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Original poster

Intro to horror for 10 year old boy?

59 replies

Toponeniceone · 28/03/2022 21:05

10 year old ds is desperate to get stuck into Stephen King books. What can he read that'sa good starting point? I don't mind if it's a little bit older than his years. I looked at a few in a book shop the other day but they were quite sexual. For example, I used to love the Point Horror series but I think I was a teenager then.

OP posts:
evilharpy · 29/03/2022 11:38

I would have been reading Point Horror at the very start of secondary school, so 11 or 12. I re-read a few recently when I spotted them on Amazon and there's nothing too worrying in there, I think the characters are around 15-16 but there was no sexual content.

123ZYX · 29/03/2022 11:10

@Toponeniceone

Thanks, but you're all costing me a fortune!! Is Point Horror ok? I'm sure I was older reading those, but I've ordered some second hand ones anyway. Also the Jennifer one and the graveyard book!
The common sense media website is normally very good at giving age recommendations. I couldn't see Point Horror, but did see this list which might be helpful

www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/horror-books-for-kids-and-teens

Original poster
Toponeniceone · 29/03/2022 10:52

Thanks, but you're all costing me a fortune!! Is Point Horror ok? I'm sure I was older reading those, but I've ordered some second hand ones anyway. Also the Jennifer one and the graveyard book!

OP posts:
evilharpy · 29/03/2022 09:23

Does he have a Kindle? There are loads of Point Horror books available on Kindle from Amazon.

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 29/03/2022 09:09

Oh yes I used to like Christopher pike! I didn't know he wrote under another name, I shall look up his other books!

CoffeeDay · 29/03/2022 08:56

Christopher Pike (pen name of author Kevin McFadden). Not sure how many books are still in print but those were fantastic for YA horror. All of my friends in school read Pike before moving onto Stephen King & Dean Koontz.

myceliumama · 29/03/2022 08:52

Get on eBay/Amazon and find some point horror books, I was reading them from age 10 and absolutely loved them. Then when he's a bit older (12 ish) Christopher pike ( eBay again) was my favourite and then Stephen King from 13 1/2 .

123ZYX · 29/03/2022 08:34

@PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn

Used to read Point Horror, do they still write those?
I was going to suggest the same.

I read the goosebumps series, then moved onto the point horror series.

I think I read them around early secondary school age.

Solosunrise · 29/03/2022 08:31

My children loved Goosebumps and there are loads of those!

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 29/03/2022 08:28

Used to read Point Horror, do they still write those?

pollyhemlock · 29/03/2022 08:26

I would second the Lockwood and Co series by Jonathan Stroud, mentioned above. Genuinely scary and a great group of characters. Also Jennifer Killick, as suggested.

Twotothreeagain · 28/03/2022 22:21

Agree The Graveyard Book is a good one, my son loved it

PoorMegHopkins · 28/03/2022 22:20

Second Jennifer Killick. Pitched just right.
Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book, has horror/ghost elements and is fantastically well written.

ILiveInSalemsLot · 28/03/2022 22:16

Doll Bones - Holly Black
Also Cliff McNish Breathe and The Hunting Ground though

Twotothreeagain · 28/03/2022 22:14

Skulduggery Pleasant series?

DaisyDozyDee · 28/03/2022 22:01

If you want something recent, Jennifer Killick’s Crater Lake books are squarely aimed at 10 year olds. She also has a new one out this week.
Also recommend The Haunting of Aveline Jones.

Mossstitch · 28/03/2022 21:55

Goosebumps is a whole series op not just one book. Got one of mine into reading at 9 when he was reluctant before that.

PebbleMillAtOne · 28/03/2022 21:38

The shining.. odd swear word
Cujo
Pet Sematary one sexy type bit

SnowdropsInSpring · 28/03/2022 21:28

Definitely Darren Shan.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 28/03/2022 21:24

HP right, that makes sense… I'd guess you were maybe older than OP's DS when they gave you those stories, given the… finger-chopping themes?

Petalpup · 28/03/2022 21:20

The Darren Shan ones are popular-start with cirque du freak
Lockwood and co are great

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 28/03/2022 21:18

@clumpingbambooisalie I just remember the ones we read at school, perhaps they were the tamer ones. I read a women feeding a police office the leg of lamb she'd used to kill her husband, and a holiday maker who gambled and lost a finger.

I'd stick with Goosebumps, there are so many of them, many available on the Libby app for free if your library/you are signed up to it.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 28/03/2022 21:18

Some of Gillian Cross's work might fit the bill e.g. The Dark Behind The Curtain, maybe some of the Demon Headmaster books…

I hope someone can suggest something a little more recent than I can.

carefullycourageous · 28/03/2022 21:18

I would go for all the classics - Dracula, Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde, Day of the Triffids, War of the Worlds?

Classics are absolutely brilliant because you have those scary elements and some brilliant writing but the sensibilities of the time mean they are much more suited to younger readers.

Prometheus · 28/03/2022 21:17

My 11 year old has been reading the Five Nights at Freddie’s series which is horror but age appropriate. The books are really popular in his school.

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