This season’s additions to the “Stories to Scare Your Socks Off” series focus on stories about the paranormal, cryptids, apocalyptic scenarios, and vampires. Each collection features multiple short stories written by a host of different authors and accompanied by black-and-white illustrations that just might be more frightening than the actual stories in some cases. The stories are fun, well-written, and just scary enough for middle-grade readers looking for an accessible introduction to spooky stories. While some of the stories are close encounters or eerie experiences, many of them end abruptly, with the fate of the characters left up to your imagination. Hand this series to kids who have read all of Alvin Schwartz’s classic “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” books and would like to keep going.
VERDICT: Recommended for purchase where scary stories circulate well.