Jacob is Cassidy's best, and only, friend. He's smart, funny, cute and would probably be too popular to hang out with Cassidy. If it wasn't for the fact that he's dead and no one else can see him. Ever since Jacob saved Cassidy from drowning she's been able to part the veil between worlds and see the ghosts beyond. Mostly they just play out their final moments over and over again and are tied to the place where they died. But Jacob is different. Jacob can follow Cassidy wherever she goes, talk to her, and even read comics as long as Cassidy turns the page for him. Cassidy is still trying to figure out her new abilities when her parents surprise her with a trip to Scotland to film their supernatural investigations show. Of course, they have no idea their daughter can actually see ghosts and Cassidy has never met anyone else with her abilities, until she meets Lara in Edinburgh. But there are far more ghosts in a city as old as Edinburgh than her suburb back home in America. And not all of them are trapped in the veil or as friendly as Jacob.

I loved traveling the streets of Edinburgh with Cassidy! The characters are all well drawn (especially my favorite, Jacob) and while Cassidy's parents are oblivious to her abilities they're not complete idiots either and have a good relationship with her. It's classic middle grade spooky but not too spooky without a hint of romance and focused instead on issues of friendship and family. The most ghastly descriptions are safely ensconced in historical detail which adds a bit of distance but still not recommended for the super squeamish. Supernatural fans will find much to enjoy though.

City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1) by Victoria Schwab​

Erica's Picks 
4th - 7th
tags: friendship, fast-paced, global perspectives, horror, summer vacation, supernatural
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Hark grew up an orphan in a cruel world. His only friend is Jelt, and even he is willing to put Hark's life on the line for a good enough pay day. Which is how Hark ended up exiled on an island, caring for the old priests who went crazy after the death of their gods fifty years ago. The stories of the gods are terrifying, but with the passage of time some have started to forget or dismiss them as fairy tale. Still, those brave and stupid enough to go diving for their remains can make a fortune selling god parts and harvesting their powers. When Hark makes a life-changing discovery he isn't sure who to trust: his best friend, the old priests, the new zealots, or the genius scientist. His decision will affect not just him, but the whole world as a new reign terror from the gods threatens to begin.

I am in awe of Hardinge's imagination and world-building. The gods have a whiff of Cthulhu about them, but the details of the world are unique. I was completely transported to this strange and terrifying setting as I read. The book has plenty of action, but it does not skimp on character development or haunting questions of morality. Highly recommended for fans of YA speculative fiction.

Deeplight by Frances Hardinge

​Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
tags: adventure, dystopian, fantasy, fast-paced, horror, mythology

After the death of her sister, Violet's family moves back to the small town where her mother grew up. Violet doesn't like the creepy, old family house and she misses city life. There's something shady going on with people turning up dead in the woods. People act strangely around her because she's the descendant of one of the four founding families. When she meets the other teenage children of the founders, she discovers why. They each have their own dangerous powers, but the thing lurking out in the Gray is more dangerous still. Will they be able to put aside their differences and save their town? Or will Darkness consume them all?

This dark supernatural horror story has a palpable atmosphere that will leave you trembling as you turn the pages. The characters are well-written with their own complex backstories and motivations. The interpersonal drama is just as intense as the supernatural kind. A great book for brave readers looking to lose themselves in a story.

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
Erica's Picks
8th grade
​tags: family life, horror, supernatural

Ever since their parents' death, Ryn and her siblings have been in charge of the graveyard. Gravedigging is an important job in a town where the dead don't always stay dead if improperly handled. These risen corpses, called bone houses, are appearing with more frequency and the whole town is endangered. Legend says that they are the result of a curse and the only way to break it is to travel to the abandoned Castell Sidi and find the black cauldron. But between Ryn and the castle is a dark forest filled with monsters.

This story, based in the same world as Lloyd Alexander's Black Cauldron, is a great fantasy adventure set in a classic world complete with ancient curses, puzzles, and trials along the way. The horror elements are truly frightening and the world is completely immersive. Both Ryn and her companion, the traveling map-maker, are great characters and I loved following their story and cheering them on.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
​tags: adventure, fantasy, horror

Mia's comfortable life in the forest is changed forever when one of her siblings gets rabies, forcing her to flee for her life. Along the way she will encounter dangers from traps to badgers to humans. But she will also encounter a new friend. Uly has never had a comfortable life. Born with a twisted paw, he has always had to fight to survive among his cruel older sisters. But his life takes a turn for the worse when the fabled Old Scratch turns out to be real. Will two fox kits be able to survive the woods together? Or will they fall prey to one of the hundreds of dangers lurking in the dark?

This is a deliciously creepy story that is also beautifully narrated and has the potential to become a classic. The fact that the main characters are foxes and the framing device that it's all a story prevents it from being too scary but it's still pretty intense at times. The black and white illustrations only add to the atmosphere. After reading this you will never look at foxes or Beatrix Potter the same way again.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker 
Erica's Picks
3rd - 6th grade
tags: animals, disability, fast paced, friendship, horror

Daniel's grandmother is always warning about spirits that take children away, especially if they go out in the snow. Nevertheless, Daniel and Iris sneak out on the night of the first snowfall. When they see a ghost and discover they've been accidentally playing in an abandoned graveyard, they run back home. But even in her warm room, the cold doesn't leave Iris entirely. Ever since that night, strange things have been happening. She has the overwhelming urge to go back, into the dark and the cold and find the ghost again.

This is a spooky story about forgotten histories. Daniel and Iris start to research the graveyard and discover that it was an African-American cemetery from when the town was segregated. They try to discover more about the ghost of the girl that's haunting them, but the forgotten spirit has plans of its own. Strongly recommended.

The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown
Erica's Picks
3rd - 6th
​Tags: family life, friendship, horror, people of color, school stories, supernatural

 Nine students. Three bloodsports. One deadly weekend.
Creepy, seriously creepy. With a British accent. Greer MacDonald, scholarship student, does not fit into the exclusive atmosphere of St. Aidan’s boarding school for the elite. She knows this and tries to keep a low profile. Then she receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: huntin' shootin' fishin'. It refers to a weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at S.T.A.G.S.
Arriving at Henry’s ancestral home, Greer realizes the only adults are the servants who do Henry’s bidding. The other guests are Henry’s clique known as “The Medievals” as they distain all modern technology calling it “savage.” Two other outsiders have been invited along with Greer; Shafeen Jadeja (“Punjabi playboy”) and Chanel Ashford (“Carphone Chanel”).
 Each day is to be devoted to one of the three blood sports on the invitation. As each becomes progressively dark and twisted, Greer realizes that she and the other misfits have become the prey. 
This is a top notch psychological thriller. Murder, mayhem and madness! You won’t be able to put it down. Warning…not for the faint of heart!

Tessa's Picks

7-8th grade, Contemporary fiction, Fast paced, Horror

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Fighting vampires is in Micheline's blood. It's been the family business ever since Van Helsing fought Dracula, and her bloodline gives her a distinct advantage: the ability to see the aura of the undead. For her, exorcising ghosts and shooting vampires is just another day in the office. Micheline and her crew respond to emergency calls armed to the teeth with weapons both mundane and specialized, including a modified camera that can capture the spiritual energy of ghosts. But for Micheline a bad day at the office doesn't mean a paper jam. It results in her and her crew getting infected with a soulchain that will kill them in a week or less, unless they can exorcise the ghost that cursed them. With new purpose and higher stakes than ever before, Micheline does what her family has been doing for centuries: she hunts.

This is a fantastic horror story. It pays homage to Dracula while creating its own world. The explanations of the science behind the supernatural elements is satisfyingly detailed.  The horror elements are truly terrifying and the plot fast-paced, except for a few passages of backstory. I particularly enjoyed that it's set in the SF Bay Area.

Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Erica's Picks
8th grade
Tags: fast-paced, horror, retellings, supernatural

Hoodoo Hatcher was born into a family with a tradition of practicing folk magic: hoodoo; using potions and charms to evade evil and bring good luck. A mysterious Stranger comes to town bringing evil shadows and dark nightmares. He wants something from Hoodoo and threatens the entire town to get his ends.  Everybody says that the little heart shaped birthmark under Hoodoo's eye is a sign.  Can he find the courage, the magic and most of all the heart to save those he loves and himself?  Hoodoo learns that  "Having heart is being brave, even when everything looks dark as night....Having heart is believing in yourself, if you didn't know."




Tessa's Picks, 4th grade, Horror, 3rd&4th summer 2016, People of Color.