5 (More) Spooky Short Stories for Middle-Grade Readers

Last September, I shared my Top 5 Spooky Short Stories for Middle-Grade Students. This year, I'm back with five more spine-tingling short stories to hook your middle school students this Halloween season! Three of the links below will route you to CommonLit.org to read the stories. If you don't have an account, teachers can sign up for free. However, you can find those same three stories on other sites with a quick Google search. I've also included links to my fun crossword and word search puzzle reviews below each story - click the photos to get them! 1. Three Skeleton Key by George G. Toudouze

In Three Skeleton Key, three lighthouse keepers spot a ship in the distance moving in strange patterns. They soon realize that the ship is unmanned but carries a terrifying crew of creatures that suddenly turns and heads straight for them. The uncertainty and suspense in this survival story are awesome, and the legend of the skeletons that are the reason behind the Key's name help make this story an awesome Halloween read!

2. The Stain on the Cafeteria Floor by Josh Allen This short story appeals more to younger middle school students and even upper elementary school students. While it's still a great spooky season read, it's much more light-hearted and fun.

Two friends discover a stain on the cafeteria floor near a vending machine, but it's not just any ordinary stain - it's a stain with an appetite. The stain eats anything dropped on it and grows larger every day. One friend wants to keep the stain a secret; the other friend wants to tell their teachers about the stain. While the friends debate, the stain (and risk) grow. Who will win and how will it end? You'll just have to read with your students to find out!

3. Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed by Ray Bradbury

I love it when authors write stories that are a blend of spooky/scary and sci-fi, and Ray Bradbury blended those two elements beautifully in Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed. While it could be read at any time of year, I think it's fun to read around Halloween because of how eerie and suspenseful it is. In the story, the Bittering family lives in a cottage that they built on Mars. From their home, they can see the old abandoned Martian cities in the distance. The Bitterings, like the rest of the humans in their settlement, don't know why the cities were abandoned, but they do know they're changing and becoming more drawn to the cities with each passing day. What does it mean to be human? How does our environment affect us? These are just a few of the questions Bradbury poses in his story.

4. The Wife's Story by Ursula K. Le Guin Told from a first-person point of view, The Wife's Story is the werewolf story you didn't know you needed! It's very short, and there isn't any dialogue, but the plot twist will have your students doing a double-take.

5. Rumpelstiltskin by The Brothers Grimm

Rumpelstiltskin is a cautionary tale that works incredibly well for Halloween because of its creepy premise. Like all tales written by The Brothers Grimm, it's unsettling, but milder and better suited for younger middle schoolers because it doesn't involve anyone having their eyes pecked out by birds or being poisoned. (Looking at you, Cinderella and Snow White. Ha!)

In Rumpelstiltskin, a young woman is forced to make a bargain that she can't uphold. The clock is ticking, and to save her child, she must get clever and find a way to free herself from the bargain before time runs out!

Looking for more spooky season resources for your classroom? Click here to see all of my spooky season resources in one place, and feel free to share your favorite short stories in the comments below! Until next time! Lauren