Looking for a few spooky stories to liven up your Halloween? Here are some books and short stories I think you might enjoy. I’ve added some I’ve enjoyed tha may give you the creepy crawlies as well.

1. I’ll start, with great nostalgia, with a children’s selection. In “The Halloween Tree” by Ray Bradbury lies a story of friendship, horror, and the true meaning of Halloween. Not too sappy, but an in-depth adventure of Halloween. A group of friends race against the night to save the life of their best friend, Pipkin. Arguably, not really a children’s book looking back, but who needs censorship?

2. “Miriam” by Truman Capote is a short story that should be on a few college reading lists. Not only does it embrace the “creepy child” factor, but the story goes on to question the sanity of its characters as well. The epitome of having one’s life turned inside out by a single event, this story’s ambiguous nature will allow your imagination to run wild.

3. “Doll Bones” by Holly Black is a middle grade book. Fun factoid: did you know that bone china is made from fragments of actual animal bones? Or, human bones? Gotta love those creepy doll stories. Especially when the creepy doll controls your dreams and starts making demands.

4. “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelly is not only a classic, but was written when the author was only 16. She wrote it anonymously in 1818; thus creating the science fiction genre. Now, any English major should be able to tell you that the actual “Frankenstein” is the doctor, not the collection of corpse pieces. But do read the book, then argue with them: who is the real monster: the doctor or the creature that never asked to be created? Food for thought and maybe some self-realizations.

5. The newest teen series that’s been making waves is “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs. In the first book, we follow Jacob Portman through Welsh marshlands and stunning black-and white photography as he unveils a loop in time and the peculiar children that live in it. The story pulls no punches in oddity and horror, and leaves readers wondering if they can trust what they see on the surface.

6. Finally, would it be a Halloween book list without Stephen King? Out of the many, many stories to choose from I would have to say my Halloween favorite would be “Salem’s Lot.” You just cannot beat classic vampire stories, especially when they’re retold with a 20th century Dracula.