It’s spooky season! October is a perfect time to curl up with some good ghost stories.
WITS often discusses how important it is for children of all backgrounds to read diverse books. While some of the titles below are culturally specific, many are not. All, however, are written or illustrated by people of color. In addition to providing students with books that serve as mirrors to their own experiences and windows into other cultures, WITS is committed to promoting the work of Black and brown authors and illustrators to the wider community. We hope you enjoy these ghost stories this Halloween, Día de los Muertos, and beyond!
For more scary stories, check out Scary Books for All Year.
All Ages
La Llorona by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein, illustrated by Citali Reyes: a not-too-scary board book counting backwards from 10 to 1.
Ghosts for Breakfast by Stanley Todd Terasaki, illustrated by Shelley Shinjo. Is Farmer Tanaka’s field really haunted?
Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara: Ghosts are no problem if you’re a witch!
Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson: a sweet story about friendship by two of the best.
Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago – as Day of the Dead approaches, shy Gustavo finds a unique way to shine.
Ages 9+
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste –Jumbies aren’t real, are they? One of our WITS students’ favorites.
Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega – A fast-paced story of friendship, rooted in Dominican mythology.
Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh – The scariest book on this list! For middle graders who want a real shiver.
