection of rather sinister guardian with the Dickensian name of Mrs. Slighcarp. Ages 9 and up.
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THE GHOST OF MIDNIGHT LAKE by Lucy Strange
This gothic children's novel has it all! There's the huge English estate, the death of a father that reveals a secret paternity, an evil cousin, a missing priceless family heirloom known as the "Queen's Stone," a blind midwife who holds the secret, and of course the wonderful, eerie atmosphere. When 12-year-old Agatha's father dies, she is booted from the Gosswater estate and sent to live with her newly revealed biological father who is a farmer and stonemason. Agatha is determined to find out the truth about her family history with the help of her friend, Bryn. Full of suspense and intrigue! (Known as The Ghost of Gosswater in the UK) Ages 9 and up.
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THE POLTER-GHOST PROBLEM by Betsy Uhrig
Uhrig's enjoyable and amusing story of three boys and their encounters with ghosts is among the least scary on this list. While it doesn't have a typical gothic-style narrative voice, it has several key elements of the gothic novel, including an abandoned orphanage that looks "just like a haunted house," long-lost relatives, disinherited children, mysterious pasts and women with three eyebrows. (I threw that last one in there to spark your curiosity.) Three friends are working on a summer project when they are lured to the haunted orphanage inhabited by a gaggle of ghost-children. The ghosts ask for the boys' help in solving the mystery of why they are trapped in the house. Ages 8 and up.
THE WILLOUGHBYS by Lois Lowry
This is also a not-scary choice. Do your kid like literacy references and tongue-in-cheek, melodramatic humor? Fans of Lemony Snicket will enjoy this tale of four children, Tim, Barnaby A, Barnaby B, and Jane who fancy themselves to be "old-fashioned" in the vein of book heroes and heroines. When their unpleasant parents go off on a world trip, the siblings are left with a not-so-odious-after-all nanny and end up being semi-adopted by their lonely neighbor who has taken in a baby found on his doorstep. I enjoyed this novel, but the rather wicked and irreverent and quirky humor is not for every child. I did like the Lowry included a glossary and a bibliography, written in the same gothic style as the rest of the novel. Ages 8 and up.
THE NIGHT GARDNER by Jonathan Auxier
This book oozes atmosphere will remind you of a good Victorian gothic novel. It will be much too scary for sensitive children. The Night Gardener is a malevolent spirit that haunts the grounds of an old English manor house. Two Irish siblings, trusty Molly and courageous Kip meet the Night Gardener and become embroiled int the strange, creepy curse that envelops the place. Ages 10 and up.
MORE: Scary and Not-So-Scary Halloween Novels for Children
GHOST SQUAD by Claribel A. Ortega
Ortega's ghost story draws upon Dominican mythology. Despite the creepy themes, this story of friends, Lucely and Syd, who accidentally awaken evil spirits in their St. Augustine home also manages to be funny and sweet. Lucely's father runs a ghost tour business and when her grandmother's spirit disappears during one of the tours, Lucely and Syd hunt for a spell book to wake her up. Ages 8 and up.
SERAFINA AND THE BLACK CLOAK (series) by Robert Beatty
Serafina lives in secret in the basement of the Vanderbilts' Biltmore estate. Looked after by her adoptive father, Serafina's strange body allows her to go unnoticed and contort herself into small places. She uses her abilities in a search for clues to the mysterious disappearance of several children on the estate. Her search ultimately leads her to discover the secret of her origins. All the gothic elements are here: otherworldly beings, secrets and disappearances, orphans, a vast estate and an eerie forest, even a carriage accident! Ages 9 and up.
THE SCANDALOUS SISTERHOOD OF PRICKWILLOW PLACE by Julie Berry
I loved this splendidly wicked book. I listened to the audiobook narration of this twist on the Victorian boarding school mystery novel, and it was glorious. I didn't know what to expect and when in the first few pages, the headmistress and her brother drop dead from poison, and the girls subsequently decide to bury them instead of report it, I thought, "how macabre!" The girls, who have wonderful monikers like "Smooth Kitty," "Disgraceful Mary Jane," and "Stout Alice," decide to try and convince everyone that their headmistress is still alive so they can avoid being sent home. Author Berry is a smart, clever storyteller with a sharp wit. Great for readers who like Roald Dahl. Ages 10 and up.
MORE: Mysterious Middle Grade Novels for ages 8-13
THE CROWFIELD CURSE (series) by Pat Walsh
This is a great choice for kids who like an extra dose of magic in their gothic stories. Set in the 14th century, The Crowfield's Curse tell's the story of Will, an orphan who mysteriously survived a fire that killed the rest of his family. He now lives and works at the Crowfield Abbey, performing menial tasks in exchange for room and board. One afternoon in the woods he rescues a hob from a steel trap. He then learns the secret of the Abbey–decades ago when an angel was shot down and buried on the grounds. Now a mysterious duo is searching for the angel, revealing secrets and magic. Ages 9 and up.
OF SALT AND SHORE by Annet Schaap
Schaap's gothic novel was first published in Dutch. The narrative tells the story from several characters' point of view. Lampie, a young girl, lives with her grief-stricken father in the lighthouse. One evening a violent storm prevents Lampie from lighting the beacon, causing a terrible shipwreck. Lampie is removed from her father's care and sent to work in the foreboding, "Black House," which is shrouded in tales of a monster living in the turret. Themes of cruelty and abuse make this a page-turning choice for upper middle grade readers. Ages 11 and up.
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman
This is a wonderful, beautifully written book, bittersweet and magical. Nobody Owens, or Bod as he is known, was supposed to be murdered the night his parents were. But as a toddler, he managed to escape. Now he lives in the graveyard where he is raised by ghosts. The narrative is formatted into small, episodic stories and makes a great read aloud, especially when the wind is whistling and the leaves are swirling. Ages 9 and up.
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (series) by Lemony Snicket
You have probably heard of this best selling series (or watched the Netflix series) filled with orphans and guardians worthy of the best gothic Victorian melodramas. The Baudelaire children, upon learning that their parents have perished in a fire are delivered into the hands of the evil Count Olaf who is determined to get a hold of their fortune. The narrator consistently reminds the reader that this book is filled with depressing events and has an unhappy ending (all in good fun of course) so be prepared! Ages 8 and up.
NANCY AND PLUM by Betty MacDonald
This choice is not scary and is a great read aloud for the holiday season. This 1952 book from the author of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is the perfect recipe for an old-fashioned read aloud: two orphaned sisters, an unctuous boarding school mistress who feeds them hard oatmeal, a wealthy bachelor uncle, a Christmas setting and a feel good ending in which evil fails and good triumphs.
MORE: Christmas Novels to Read Aloud
Gothic Poetry for Children
THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN RIDES TONIGHT AND OTHER POEMS TO TROUBLE YOUR SLEEP by Jack Prelutsky
I adore the poetry of the prolific Prelutsky, a former U.S. Children's Poet Laureate. This particular collection of poetry is great for the run-up to Halloween but I don't recommend it for sensitive children who are easily frightened. However, kids who are fascinated by mummies, zombies and other imaginary ghouls will love listening to Prelutsky's imaginative word play. Ages 7 and up.
MORE: Classic and Contemporary Halloween Poems for Children
POETRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: EDGAR ALLEN POE edited by Brod Bagert, illustrated by Carolynn Cobleigh
When you think "gothic poetry," no doubt Poe is the first person who comes to mind. Well known for his short story, "The Tell-Tale Heart," which almost every American student reads in school, his spooky poems are also worth a read. This collection includes illustrations alongside poems like "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee." Ages 8 and up.
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