# Halloween-time book for 15-y.o. girl **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 14, 2009, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759 "2009-10-14T07:04:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/1 "2009-10-14T07:04:28Z")
I have young cousins to whom I send gift books every year around Halloween. This year, I’m still choosing what book to give the 15-year-old girl. She has average to above-average reading skills. The book can be fiction or non-fiction. Nothing too outré; I don’t want to get in trouble with her parents. She’s already read the Harry Potter books. I’ll have to ask her mother if she’s read _A Wrinkle in Time_, but that’s a good example of the type of book I’m looking for. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/2 "2009-10-14T12:35:13Z")
Something Halloweeny? _Coraline_’s aimed a little younger than her, but it’s a good, creepy read for any age. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/3 "2009-10-14T13:19:55Z")
_We Have Always Lived in the Castle_ is plenty creepy if you think she’s mature enough. Depends on what you think is outré. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/4 "2009-10-14T13:23:55Z")
How about _The Halloween Tree_ by Ray Bradbury? It’s also a fantasy novel, so since she liked Harry Potter, this might be right up her alley. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/5 "2009-10-14T14:15:07Z")
If you ask at the bookstore, I’m guessing that right now there must be a ton of vampire fiction out there specifically targeted at girls who are a little too young for _Twilight_. There’s also the _Wicked_ series reimagining _The Wizard of Oz_. Personally, it seemed to me that the author stripped out all of the charm and told a depressing and convoluted backstory, but they’re apparently very popular. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/6 "2009-10-14T14:17:51Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Something Halloweeny? _Coraline_’s aimed a little younger than her, but it’s a good, creepy read for any age. I actually think Gaiman’s [The Graveyard Book](http://www.thegraveyardbook.com/) is probably a better choice for Halloween, and a bit more on target for age. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/7 "2009-10-14T15:38:47Z")
It’s not really Halloweeny, but [The Book of Lost Things](http://www.amazon.com/Book-Lost-Things-Novel/dp/074329890X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255534512&sr=1-1) by John Connolly would be suitable for a teenager. How about some Ray Bradbury? _Something Wicked This Way Comes_ has a Halloween feel. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/8 "2009-10-14T16:14:57Z")
I read the Shining at that age - creeped me right out. In a good way. 😉 King, Ludlum and Clavell got me through high school and parts of college… ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/9 "2009-10-14T16:21:52Z")
I’d say _Salem’s Lot_ is what you need. Or _Carrie_, but I’d go with _Salem’s Lot_. 15 isn’t all that young, although I suppose she could be a young 15-year old. StG ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/10 "2009-10-14T16:38:49Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I’d say _Salem’s Lot_ is what you need. Or _Carrie_, but I’d go with _Salem’s Lot_. 15 isn’t all that young, although I suppose she could be a young 15-year old. > > StG Yeah, depending on the kid, I might go with either one of those. But check with her parents first, my parents never policed my reading at all, so I’m not a very good judge on what most people would think is age-appropriate. ETA: [The Vampire Diaries](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006114097X/ref=cap_pdp_dp_0) or [The Secret Circle](http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Circle-Initiation-Captive-Part/dp/0061670855/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255538418&sr=8-12), both by L.J. Smith are also great, and definitely OK for your average 15-year-old. The Secret Circle series is about witches. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/11 "2009-10-14T16:55:40Z")
I re-read Roger Zelazny’s _A Night In the Lonesome October_ every October. Some grisly events are mentioned but not described in detail. No sex at all. Briefly, every Full Moon that falls on Halloween brings an opportunity to open the gates to Unearthly Powers. Some eldritch folks gather to help the process; others want to stop them. Our narrator is a dog (familiar) belonging to Jack, who has a knack with knives. Other characters include The Count & The Great Detective. Don’t read [the summary at Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Night_in_the_Lonesome_October) if you plan to read the book yourself–half the fun is figuring out what is going on. It’s out of print but should be findable. With illustrations by Gahan Wilson–who did _not_ provide the front cover art, alas. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/12 "2009-10-14T16:56:26Z")
I hate to suggest it… but she _is_ right in the target demographic for (ew!) _Twilight_. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/13 "2009-10-14T18:04:32Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I read the Shining at that age As did I. It was an assignment for English class. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/14 "2009-10-14T22:26:00Z")
> [@Keweenaw](#): > > I actually think Gaiman’s [The Graveyard Book](http://www.thegraveyardbook.com/) is probably a better choice for Halloween, and a bit more on target for age. This is my recommendation as well. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/15 "2009-10-14T22:32:12Z")
I’ll second (third?) the Stephen King recommendations. My faves were Carrie, Christine, the Shining, Different Seasons, Cujo, and of course Pet Sematary which feels like the most Halloweenish/autumnish of all of them. (Halloween does in fact happen in the book, too.) If we’re also just talking about horror in general, I’ll add my fave horror books, many of which I read at that time in my life–I Am Legend, Rosemary’s Baby, the Exorcist, Psycho, Rebecca. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/16 "2009-10-14T22:40:26Z")
There is always _The Zombie Survival Guide_. ---
**Author:** ![Jerseyman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Jerseyman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerseyman)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/17 "2009-10-14T22:57:02Z")
Try _Black Easter_ by Brian Aldiss ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/18 "2009-10-14T23:28:15Z")
Thank you all for great suggestions. You’ve given me a head start on next Halloween’s books, too. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-time-book-for-15-y-o-girl/513759/19 "2009-10-14T23:38:37Z")
I cannot remember the title or author, but I read a book about a girl who is like the 7th daughter in a family of 'physic’s" in a spiritual-new agey kinda town. She doesn’t want any supernatural powers like her sisters, who are all named after either birds or flowers, IIRC. She is excited because she gets to go to a completely different school than her sisters and can reinvent herself. But, in the end, she has the gift/curse of seeing dead people, primarily a dead boy. I think her name was either Wren or Sparrow. Not scary. Might be beneath her reading level, if I could remember what the book was.