Christmas Dinner of Souls by Ross Montgomery
‘It’s a dark and lonely Christmas Eve in the dining room of ancient Soul’s College. The kitchen boy, 11-year-old Lewis, has helped prepare a highly unusual meal, made with unrecognisable ingredients, cooked by a mysterious chef. And then the guests arrive … and carnage ensues. They are ex-students of Soul’s College, and they are all completely demented. They demand bottle after bottle of wine, flinging their cutlery and howling like banshees until … silence. The Dean of Soul’s College has arrived, and the evening’s ceremonies must begin.
For this is the annual meeting of a secret club for those who despise children, warmth, happiness, and above all Christmas. Each member must try to outdo the others by telling the most terrible, disgusting story they know.’
Gothic and gruesome, this book is a raucous read perfect for an indulgent Christmas. The writing is so lush, I genuinely feel as though I’ve sat in the dining room of Soul’s College. It’s a pacy, rollercoaster read that, despite my efforts to savour, I devoured in one sitting! Reading age: 8-12
Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley, illustrated by David Roberts
‘Uncle Montague lives alone in a big house and his regular visits from his nephew give him the opportunity to retell some of the most frightening stories he knows.
But as the stories unfold, another even more spine-tingling narrative emerges, one that is perhaps the most frightening of all. Uncle Montague’s tales of terror, it transpires, are not so much works of imagination as dreadful, lurking memories. Memories of an earlier time in which Uncle Montague lived a very different life to his present solitary existence…’
A wonderfully macabre book full of creepy stories sure to delight any reader. I adored these tales of terror, especially the way they were all laced together, slowly revealing Uncle Montague’s own mystery. Reading age: 9+
Out to Get You : 13 Tales of Weirdness and Woe by Josh Allen, illustrated by Sarah J. Coleman
‘R.L. Stine meets a modern Edgar Allan Poe. A stray kitten turns into a threatening follower. The street sign down the block starts taunting you. Even your own shadow is out to get you! Spooky things love hiding in plain sight.
The everyday world is full of sinister secrets and these page-turning stories show that there’s darkness even where you least expect it. Readers will sleep with one eye open. . . .’
This is a seriously cool book that’s quirky and creepy in all the best ways. The fabulous illustrations perfectly complement the sinister stories and had my imagination working overtime. No doubt, I’ll be reading these tales of weirdness and woe again and again. Reading age: 9-12
Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu
‘The haunted season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is safe.
When Mia and Uly are separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention.’
Features eight interconnected stories in one stand-out book. This is fresh horror at its best. There are some absolutely chilling scenes, and I loved every single spinetingling second of it. Reading age: 9-12
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, illustrated by Brett Helquist
‘Walking corpses, dancing bones, knife-wielding madmen, and narrow escapes from death-they’re all here in this chilling collection of ghost stories. Make sure you read these books with the light ON!’
It’s a classic! And though first published in 1981, hasn’t lost any of its edge. Definitely read-aloud, amongst friends, preferably around a campfire. Warning: there will be jump scares! Reading age: 9+
Genevieve Puttay 
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