Top 5 Spooky Short Stories for Middle-Grade Students
- Ms. Lauren
- Sep 13, 2024
- 4 min read
It's Friday the 13th, and I can't think of a more perfect day to share my top five favorite spooky short stories for middle-grade ELA students! I love to teach my favorite spooky short stories during spooky season, specifically the two weeks leading up to Halloween! However, you can teach these short stories any time of year. Sometimes a great spooky story can be just what you need to break the monotony and liven things up! I mean, who doesn't love suspense and a great plot twist?! They are a must-have for any great spooky short story, and all five of my favorite spooky short stories definitely have both! (I also love an unexpected/slightly unsettling ending. It just adds to the quality of a spooky short story and leads to deeper thinking!)
My top five favorite spooky short stories are listed below. I've included information about each story as well as links to my fun crossword and word search puzzle reviews for each story! All of the linked stories below are available on CommonLit.org. (You can get a free account if you don't already have one.)
1. The Landlady by Roald Dahl
If you've never heard of The Landlady before but you have heard of Roald Dahl. Yes, he is the same author who wrote The BFG and Matilda. I was shocked when I found out he wrote spooky stories too!
The Landlady is the story of a young man named Billy who is searching for a room for the night while traveling for work. He meets a landlady who has a convenient room for rent at a great price ... a little too great.
What's fantastic about this story is the pacing and tone. There are no jump scares. None of the characters raise their voice or take off in a desperate sprint to escape! Instead, the suspense is slowly built with a very selective choice of words (it's what the landlady doesn't say that carries the most weight) and the gradual realization that the landlady has ulterior motives.
The link above will take you to the story on The New Yorker's website, but it's also available here on CommonLit.org.
The Veldt by Ray Bradbury
I love it when spooky and sci-fi meet in one fantastic short story! The Veldt, by Ray Bradbury, poses the question, "Can technology replace the need for human interaction and relationships?" In the story, two siblings live in a smart house with their parents, a house that does absolutely everything for them. In fact, they've hardly ever lifted a finger, but when their father becomes concerned about their technology use and threatens to shut down part of the house, things take a very unexpected turn.
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Conell
The Most Dangerous Game also poses questions about human nature, boredom, and luxury/comfort but you won't find children in this story. What happens when you live for the hunt but have conquered every type of wild game there is to conquer? In The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Conell creates a world where the hunters become the hunted.
Click-Clack The Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman
Click-Clack the Rattlebag is better suited for 8th-grade students and up, and I will admit, there is an "Ewww, gross!" factor. If you are firmly against any gross/yucky content in spooky stories, you may want to skip this one. I love it because it's more modern and relatable for students, and the plot twist is awesome! That being said, the monster in the story drains humans of their insides. It doesn't get crazy graphic in the description, but that is what happens. Too much for some, but for reluctant eighth-grade readers, there's a high probability that it will be just the right story to pique their interest.
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
I saved my favorite for last. The vocabulary is much more advanced than the other short stories on my list, but reading it is SO worth it! You do, however, need to preteach some terms in order to make sure your students can follow along and won't miss the excitement due to word meaning confusion. The link above will take you to the story on The Poe Museum's site, but it's also available here on CommonLit.org.
While I've only listed my top five favorite spooky short stories, I have many more of my favorites list, and I made crossword puzzle and word search reviews for all of them. You can find them all in my Spooky Season custom category on Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking here!
I always love to hear everyone's favorite short stories! Share your favorites in the comments below.
Until next time!
Lauren
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