Spooky stories for Halloween

Scholastic Reads

What’s that creaking sound down the hall? Did you feel a sudden chill in the air? And where is that haunting piano music coming from?

It’s Halloween-time! And we’re sure you’re getting into the spirit—scary noises and all.

To celebrate this spooky season, we’re talking with four authors who specialize in writing scary stories for kids!

On this episode, you’ll hear from Victoria Schwab, Max Brallier, India Hill Brown, and R. L. Stine. We asked them what it is about spine-chilling books that’s so compelling for young readers. Each author also shares a spooky read-aloud from their latest book!

Additional Resources

• Learn more about the Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab
• Learn more about the Acorn line Mr. Shivers series by Max Brallier
• Learn more about The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown
• Learn more about the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine

Guests:

• Victoria Schwab: Victoria is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels for readers of all ages, including City of Ghosts, the Shades of Magic series (which has been translated into over 15 languages), This Savage Song, and Our Dark Duet. Victoria can often be found haunting Paris streets and trudging up Scottish hillsides. Usually, she's tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up stories. Visit her online at veschwab.com.
• Max Brallier: Max Brallier is the author of more than 20 books for children, including the Galactic Hot Dogs and The Last Kids on Earth middle-grade series. Under the pen name Jack Chabert, he is the creator and author of the Eerie Elementary series with Scholastic Branches. Max lives in New York City with his wife and daughter.
• India Hill Brown: India Hill Brown is a southern belle who recently moved back down south to North Carolina after living in NYC and working at HBO. Her day job is in social media, and her passion is writing. Her freelance work has been published in Teen Vogue, Essence, Sesi Mag, and The Everygirl. Visit her at booksandbighair.com or on Twitter at @booksandbighair.
• R.L. Stine: R.L. Stine's books have sold more than 300 million copies, making him one of the most popular children's authors in history. Besides Goosebumps, R.L. Stine has written series including: Fear Street, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room, and Dangerous Girls. R.L. Stine lives in New York with his wife, Jane, and his King Charles spaniel, Minnie. www.RLStine.com.

Special thanks:

• Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
• Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
• Produced and edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula