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Top 5 spooky books for Halloween, chosen by children’s author Swapna Haddow

There are gothic thrills and scary chills aplenty in our top spooky books

Swapna Haddow is the multi award-winning children’s author of the Dave Pigeon series. Here she picks five spooky books that’ll have you listening out for things that go bump in the night.

Undead Pets: Flight of the Battered Budgie by Sam Hay and Simon Cooper 

The Undead Pets series is packed full of adventure, animal zombies and laugh out loud moments. In this story, Joe, the protector of undead pets, must help Buddy the budgie who found his end thanks to a window. 

Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick 

Jennifer Killick is the master of funny horror for kids and Dread Wood is the hilarious scary series I recommend you get your hands on. If you thought sitting silently in a hall for detention was bad, you are about to read about the worst school detention ever. 

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste 

Meet Corinne La Mer who isn’t afraid of anything. That is until Corinne has to learn ancient magic to save her island home. This is a book that mixes horror with gorgeous writing and Haitian folklore. 

Stitch Head by Guy Bass and Pete Williamson 

Stitch Head is the first book in this gothic children’s series and sees Stitch Head, a lonely half-human creature invented by a mad professor in the creepy Castle Grotteskew, trying to escape the evil clutches of Fulbert Freakfinder and his Travelling Circus. 

The Imaginary by AF Harrold and Emily Gravett 

As someone who had imaginary friends, and still does, this book is truly scary. Rudger, Amanda’s best imaginary friend, has to escape the sinister Mr Bunting who not only hunts imaginaries but eats them too. 

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Dave Pigeon (Zombies!)

Swapna Haddow’s Zombies! (Faber & Faber, £7.99), the latest in her Dave Pigeon series, is out now.

You can buy these titles from The Big Issue shop on Bookshop.org, which helps to support The Big Issue and independent bookshops.

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