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On Halloween, a suspenseful scary story is all it takes to captivate your middle and high students and get them invested in their reading. Here are seven spine-chilling scary short stories your secondary ELA students will love to read on Halloween.
Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
In “Lamb to the Slaughter,” poor Mary loses her husband after he is attacked at home. Will police ever find out who committed the crime? Will they ever find the murder weapon? All poor Mary can do is cook the murder weapon. I mean dinner. This story is perfect to discuss character motivation and irony.
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
In “The Most Dangerous Game,” students will be shocked when they realize what General Zaroff is hunting. He couldn't possibly hunt a guest, could he? This story works well for teaching mood, imagery, and descriptive language. Click here for a free story unit for “The Most Dangerous Game.”
The Landlady by Roald Dahl
In “The Landlady,” young Billy leaves home for work and stays at a nice boarding house. What could possibly go wrong while staying with a sweet old woman who loves taxidermy? Students love the twist in this story, and it’s a great story to use when discussing foreshadowing.
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor vows to get revenge, and poor Fortunato has no idea what's coming for him. Secondary students love revenge stories, and the end is always shocking. This short story is full of verbal and situational irony, and you can also use it to discuss unreliable narrators.
The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury
In “The Pedestrian,” Leonard goes for an evening stroll, and students can’t believe what happens to him. I mean, what's wrong with going for a walk? This post apocalyptic story has beautiful imagery and descriptive language, and it lends itself well to discussions on mood.
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Before reading “The Lottery,” students always see a lottery as a prize. They never see the twist coming. Skimming through the story after their first read, students will see foreshadowing throughout the entire story and wonder why they didn't catch on.
Three Skeleton Key by Georges-Gustave Toudouze
In the short story "Three Skeleton Key," three men take jobs working in a lighthouse on a small island with a bad reputation. Unexpected visitors turn their work into a nightmare. This is a great short story to teach suspense.
As you embark on Halloween reading with your middle and high school students, I hope these scary stories not only evoke shivers but also ignite a passion for reading and literary analysis. Happy Halloween, and may your classroom be filled with the thrill of spooky tales and unexpected twists!
Short Story Units
The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
The Landlady by Roald Dahl
Three Skeleton Key by Georges-Gustave Toudouze
Scary Story Bundle (3 Story Bundle)