Spirit Hunters

Spirit Hunters
by Ellen Oh

Harper Raine is not happy about moving, especially when she suspects that the creepy old house they moved into is haunted.   Shortly after moving in, her younger brother starts acting strange, throwing violent tantrums and talking to an imaginary friend.   Harper begins to learn more about the history of the home, and the more she learns the more she is convinced that there are evil spirits present. 

What an exciting, suspenseful book! This creepy ghost story is a great choice for readers who enjoying scary tales.

Author's website: http://www.ellenoh.com/index2.html

Book Trailer: 

Seven Dead Pirates

Seven Dead Pirates
by Linda Bailey

Libertalia.  You!  Great-Granddad's last words to Lewis Dearborn made no sense.   That is, until he and his family move into the large, ramshackle home that once belonged to his great-grandfather.   Soon after moving in, Lewis learns that his home, particularly his new bedroom, is haunted by the ghosts of seven dead pirates.  The rowdy group of ghostly pirates, who once knew his great-grandfather, need Lewis to help them reclaim their old ship, now on display in a local museum.   How will Lewis be able to sneak these seven unruly, yet fearful of cars and other modern vehicles, pirates back to their ship without getting caught? 

A ghost story with a bit of humor mixed in, Seven Dead Pirates is a very entertaining read!  I love how the story also deals with school and family issues that the shy Lewis faces throughout the book.   This book will be a great choice for many readers!

Author's website: http://www.lindabaileybooks.com/home.html

Took

Took
by Mary Downing Hahn

The move to West Virginia was supposed to be a new start for Daniel’s family.   Unfortunately, it has only been one disaster after another.   Their new house is falling part, the kids in his new school call him a snob, and his parents are fighting all the time.   When others tell him rumors about a ghost witch and the mysterious disappearance of the little girl who used to live in his house,  Daniel doesn’t want to believe them.  Then, when his own sister disappears suddenly, he realizes the stories of the  ghost witch may be true after all.   Will he be able to rescue his sister before it’s too late? 

Another creepy story by author Mary Downing Hahn!  For readers looking for ghost stories, she is  one of the authors I always recommend.  Took is  great choice for those looking for a haunting tale to read!

Author's website:  http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/mdh/index.html
Took game from author's website:  http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/mdh/took-game.html
The Took game requires Adobe Flash Player, so it unfortunately will not work on iPads.   

The Night Gardener

The Night Gardener
by Jonathan Auxier

Everyone they meet caution Molly and Kip not to go to the Windsor house but,  knowing that this may be their only hope for work, the young siblings go anyway despite the warnings.   As they arrive at the home deep in the woods, they find the neglected house has been almost entirely taken over by a large, creepy tree that grows through it.    As she meets the Windsor family, including the unpleasant Mrs. Windsor, Molly becomes concerned about the unhealthy appearance of the family.   Despite the poor condition of the home and the peculiar family, Molly knows she and her brother have no other place to go and must stay and work as servants for the Windsors.

As they settle into the Windsor home, Molly becomes more suspicious that something odd is going on with the family and the home.   When she discovers that a strange, sinister man is going through the house at night, she realizes that there is something evil about the tree that has taken over the home.  

What a creepy story!  Readers who are looking for a suspenseful, scary book will love this one!    As I read this book, I was reminded of other books that involved creepy trees, including The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein and Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky.    Also worth noting about this book is that there's a good chance that it may be made into a movie, according to the author's website!

Author's website: http://www.thescop.com/

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase 
by Jonathan Stroud

Residents of London are living in fear of the sinister ghosts that are haunting their city.   Ghost-hunting agencies, such as Lockwood & Co., are relied upon to rid homes and other buildings of lurking evil spirits.  Lucy, a girl with the ability to communicate with spirits, has recently joined Lockwood & Co. and, along with fellow ghost-hunters Anthony Lockwood and George Cubbins, finds herself in many dangerous, ghostly situations!  When a case turns into an embarrassing disaster, the three ghost-hunters must take on a potentially deadly case to save their business and their reputation!

This thrilling book, full of many scary moments, also has its share of humorous situations, making it a very entertaining story!   This is a series, and I suspect that readers will look forward to future adventures of the ghost-hunting trio of Lockwood & Co.

Author's website:  http://www.lockwoodandco.com/

Book trailer:

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing
by Sheila Turnage

When Mo's guardian, Miss Lana, accidentally purchases a rundown inn at an auction, she learns she just hasn't bought an inn, but also the ghost that lives there!   Mo, and her best friend Dale, impulsively decide to try to interview the ghost for an extra credit school assignment, and begin to investigate to figure out who the ghost of the Tupelo inn is.   As they work to solve the mystery, many obstacles, including a suspicious new student, stand in their way.  Will they be able to solve the mystery of the Ghost of the Tupelo Inn? 

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing is the sequel to Newbery Honor Book, Three Times Lucky.   The small town setting with its quirky characters adds a lot of humor to this ghostly mystery.    This is a great choice for readers looking for a mystery full of action, suspense, and funny moments!

Author's website: http://www.sheilaturnage.com/SheilaTurnage/Desktop.html

Book Trailer: 

The Ghost of Graylock

The Ghost of Graylock 
by Dan Poblocki

Forced to spend a summer with their two aunts, Neil and his sister Bree soon discover the nearby Graylock Hall, an abandoned hospital with a dark past.    With the help of a new friend, Nick and Bree sneak into the old hospital to investigate its ghostly legend.    After narrowly escaping a terrifying visit to Graylock, Nick and his sister begin experiencing frightening nightmares and visions as well as many unexplained events.    Will they be able to solve the legend of the Ghost of Graylock before it's too late?

The Ghost of Graylock is a creepy book that is a good choice for fans of scary ghost stories!   It is full of many unexpected twists that will keep readers surprised and in suspense!

Author's Website:  http://www.danpoblocki.com/

The Aviary

The Aviary
by Kathleen O'Dell

In the Glendoveer mansion, a once grand but now falling apart home, is a large aviary where five birds hold the answers to a fifty-year-old mystery.  Eleven-year-old Clara’s mother is the housekeeper to Mrs. Glendoveer, the widow of a once famous magician, and Clara and her mother have lived in the mansion for as long as she can remember.  Clara loves everything about the house, except for the terrifying, loud birds in the aviary.   When one of the birds suddenly starts repeating the name “Elliot” to Clara, she comes to learn that the Glendoveer mansion holds many dark secrets, including an unsolved kidnapping.   With the help of a new friend and the five birds, Clara races to solve the crime that destroyed the lives of the Glendoveer family many years before.  

I had a difficult time putting this book down! There are a lot of great, unexpected twists in this story.   This is a good choice for readers who like books about haunted houses and unsolved mysteries. 

Author's website: http://www.kathleenodell.com/

Aviary book trailer: 

The Crossroads

The Crossroads
by Chris Grabenstein

Can trees be haunted? Zack Jennings thought so. When he moved from New York City to his new house in Connecticut, he thought he was leaving a scary tree behind. He's about to learn that in his new yard there is an even scarier tree that has been haunted for over fifty years!

This is a great book for readers who love ghosts and scary mysteries. It also has a sequel, The Hanging Hill, where our main character Zack finds himself in another haunted place.

Author's Website: http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com/ya/index.php