As a child, I loved to be scared witless. Watching Dr Who satisfied my need for thrills enormously but there were not many fiction books aimed at children then that would leave you checking under the bed just in case and as I grew older, I forgot how much I enjoyed being creeped out. Almost three and a half years ago, I had the good fortune to spot a copy of Jennifer Killick’s Crater Lake on the shelf in my local indie’s children’s section and, unfamiliar with her writing, picked it up having had it recommended by a few people I had started following on Twitter. That title reignited my love of all things scary, and I went on to read not just its sequel and the author’s Dread Wood series but other scary books such as Phil Hickes’s Aveline Jones series and Freeze by Chris Priestly. Freeze in particular was very popular with my then Year 5 class when it was published, in part because it is a short, accessible read but also because it contained several short stories and I was regularly asked for something similar – something that, sadly, I couldn’t provide. High-quality collections of short stories for children in any genre seem to be as rare as hens’ teeth but in this new title, curated by the Queen of Scary Fiction herself, young fans of scary reads are spoiled rotten with a brilliant selection of tales from some of our greatest children’s writers. Many of the names of the contributors will be familiar to young readers and I have to say that all of them have come up trumps here. With a broad range of stories, all falling under the spooky umbrella, readers will encounter zombies, sentient trees and ghosts with a grudge in addition to those unknown dangers that allow your imagination free rein to create your own personal terror. Very different from one another in style, I enjoyed all of the stories, especially as a few of them are open-ended, leaving you to decide for yourself just what the outcome for their protagonists will be. Being me, I read the book from beginning to end but, of course, one of the beauties of having such a diverse range of writers is the freedom to choose to enjoy the stories in whichever order you choose. While the press release I received suggested this is aimed at 8 -12 year-old readers, I would suggest that it would sit better with children in upper KS2, who are that little bit older and possibly less sensitive than those in Years 3 and 4, although adults will be able to judge the titles’ suitability for those in their care. Certainly, this would make such a welcome addition to any classroom shelf in Years 5 and 6, and through into KS3. Intended as a one-off, as far as I know, I will not be the only one hoping that there will be a sequel, as there is definitely a strong market for this type of read for children and I am sure this will be very positively received.

A thrilling collection of short stories, perfect to dip into during the spooky season. These horror stories are aimed at ages 9-12 and parents can rest assured they are age appropriate - just enough scariness to send an icy tingle down your spine. My favourite has to be ‘Underlay Underlings’ by Joseph Coelho - so original and creepy. I’ll never dare to walk on a patterned carpet again!

Reading this as a 21 year old who is afraid of most things horror, I'm so thankful for this book!! Yes it's written for a younger audience but most of these short stories are so fun and has some amazing visuals that I really think anyone of any age would enjoy it!! From spooky lakes and werewolves to killer carpets (yes you read that correctly) there's something for everyone no matter what kind of horror you like!! It's perfect for the spooky season!!