YA Horror

I keep thinking of something attributed to Alan Moore: most people think horror is a man cutting a tomato at the kitchen counter and then continuing on to slice off his fingers. But horror actually is a man cutting a tomato at the kitchen counter and then the tomato runs up his arm and bites off his ear.  
~Barry Lyga

Do all children who read Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark grow up to read Stephen King? Well, if you're not ready for your teen to advance to adult horror fiction just yet, but they love scary stories, here are some young adults titles to entertain them in the meantime. Or, if you're an adult who loves horror stories, consider trying out young adult versions to see if they're comparable! Several of these titles are recommendations from young adult horror authors Robin Wasserman, Brenna Yovanoff, Barry Lyga, and Daniel Kraus.*

Henry Franks by Peter Adam Salomon

Scowler by Daniel Kraus

The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki (J)

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Clay by David Almond

The Monstrumologist edited by Rick Yancey

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong


Links  

"Monsters, Murder, and Morality: A Graveside Chat about YA Horror Fiction"  (Booklist)*

"Horror in YA Lit Is a Staple, Not a Trend" (School Library Journal)

"12 Creepy YA Books That Should Be Made Into Horror Movies" (Epic Reads)