Phil Hickes: The Haunting of Aveline Jones (Usborne Publishing 2020)
Aveline Jones is an ordinary twelve-year-old girl who is particularly interested in ghost stories. She lives with her mother in Bristol, who often tells her that sometimes she should read about other things too, because that way she only creates nightmares for herself. October promises to be particularly cold this year. In addition, Aveline has to spend the autumn break in a sleepy seaside town, Malmouth, with her aunt, whom she hardly knows, because her mother has to go to visit her grandmother in Scotland and would rather not take the little girl with her on such a long trip. However, Aveline doesn’t know yet that she won’t be bored, as she finds a new friend and a mystery to solve.
Victoria Schwab: City of Ghosts (Scholastic 2018)
Cassidy Blake’s parents are a successful pair of authors who write investigative books about ghosts (The Inspecters – it’s a play on words: “inspector” is a person who searches for or examines something, and “specter,” which is another term for a ghost). They don’t really see the ghosts, but Cassidy does. Her best friend is also a ghost. People are usually afraid of the dark, but Cassidy knows that night is no more haunted than the day and the day is no less haunted than the night.
Nick Tomlinson: The Ghouls of Howlfair (Walker Books 2019)
Molly, an amateur historian, has always been interested in scary creatures like ghouls and werewolves. It has many questions, but there are plenty of resources to research as the city of Howlfair attracts tourists with its frightening legends. Since her discoveries have so far reveal not monsters but the secrets of the townspeople, her mother forbids further investigations. Unfortunately, an old prophecy is about to come true, which could ruin not only the city but the entire world. Since no one believes her, Molly can only count on a few friends in trouble. The story was written for kids, but it was really scary. Two volumes of the series have been published so far, but more hair-raising adventures are likely to await the protagonist.
Skye McKenna: Hedgewitch (Welbeck Flame 2022)
Cassie Morgan has been waiting for her mother for seven years, when she can no longer stay in her bleak boarding school and runs away to find her mother. But the world outside of the school is more dangerous than she thought. Cassie has an unusual helper and reaches the magical village of Hedgely, named after the Hedge that runs next to it, which separates England from Fairyland. However, in the dense forest of the Hedge there are creatures eager to harm people, so the Hedgewitch must protect the village from them. Cassie begins to study magic in order to uncover the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.
