Have you read the slightly spooky Tale of the Canterville Ghost or the YA book Shadows in the Mirror? Yeah, our list of books to read for Halloween kinda blows those not-so-scary stories right out of the water.

It's totally true that it's important to keep a list of Halloween books perfect for kids on hand. We want to keep things festive, but we also don't want the whole family sleeping in the same bed every night in October, so stories with just the right amount of fright are key.

But when the kids go to bed, it's time to light a candle, lock the doors and crank things up a notch. Yup, mama likes to get the crap scared out of her all in the name of Halloween. Ghosts, gore and Hannibal Lecter, oh my!

Check these books out, but be warned. They are not for the meek or helpless.

Originally published September 2015. Updated September 2017.