Books like 'The Fright Before Christmas'
Readers who enjoyed The Fright Before Christmas by James Howe & Jeff Mack also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
mystery horror action / adventure children friendship dogs animals cats law-enforcement humor
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Serafina and the Seven Stars by Robert Beatty
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSerafina and Braeden make an epic return in the hotly anticipated fourth installment of Robert Beatty's #1 New York Times best-selling Serafina series. Serafina, the Guardian of Biltmore Estate, has won battle after battle against the dark forces encroaching on her home. Now, tranquility has returned to Biltmore. Serafina doesn't trust it... -
![Serafina and the Twisted Staff by Robert Beatty, Lale Günseli Bayır]()
Serafina and the Twisted Staff by Robert Beatty, Lale Günseli Bayır
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSerafina's defeat of the Man in the Black Cloak has brought her out of the shadows and into the daylight realm of her home, Biltmore Estate. Every night she visits her mother in the forest, eager to learn the ways of the catamount...Categorized as:
animals children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
![Serafina and the Splintered Heart by Robert Beatty, Битти Роберт]()
Serafina and the Splintered Heart by Robert Beatty, Битти Роберт
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe storms are coming.... Something has happened to Serafina. She has awoken into a darkness she does not understand, scarred from a terrible battle, only to find that life at Biltmore Estate has changed in unimaginable ways. Old friends do unthinkable things and enemies seem all around...Categorized as:
animals children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
![Battle of the Boss-Monster: A Branches Book by Troy Cummings]()
Battle of the Boss-Monster: A Branches Book by Troy Cummings
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina... -
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![March of the Vanderpants by Troy Cummings]()
March of the Vanderpants by Troy Cummings
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!In book 12, the S.S.M.P... -
![A Mind Full of Murder by Derek Landy]()
A Mind Full of Murder by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA bone-shaking new trilogy begins – the latest adventure in the bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant seriesSIX YEARS AGO, THE UNIVERSE ENDED.When it restarted, blinking back into existence, it brought with it a darkness that remains hidden from the mortal population.A week ago – fuelled by unimaginable hatred and unstoppable rage – a masked sorcerer killed one of those mortals. Then he killed another... -
![Under a Blue Moon by Steve Higgs]()
Under a Blue Moon by Steve Higgs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is a prequel to the Blue Moon series. It tells about Tempest Michaels' first day as a paranormal detective... -
![Gobbelino London & A Complication of Unicorns by Kim M. Watt]()
Gobbelino London & A Complication of Unicorns by Kim M. Watt
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“Unicorns never were that bright,” I said. “That’s why they’re the only kind to stab their own entire species into extinction.”“Not quite the entire species,” Callum said.When a man from Callum’s past turns up at our door claiming to have lost both the last herd of unicorns in England and his sister, I knew it should be a hard pass. The past has teeth... -
![The Teacher from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler, Jared Lee]()
The Teacher from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler, Jared Lee
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsOn the first day of school, a boy expects only the worst when he discovers that his new teacher is the "monstrous" Mrs. Green. Spotlight editions are printed on high-quality paper and with reinforced library bindings specifically printed for the library market. Grades PreK-4... -
![The Book of Riley 5 by Mark Tufo, Sean Runnette]()
The Book of Riley 5 by Mark Tufo, Sean Runnette
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAfter being separated from her pack and left for dead, Riley, a fearless American bulldog, teams up with an unexpected ally on her quest to find the final path home. Together they face the harshness of the wilderness, the rage of the "deaders", and the murderous intent of the "two-leggers". Sometimes, man is far from a dog's best friend... -
![Pop of the Bumpy Mummy by Troy Cummings, Niloufar Amanzadeh]()
Pop of the Bumpy Mummy by Troy Cummings, Niloufar Amanzadeh
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA creepy mummy monster is on the loose in Stermont!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina... -
![The Creakers by Tom Fletcher]()
The Creakers by Tom Fletcher
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAt night, this mischievous bunch peeks out from under your bed. When you hear that creak . . . creak . . . THE CREAKERS are there! Discover a hilarious and eerie middle-grade story by a UK star...Categorized as:
children friendship humor action-adventure audiobook book children-books contemporary -
![Return of the Vampire by Geronimo Stilton]()
Return of the Vampire by Geronimo Stilton
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBreakout star Creepella von Cacklefur is back in another fur-raising adventure! A mysterious old friend of Grandpa Frankenstein shows up one night on the doorstep of Cacklefur Castle. He's a vampire . . . and he needs the von Cacklefur family's help... -
![The Strangers by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell]()
The Strangers by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOlive thought she'd uncovered all the house's secrets. She was wrong.It's Halloween night when strangers come to Linden Street...and something dear to Olive goes missing... -
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![A Darkening of Dragons by S.A. Patrick]()
A Darkening of Dragons by S.A. Patrick
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEmbark on an epic, dragon-filled adventure where music has the power of enchantment in Book One of the Songs of Magic trilogy.Thirteen-year-old piper, Patch Brightwater, is a boy in disgrace. Thrown in jail for playing a forbidden spell, he is no one's idea of a hero... -
![This Hotel Is Haunted! by Geronimo Stilton]()
This Hotel Is Haunted! by Geronimo Stilton
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEach Geronimo Stilton book is fast-paced, with lively full-color art and a unique format kids 7-10 will love.My good friend Hercule Poirat and I were called to investigate mysterious events in the famouse Grand Hotel in New Mouse City. There was a ghost haunting the hotel and scaring guests! It was wearing armor and carrying a ball and chain... -
![The Second Spy by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell]()
The Second Spy by Jacqueline West, Lexy Fridell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn Olive's third adventure, what lurks below the house could be as dangerous as what's hidden inside . . . Some terrifying things have happened to Olive in the old stone house, but none as scary as starting junior high. Or so she thinks. When she plummets through a hole in her backyard, though, she realizes two things that may change her mind: First, the wicked Annabelle McMartin is back... -
![Obsesi by Lexie Xu]()
Obsesi by Lexie Xu
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHalo, namaku Jenny Angkasa dan hidupku saat ini bagaikan deretan mimpi buruk. Pertama-tama, aku dimusuhi Hanny, cewek paling populer di sekolah yang tadinya adalah sahabatku satu-satunya. Mantan sohibku itu kini menganggapku lebih rendah daripada amuba, bahkan aku dikutuk untuk menjalani hidup sial selamanya... -
![Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty, فاطمه طاهری]()
Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty, فاطمه طاهری
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMove without a sound. Steal without a trace.Willa, a young night-spirit, is her clan's best thief. She creeps into the cabins of the day-folk under cover of darkness and takes what they won't miss. It's dangerous work--the day-folk kill whatever they don't understand--but Willa will do anything to win the approval of the padaran, the charismatic leader of the Faeran people...Categorized as:
animals children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
![The Haunted Howl by Eric Luper]()
The Haunted Howl by Eric Luper
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCleo and Evan have a secret. A collection of books so dangerous they are locked up tight. A friend has vanished inside the pages of one of them. It's up to them to find the key that will set her free. THE CURSE OF THE FULL MOON MUST BE BROKEN!On a dark and stormy night, Cleo and Evan are haunted by a disaster... -
![Dead Good Detectives by Jenny McLachlan]()
Dead Good Detectives by Jenny McLachlan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSid Jones loves hanging out in the graveyard with her best friend Zen - they are desperate to see a real-life ghost!But when Sid accidentally summons a 300-year-old pirate from the dead, it opens the door to the HALFWAY HOUSE - a magical inn FULL of lost souls from across the ages, all trapped there by a sinister landlord... -
![Ride for Your Life! by Geronimo Stilton]()
Ride for Your Life! by Geronimo Stilton
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBreakout star Creepella von Cacklefur is back in another fur-raising adventure!The fair has come to Mysterious Valley! Creepella is looking to forward a fun, thrilling day of rides and games with her family and friends... -
![The Mystery of the Griefer's Mark by Winter Morgan]()
The Mystery of the Griefer's Mark by Winter Morgan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSteve is back and ready for more adventures! But this time the excitement lands closer to home. While walking home from the village, Steve is surprised to hear a loud BOOM! When he returns home, he finds his wheat farm destroyed and a huge crater where the wheat once grew. And his diamond sword is missing! Steve believes it’s the act of a griefer with a lot of TNT...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
![The Science Fair Is Freaky!: #4 by Jack Chabert]()
The Science Fair Is Freaky!: #4 by Jack Chabert
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen the school gym transforms into a giant volcano, Sam Graves and his friends have to figure out how to fight hot lava and discover what secrets are in the strange, old book they just found. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Spotlight is a division of ABDO...Categorized as:
children friendship action-adventure book children-books fiction horror middle-grade -
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![Day of the Night Crawlers by Troy Cummings]()
Day of the Night Crawlers by Troy Cummings
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsThis series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina... -
![Secret Vengeance by F. Paul Wilson]()
Secret Vengeance by F. Paul Wilson
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEveryone loves senior Carson Toliver, the captain and quarterback of the football team, heartthrob of South Burlington County Regional High—especially the girls. Even Jack's best friend Weezy has a crush on him. And unlike most of the popular kids at school, he's not stuck up. Jack even sees him defending a piney kid who is being bullied in the hall...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books coming-of-age -
![Shadowghast by Thomas Taylor, Tom Booth]()
Shadowghast by Thomas Taylor, Tom Booth
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the third mysterious tale of Eerie-on-Sea, it’s almost Ghastly Night, and the Shadowghast—an ancient spirit in a lantern—lurks in wait for the power to enslave the town...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books fiction -
![Amelia Fang and the Unicorns of Glitteropolis by Laura Ellen Anderson]()
Amelia Fang and the Unicorns of Glitteropolis by Laura Ellen Anderson
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe second book in a hilarious illustrated middle-grade POB series for reluctant readers starring a vampire girl, Amelia Fang. Welcome to the world of Nocturnia, where darkness reigns supreme, glitter is terrifying, and unicorns are the stuff of nightmares!Amelia Fang and her friends love their dark and gloomy world of Nocturnia... -
![Fright Night by Geronimo Stilton]()
Fright Night by Geronimo Stilton
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt's time for Mysterious Valley's most anticipated competition of the year! The mouse who performs the best rhymes for the public and judges will be crowned Greatest Poet. Creepella's father, Boris von Cacklefur, has a secret weapon for the championship this year--he's going to improvise a rap . . -
![Apocalypse Kings by Derek Landy]()
Apocalypse Kings by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA brand new Skulduggery Pleasant novella for World Book Day: a hilarious and thrilling standalone story in the internationally bestselling series – perfect for new readers, and essential for Skulduggery fans…Three ancient gods are freed from their prison with only one desire: to destroy the planet and everyone on it... -
![The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst]()
The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSophie loves the hidden shop below her parents' bookstore, where dreams are secretly bought and sold. When the dream shop is robbed and her parents go missing, Sophie must unravel the truth to save them. Together with her best friend—a wisecracking and fanatically loyal monster named Monster—she must decide whom to trust with her family’s carefully guarded secrets... -
![Captivada by Jacqueline West]()
Captivada by Jacqueline West
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWith no way into the McMartin house's magical paintings, and its three guardian cats reluctant to help, Olive's friend Morton is still trapped inside Elsewhere. So when Rutherford, the new oddball kid next door mentions a grimoire--a spellbook--Olive sees a glint of hope. If she can find the McMartins' spellbook, maybe she can help Morton escape Elsewhere for good...Categorized as:
animals cats children friendship humor action-adventure alternate-universe audiobook -
![The Doghouse by Jan Thomas]()
The Doghouse by Jan Thomas
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMouse, Pig, Cow, and Duck are playing a carefree game of ball when (horror of horrors!) their ball gets kicked into . . . the doghouse... -
![Attack of the Shadow Smashers by Troy Cummings]()
Attack of the Shadow Smashers by Troy Cummings
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsMonsters, monsters, everywhere!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches. Aimed at 5- to 7-year-olds, this line of books is for children who are just starting to read independently. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina... -
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![Seize The Night by Dean Koontz]()
Seize The Night by Dean Koontz
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThere are no rules in the dark, no place to feel safe, no escape from the shadows. But to save the day, you must...Seize the Night.At no time does Moonlight Bay look more beautiful than at night. Yet it is precisely then that the secluded little town reveals its menace. Now children are disappearing. From their homes. From the streets. And there's nothing their families can do about it... -
![The Locker Ate Lucy by Jack Chabert]()
The Locker Ate Lucy by Jack Chabert
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSam Graves's school is ALIVE!In the second book in the Eerie Elementary series, Sam Graves's friend Lucy disappears into her locker! Sam and his friend Antonio follow a trail of clues that leads them through the locker and deep inside the school...Categorized as:
children friendship action-adventure book children-books fiction horror middle-grade -
![Gustav Gloom and the Nightmare Vault by Adam-Troy Castro]()
Gustav Gloom and the Nightmare Vault by Adam-Troy Castro
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn Gustav Gloom and the Nightmare Vault, Fernie and Gustav find themselves battling another shadowy foe--The Shadow Eater. He is after one thing, The Nightmare Vault, which his master, the evil Lord Obsidian, will use to unleash the most terrifying and threatening shadows into the world... -
![The Pinstripe Ghost by David A. Kelly]()
The Pinstripe Ghost by David A. Kelly
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBatting second—book #2 in a brand-new early chapter book mystery series where each book is set in a different American ballpark! Mike and Kate are waiting for Kate's mom at a boring press conference in Yankee Stadium when the team official says something that makes Mike perk up his ears...Categorized as:
children law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books exploration fiction horror -
![The Loch Ness Punster by Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise]()
The Loch Ness Punster by Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the seventh and final installment of the popular 43 Old Cemetery Road series, twelve-year-old Seymour Hope has inherited a castle in Loch Ness, Scotland. It could be the perfect summer vacation spot for Seymour and his parents, Olive C. Spence and Ignatius B. Grumply. But Iggy wants nothing to do with the castle...Categorized as:
animals children humor law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books epistolary -
![Ghost in the Attic by Dori Hillestad Butler]()
Ghost in the Attic by Dori Hillestad Butler
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA brand-new young chapter book series from Edgar Award winner Dori Hillestad Butler! After successfully solving the mystery of the ghost in the library, Kaz and Claire land the first case for their detective agency--a haunted attic in a neighbor's home! With a little help from Grannie, Kaz and Claire discover that what appeared to be something spooky has a much simpler explanation...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books contemporary fiction -
![Brute-Cake: A Branches Book by Troy Cummings]()
Brute-Cake: A Branches Book by Troy Cummings
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA brand-new, monster-filled, action-packed, early chapter book series from the bestselling author-illustrator of The Notebook of Doom!Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers... -
![Sleep Writer by Keith Robinson]()
Sleep Writer by Keith Robinson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEverything changes for twelve-year-old Liam when a girl moves in next door. Madison is fifteen, pretty, and much weirder than she seems. Sometimes when she's sound asleep, she scrawls a message on a notepad by her pillow. She finds these cryptic words when she wakes the next morning – a time and a place... -
![The Unicorn’s Tale by R.L. LaFevers, Kelly Murphy]()
The Unicorn’s Tale by R.L. LaFevers, Kelly Murphy
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIs there no rest for the travel worn and weary? Not if you're Nathaniel Fludd, the world's youngest beastologist-in-training! All Nate really wants is to track down his missing parents, but when a unicorn falls mysteriously ill, Nate's Aunt Phil makes it clear where a beastologist's duty lies: to the beasts... -
![The Mask Of Destiny by Richard Newsome]()
The Mask Of Destiny by Richard Newsome
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe police have finally caught the evil murderer Sir Mason Green. The third casket and whatever treasure it contains can remain a secret just as the Fraternity wished, and Gerald can relax and enjoy his billions. Or can he?At his trial, Green drops dead in the dock. Forensic testing shows that he was poisoned by a dart—and Gerald’s DNA is on the blowgun...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books family fiction -
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![The Vampire Bunny by James Howe, Jeff Mack]()
The Vampire Bunny by James Howe, Jeff Mack
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHarold the dog thinks the Monroes' new pet rabbit is just a cute little bunny. But when the vegetables in the Monroes' kitchen start turning white, Chester the cat is worried. Could Bunnicula be a vampire bunny? Chester will stop at nothing to protect the Monroes and their vegetables from the threat... -
![Creepella von Cacklefur #3: Ghost Pirate Treasure by Geronimo Stilton]()
Creepella von Cacklefur #3: Ghost Pirate Treasure by Geronimo Stilton
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBreakout star Creepella von Cacklefur is back in another fur-raising adventure!Oh, no! Billy Squeakspeare has a big problem, and he needs Creepella's help. Someone's been digging holes around Squeakspeare Mansion at night, and Billy wants to find out who it is... -
![Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur T. Bradley]()
Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur T. Bradley
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKendra Levin, while at Viking, acquired world rights to Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by middle-grade author Fleur Bradley, pitched as in the tradition of The Westing Game with a touch of Clue. Aneeka Kalia will edit. Five murder suspects are invited to the haunted Barclay Hotel, and it's up to the tag-along kids JJ and Penny—and a ghost—to figure out who committed the crime...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
![Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick]()
Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt could be the mysterious bloodstained man who tries to stop their coach, or the fact no one seems to be around at the brand-new activity centre when Lance and the rest of his class arrive for the Year 6 school trip, but something is definitely not right at Crater Lake! What follows is a fight for survival that sees five pupils band together to save their classmates from an alien fate far worse... -
![Legend of the Ghost Dog by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel]()
Legend of the Ghost Dog by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA thrilling mystery set against a stark landscape and the inspiration of Nome's real-life dog hero, Balto.Twelve-year-old Tee didn't think she believed in ghosts . . . until a walk in the woods around her new rural Alaskan home changes her mind. She and her beagle, Henry, are stalked by a wolfish, decidedly spooky shadow. There's something out there - and it's not of this world...Categorized as:
animals children dogs friendship law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books -
![Gilda Joyce: The Ghost Sonata by Jennifer Allison]()
Gilda Joyce: The Ghost Sonata by Jennifer Allison
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen her best friend, Wendy Choy, qualifies to compete in an international piano competition in Oxford, England, irrepressible Gilda Joyce finds a way to get an invitation herself—as a page-turner. Wendy settles into an exhausting practice schedule, made worse by strange nightmares, while Gilda finds herself falling in love with a British boy...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook book children-books
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