Book of Screams

  • Illustrated By: Steven P. Hughes
  • Pages:176
  • Publisher:Orca Book Publishers
  • Series: Book of Screams
  • Themes:scary stories, weird tales, dark comedy, science fiction, nightmares
  •  
  • Available:09/12/2023
  • Lexile:690L
  • ATOS:4.7
  • Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient:X
Paperback
9781459834095
$14.95
Ebook
9781459834118 LICENSE OPTIONS
$11.99

Tanya is a huge fan of horror author Joel Southland...AND he's coming to visit her school!

Even though she is his biggest fan, she barely gets a chance to say hello. But he does give her a signed bookmark: For Tanya. Stay Scared! Reading later that night, she figures it's just her eyes playing tricks on her when she sees the ink on the bookmark move a little. But when the ink slithers toward her, it's too late...

As Tanya tries to get to the bottom of Southland's nefarious schemes, the book is broken up by nine other creepy tales, including one about middle-school horror movie fans who track down the scariest horror movie of all time, another about a kid whose "baby eye" is beginning to fall out, and yet another about a vampire suffering due to a virus that is keeping people indoors. A mix of squirmy, funny and downright terrifying, these tales will leave readers thinking twice about the things that go bump in the night.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

“This well-paced, rather disturbing, and very creepy collection will appeal to a wide variety of readers.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“A collection of scary short stories that run the horror gamut.”

– School Library Journal (SLJ)

“This chilling collection of short stories is a perfect choice for middle-grade readers who crave a good scare. It cleverly combines spine-tingling tales with a wraparound story that adds a layer of mystery and suspense…A great introduction to horror for younger readers. It’s both entertaining and suspenseful, leaving you guessing until the very end.”

– Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)

“For student writers exploring the elements of short stories, Book of Screams could be a source of exemplars and inspiration.”

– BC Books for Schools
Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard Selection   | 2023  |  Commended
Young Readers' Choice Book Awards of British Columbia (YRCABC) Red Cedar Book Awards - Fiction   | 2025  |  Nominated
Forest of Reading Red Maple Award   | 2025  |  Nominated
BC Books for Schools   | 2023  |  Commended

Download the Book of Screams Chapter Sampler.

Customizable Text and Layout

Text and layout can be adjusted for text size and colour, background colour, and layout to support individual reading preferences.

Described Images

Non-text content includes descriptive text, such as alt-text and long descriptions.

Table of Contents and Structured Navigation

Page elements are labelled and structured in a meaningful sequence.

Screen Reader and Text-to-Speech (TTS) friendly

Structured for screen readers and text-to-speech tools, including assistive technologies and browser plugins.

Bookmarks and Highlights

Add bookmarks and save highlighted passages.

ARIA Roles

ARIA roles clarify semantic elements of this ebook, making it easier for screen readers and assistive technologies to understand the contents of the book.