Scary Fantasy

This collection of tales is for fans of ghost-story writer Mary Downing Hahn’s scary but not too scary books. Even the stories without actual ghosts are spooky. Each tale turns something ordinary - a pigeon, a white dress, a stranger on the bus, a puppet - into a sinister link to the supernatural. For the human characters, secrets from the past or careless behavior in the present can lead to serious trouble. All the stories have a young person as their central character, so all will resonate easily with young listeners who enjoy the eerie, the creepy, and the otherworldly.

Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends forever. And for almost as long, they’ve been playing one continuous, ever-changing game of pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors. Ruling over all is the Great Queen, a bone-china doll cursing those who displease her. But they are in middle school now. Zach’s father pushes him to give up make-believe, and Zach quits the game. Their friendship might be over, until Poppy declares she’s been having dreams about the Queen - and the ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll is buried in her empty grave.

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life - or her actual death - she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

The spellbinding conclusion in the critically acclaimed Thickety series, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman. In The Thickety #4: The Last Spell, Kara and her brother, Taff, must find the hidden pieces of Princess Evangeline's grimoire to defeat Rygoth and her army of witches in one last good-versus-evil battle.

It’s another awful year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. Joss, a professional vampire slayer and Vlad’s former friend, has moved back to town. The powerful vampire Dorian has an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad’s blood. And his archenemy, D’Ablo, has brought Vlad’s Uncle Otis to trial for crimes against vampires. So much for dating. When the tables turn on Vlad, he has just enough time to return to Bathory for his final good-byes.

Dru Anderson is a very special girl - even if she doesn't always feel it. Gifted with "the touch", Dru travels about with her dad, hunting all manner of things that go bump in the night. But then her dad turns up dead - or, er, undead - and everything changes.

Something has been making waves around Wrenly, and it's not the tides. Prince Lucas is sure that it's the mysterious sea monster that has only been heard of in tall tales. Now the legendary monster is frightening everyone - from fishermen, to the king's men, to even the hardiest of sea captains. With the aid of his best friend, Clara, and a cast of unlikely helpers, it's up to Prince Lucas to discover what is bothering the beast - and make the trouble stop!

Years have passed since Wulf and Tilda vanished from the County. Alice and Tom have given up hope of ever seeing them again—until a terrible enemy from the past forces them to take drastic action, and reach out through time in a bid for help. Now Wulf faces the greatest and most powerful demon who has ever walked the Dark: the Fiend. He will have to use all his powers—and gather some new ones—to have even a chance of survival.

New York Times best-selling author Jennifer A. Nielsen joins the race for survival! The survivors have made it out of the jungle, but they may be sorry they ever left when they stumble upon a whole new ecosystem, populated with entirely new threats. And the greatest threat of all may come from within. Because one of the kids is changing....

A ghost has been spotted lurking around Capitol City's American History Museum. It seems someone - or something - is unhappy with the museum's recent exhibit on the Vietnam War. Can Raining Sam, the son of the head of educational programs at the museum, and his friends figure out who's behind the haunting before someone gets hurt?

Kit Gordy sees Blackwood Hall towering over black iron gates, and she can't help thinking, This place is evil. The imposing mansion sends a shiver of fear through her. But Kit settles into a routine, trying to ignore the rumors that the highly exclusive boarding school is haunted. Then her classmates begin to show extraordinary and unknown talents. The strange dreams, the voices, the lost letters to family and friends, all become overshadowed by the magic around them.

Sam can't wait to go on her first cruise...sun, fun, and lots of good food. But when some slimy guests show up, Sam's excitement turns into fear. Do these gooey blob monsters want more than just the all-you-can-eat buffet?

It’s Day Zero and the Texas zombie virus is quickly spreading throughout the nation. As the infected become fast moving flesh eaters, survivors across the country band together to battle against the onslaught of the undead. In The First Week series, several different groups from coast to coast face off against the growing horde. From the military in the Carolinas and Kansas, to cowboys in North Dakota, to the police in El Paso, and several points in between.

Emily Walker hated that they were moving to Collingwood House and became distressed when she read the details on the real estate listing - Haunted House. They moved anyway, 4000 kilometers away from her best friend and to the seaside. The old house creaked and groaned, things went missing, doors banged, shadows moved from room to room, and dead animals were found in unusual places.

Marzana and her best friend are bored. Even though they live in a notorious city where normal rules do not apply, nothing interesting ever happens to them. Nothing, that is, until Marzana's parents are recruited to help solve an odd crime, and she realizes that this could be the excitement she's been waiting for. She assembles a group of kid detectives with special skills - including the ghost of a ship captain's daughter - and together, they explore hidden passageways, navigate architecture that changes overnight, and try to unravel the puzzle of who the kidnappers are.

Kit may be the youngest wizard ever, but she sure doesn’t feel like the best wizard. Her magic just keeps going wrong, and other weird stuff is happening too: talking animals, exploding fireballs, and a strange new arrival in the local park. Even Dogon (the half dog, half dragon) is droopy! So Kit and her two best friends - animal-whispering Alita and studious Josh - set off with Faith the librarian to investigate this wild magic that’s causing so much commotion. Their journey takes them to a Scottish loch, where they meet an eco-conscious wizard and some very grumpy mermaids.

Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands is afraid of everything - the dark, heights, the ocean - but her fearless older sister, Justine, has always been there to coach her through every challenge. That is, until Justine goes cliff diving one night near the family's vacation house in Winter Harbor, Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day.

When Kara Westfall was six years old, her mother was convicted of the worst of all crimes: Witchcraft. Years later, Kara and her little brother, Taff, are still shunned by the people of their village, who believe that nothing is more evil than magic…except, perhaps, the mysterious forest that covers nearly the entire island. It has many names, this place. Sometimes it is called the Dark Wood, or Sordyr's Realm. But mostly it's called the Thickety.

For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it's a matter of life and death. That's because Serwa knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. Adze prey on the blood of innocents, possessing their minds and turning them into hulking monsters, and for generations, slayers like Serwa and her parents have protected an unknowing public from their threats.

With each book containing 20 short fulfilling stories, this package includes 61 short stories! With Campfire Stories for Kids, the listener will find a fun collection of magical and spooky tales to delight your children. These stories have something for everyone. It is perfect for long days in the house or a gentle bedtime thrill. You and your kids will both love the variety. Have the peace of mind in knowing that your family is consuming mild content, safe for the enjoyment of even the youngest members!