This document provides summaries of 14 horror or thriller books recommended for tweens, including the title, author, year of publication, awards or accolades, age range, and number of pages for each book. Some of the books summarized are Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe, The House with the Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac. The document aims to help define the horror genre and provide title recommendations for tweens between the ages of 8 to 14.

1. Horror Titles for Tweens Sarah Butts Kelly Gregor Hartlaub LIBR 264 Genre Project

2. Defining the genre…

3. Bunnicula Chester, the family cat, being very well-read, finds something familiar and sinister in the way the family’s new bunny sleeps all day, and seems to have tiny fangs instead of typical bunny teeth. Harold the dog thinks he’s being ridiculous, until all of the vegetables in the house begin turning up white and dry, drained of all their juice. Awards and accolades: 1981 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award 1982 Young Reader's Choice Award 1982 Land of Enchantment Book Award More… 1979 By Deborah and James Howe ISBN 0-689-30700-4 Ages 8-12 98 Pages

5. New York Times Outstanding Books of 1973 Award1973 By John Bellairs ISBN 0-14-036336-X Ages 8-12 179 pages

6. Coraline Coraline is a bored 12-year-old girl who longs for parents who aren’t too busy with their work to have time for her. But when Coraline finds a secret passageway to an alternate reality with alternate parents who lavish attention on her, she rethinks what she wants. Awards: School Library Journals Best Books (2002) Best Books for Young Adults (YALSA, 2003) Children’s Choices (International Reading Assoc., 2003) Great Middle School Reads (ALSC, 2004) 2002 By Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean ISBN 9780380977789 Ages 9-12 162 pages

7. The Seer of Shadows A young photographer’s apprentice stumbles upon what seems like a valuable opportunity, but instead may be propelled into a home of cruelty, abuse, and perhaps even ghosts. Awards: Cybil Award Finalist (2008) Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars (2008) School Library Journal Best Books (2008) Best Children’s Books of the Year (Bank Street College of Education, 2009) Choices (Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 2009) 2008 By Avi ISBN 9780060000165 Ages 8-12

8. Skeleton Man A stranger takes Molly to live in his house after her parents disappear, claiming to be her uncle. But when it becomes clear that she is his prisoner, Molly must trust the ancestors she meets in dreams to help her escape from the ghoulish creature who reminds her eerily of a Mohawk folktale her parents told when she was younger… Awards and Accolades 2001 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2002American Library Association Notable Books for Children And many more … 2001 By Joseph Bruchac ISBN: 0-06-029076-5 Ages 9-14 112 pages

9. The Dead Boys A giant sycamore tree, monstrous from many years of absorbing radiated water through the parched desert soil, seeks the life force of young boys to keep it alive and strong. When Teddy moves into town, he realizes that he is in danger of being the tree’s next victim.. 2010 By Royce Buckingham ISBN 978-0-399-25222-8 Ages 9-14 201 pages

10. The Ribbajackand Other Curious Yarns Brian Jacques, the acclaimed author of the Redwall series, presents six chilling stories that are perfect for telling ‘round a campfire. Subjects range from monsters to the “dark arts” to haunted schools. Awards: Best Books, Middle and Junior H.S. Library Catalog (H. W. Wilson, 2006) 2005 By Brian Jacques ISBN 9780399242205 Ages 9-14 167 pages

11. In the Land of the Lawn Weeniesand Other Warped and Creepy Tales David Lubar writes these creepy and funny tales which are all tied together by a common thread – being a kid can be scary! Some stories feature child-monsters, and others feature the horrors children can inflict on themselves, but all of them are funny. 2003 By David Lubar ISBN -13 978-0-7653-4570-7 Ages 9-14 240 pages

12. Dracula Illustrated and abbreviated retelling of the classic story by Bram Stoker. This shortened versions makes some changes to the original, but the result is an appealing story for tweens. 2010 By Nicky Raven, illustrated by Anne Yvonne Gilbert ISBN 9780763647933 Ages 10 and up 96 pages

13. Ghostopolis Garth Hale is accidentally trapped in Ghostopolis, a ghost world, where he tries-with the aid of his grandfather’s ghost--to get back to the land of the living. TenNapel tells this tale in graphic novel form. 2010 By Doug TenNapel ISBN 9780545210287 Ages 10 and up 288 pages

15. International Reading Association – Young Adult Choice, 2005

16. New York Public Library Best Books for Teenagers Award List. 20052003 By Neal Shusterman ISBN 0-689-80374-5 Ages 10 and up 199 pages

19. Children’s Book Sense 76 Picks (Books Sense 76, 2001)

20. Parent’s Guide to Children’s Media (2001)

21. Best Children’s Books of the Year (Bank Street College of Education, 2002)2002 By Darren Shan ISBN 9780316603409 Ages 10-14

23. Young Adults’ Choices (International Reading Association, 2008)2008 By Gail Giles ISBN 9780316166386 Ages 12 and up 211 pages

24. The Seer of Shadows “In short I had two hopes: One, no one would be tricked into believing ghosts existed, and two, the fraudulent scheme would not touch me in any way. “As it turned out, both hopes were to be completely dashed.”” (35) Newbery Award-winner Avi New York skyline, 1800s

25. Skeleton Man “Trust your dreams. Both my parents said that. That’s our old way, our Mohawk way. The way of our ancestors. Trust the little voice that speaks to you. That is your heart speaking. But when those feelings, those dreams, those voices are so confusing, what do you do then?” “Help,” I whisper. “Help.” (p. 48)