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Are You Afraid of the Dark? book cover 1
Are You Afraid of the Dark? book cover 2
Are You Afraid of the Dark? book cover 3
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Series · 20
books · 1995-1998

Books in series

Tale of the Sinister Statues book cover
#1

Tale of the Sinister Statues

1995

Dustin Strauss and his sister, Brianne, are sure something weird is going on at their local museum. Their friend Tim disappeared after he was caught drawing a mustache on a statue. The new security guard looks like an ancient warrior. Every day a different statue is missing. And then there's the curator, Thaddeus Stone, who hates kids and spends his nights working in the museum... When the class bully disappears, Dustin and Brianne plan to sneak into the museum to look for proof they can show to the police. But a terrifying chase through the darkened museum only brings them face-to-face with an ancient evil!
The Tale of the Cutter's Treasure book cover
#2

The Tale of the Cutter's Treasure

1995

Kidnapped! Rush Keegan is a perfectly normal kid with a totally annoying younger brother named Max. So what could he possibly have to do with Jonas Cutter—a mysterious and deadly pirate whose spectacular treasure was paid for with the lives of a hundred innocent sailors? Plenty. Rush is about to embark on a dangerous quest to rescue his little brother. With the help of a family ghost and a doctor named Vink, Rush must confront the bloodthirsty pirate Cutter—who has been dead for over two hundred years!
The Tale of the Restless House book cover
#3

The Tale of the Restless House

1995

Time-Warped! Nathan Forrester plans to scare Adam Ingram out of his wits. He's found the perfect place: haunted Hawkins House. And gorgeous Kendra Collins has agreed to bait the trap. But when Adam and Kendra and their friends open the door, they find only Nathan's backpack, loaded with Halloween tricks. Nathan is missing. Then they hear a scream. . . It's up to Adam to discover the secret of Hawkins House, where a terrifying past lurks behind each door. Where their only way out is death. . .
The Tale of the Secret Mirror book cover
#5

The Tale of the Secret Mirror

1995

Crossover Kim Chen's furious. Her little brother Doug has found her secret hiding place in the attic. She's determined to get rid of him. So to scare him away, she tells him there's a witch in the mirror who will come out if she calls "Mirror Maggie" three times. And she threatens to do just that if he won't stay out of her space. She beings to chant the magic words. . . That night Kim hears someone creeping up the spiral staircase to the attic. Then she hears a shriek. It's Doug. Or is it? Soon she's swept into a sinister world where nothing is as it seems. . . a place where she and her family may well be imprisoned forever. Unless Kim can find a way out. . .
The Tale of the Phantom School Bus book cover
#6

The Tale of the Phantom School Bus

1996

The Wrong Bus! It's too late to get off. "Sorry, son," says the driver, closing the door. Why do the kids have such empty, haunted gazes? "Help us! It's barely a whisper. They're looking at him with pleading eyes. The bus is picking up speed. Joey's scared. "Let me off!" he yells. But the driver can't stop. He's lost control. It's Joey's last chance as he forces the door open, tumbles to the ground—and sees the bus plummet over the cliff, into the fog. . . It must be a dream. But it's not. The next time Joey's ready for school the bus will be waiting. Just for him. . .
The Tale of the Ghost Riders book cover
#7

The Tale of the Ghost Riders

1996

Stampede! Josh feels all alone since his wild and crazy brother Will died. Now he's galloping toward trouble with his new friend Carlos as they trail an old Native American skinwalker to a cave amidst ancient ruins, hoping to discover his magic. When a mountain lion corners Josh and scares Carlos away, the skinwalker reappears with a warning: unless Josh changes his ways he'll come to a bad end like Will. If he's looking for trouble, the desert will give him trouble. The desert is watching. Will is watching—from Beyond. But the boys can't resist the chance to get even with an enemy rancher. That's when the pale riders arrive, thundering down from the sky. . .
The Tale of the Deadly Diary book cover
#8

The Tale of the Deadly Diary

1996

Revenge! It's bound in black leather with a gold lock and key, a beautiful new diary to replace the one that Elizabeth's snoopy little sister Karen read. . .and Elizabeth destroyed in a fit of anger. This time, Karen will sneak a peek at her peril. Elizabeth has poured out a spiteful message on its gold-edged pages. "Karen, beware. This is a magic diary, and if you read it, the goblins will come to punish you." Curious, Karen reads the diary. . .and believes Elizabeth's warning. There are thumps and screams in the night. Karen has seen the goblins. . .has felt their evil breath. They are coming to get her. Elizabeth has had her revenge. Of course, there are no goblins. Or are there?
The Tale of the Curious Cat book cover
#10

The Tale of the Curious Cat

1996

An Eye for an Eye! Natalie Holland has always been a bit too curious for her own good. She knows she should just mind her own business, but she can't resist the unknown. When Natalie and her little sister Carey stop at a strange booth at the local crafts fair, Natalie is instantly drawn to both Shadow, a sinister-looking black cat, and the carved wooden cat behind a sign that says, "BEWARE! DO NOT TOUCH." Curious Natalie can't resist. But the minute she picks up the carved cat, she sets off a chain of events that ends when Shadow races off his perch. . .and straight into a speeding car. Shadow's mysterious owner Wanda vows Natalie will pay for her curiosity. Shadow is waiting to return from the dead—and Natalie is going to help him. Unfortunately, she only has one life to give. . .
The Tale of the Zero Hero book cover
#11

The Tale of the Zero Hero

1997

The Haunting! Simon and his family have just moved back to their old hometown, back to the old family house, and, unfortunately, back to the old family curse. Simon is less than thrilled, and also a little spooked. No one believes him when he says the house is haunted. But Simon has seen the ghost of his great-grandfather Thomas, a notorious coward in World War I, roaming the halls at night. Maybe it's just a dream. But then Simon dozes off and awakens in the trenches of a battlefield in France, trapped with Thomas in a hailstorm of bombs. . . There's no exit from this nightmare. Thomas needs Simon to save his life and reputation. Simon must change history—or he'll be lost in time, stripped of his future by a ghost from his family's past. . .
The Tale of the Shimmering Shell book cover
#12

The Tale of the Shimmering Shell

1997

DANGEROUS CURRENTS! "Why can't you all just go away and leave me alone!" Glynis Barrons is about to wish she'd never uttered those fateful words to her father, stepmother, and brother. The four of them are vacationing in an isolated bungalow on Seawrack Island, and Glynis has had about enough of her new family. Little does she know, however, that her anger will be powerful enough to summon a dark force from its prison deep within a shell...a force that has been festering for many years, eagerly awaiting its chance to break free and resume its evil reign. Sure, Glynis wants everyone to disappear for a while. But not forever... Cover art by John Youssi
The TALE OF THE THREE WISHES ARE YOU AFRAID OF TH book cover
#13

The TALE OF THE THREE WISHES ARE YOU AFRAID OF TH

1997

Dreaming of becoming a hero, Duncan is granted three wishes by the mysterious owner of the comic book store and wishes to become a superhero, but his new powers prove more than he can handle. Original.
The Tale of the Campfire Vampires book cover
#14

The Tale of the Campfire Vampires

1997

Zeke can't wait for canoe camp to end. His gung-ho cousin Doug and the counsellor's silly stories of wendigos - monsters that haunt the Maine woods - bore him stiff. Then he inadvertently loosens a strange rock off a mossy mound and the wendigos are soon tearing their way out with slimy claws.
The Tale of the Bad-Tempered Ghost book cover
#15

The Tale of the Bad-Tempered Ghost

1997

Inadvertently releasing a poltergeist every time he gets mad, Danny fears his life is falling apart and turns for help to his new friend, Abby, in order to put the ghost to rest. Original.
The Tale of the Souvenir Shop book cover
#16

The Tale of the Souvenir Shop

1997

Emil and Julianna are trapped in a winter wonderland—inside a giant snow globe! Cover glows in the dark.
The Tale of the Ghost Cruise book cover
#17

The Tale of the Ghost Cruise

1998

A luxury cruise turns into a nightmare when a ghost warns Merle Devereaux and Norris Beachum that they're headed for disaster. Featured on Nick's website (Nick.com)
The Tale of the Stalking Shadow book cover
#19

The Tale of the Stalking Shadow

1998

Rumors about a ghost aren't going to stop Hadley Heering from working at Mrs. Valimon's mansion. The old lady needs a companion, and besides, Hadley is too sensible to believe in ghosts. Luckily, she's also too smart to deny the truth. Because there is something in the mansion—something dark and evil—that only Hadley and the old woman can see, and it's growing stronger every day. Unless Hadley can unlock its terrible secret, this won't be just her first job—it will be her last! .
The Tale of the Egyptian Mummies book cover
#20

The Tale of the Egyptian Mummies

1998

Annie and Laura must combat two Egyptian mummies, remnants of an ancient cabal of witches who are raising hell, and hundreds of rats, at a midwestern university.
The Tale of the Terrible Toys book cover
#21

The Tale of the Terrible Toys

Are You Afraid of the Dark? No.21

1998

When Carter discovers a wooden chest full of old toys, he's surprised to findthat they are alive.
The Tale of the Mogul Monster book cover
#22

The Tale of the Mogul Monster

1998

Alone With a Monster! Dmitri—or Dee as he's better known—has a secret. An orphan with a lot of money waiting for him in a trust fund, Dee enjoys everything money can buy, including cool snowboarding gear and a fantasy X-treme sports vacation. So what's Dee's worry? He hates to be alone. That's why he's in huge trouble when a wild avalanche roars down the some big slopes. Separated from the other snowboarders, Dee notices some big, big footprints in the snow. Strange. They look too big for a wolf, too big for a bear. Dee can feel it: He's being watched. Something big and dark and hairy is looming behind him, and it's getting closer, and closer....
The Tale of the Horrifying Hockey Team book cover
#23

The Tale of the Horrifying Hockey Team

1998

Ice Scream! When John and Sanjay and the rest of their champion ice-hockey team show up at the frozen pond where they always play, they're startled to find another group of guys already on the ice. The challenge is on: Winning team gets pond rights. But the other team's not laying fair. It's as if they need to win—or else. Their eyes glitter, their skin feels icy to the touch. Where did these guys come from? Two games later, John and his teammates are exhausted and even more determined to win. Then the other team's goalie whispers fiercely to John, "Next game, no survivors." The clock ticks. Only seconds remain in the game. Then the ice cracks open. . .

Authors

Diana G. Gallagher
Diana G. Gallagher
Author · 53 books

Diana G. Gallagher was an American author who wrote books for children and young adults. She also wrote the space opera The Alien Dark (1990), but was best known for her tie-in work for television properties including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, Star Trek and The Secret World of Alex Mack, among others. She was also a prolific filk creator, winning Pegasus Awards in 1986 and ’94. Gallagher won a Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 1988 under the name Diana Gallagher Wu. She sometimes also wrote under the name Diana Burke. Born in 1946, in Paterson, New Jersey, she lived in Florida with her husband, the writer Martin R. Burke, who predeceased her in 2011. Gallagher was married four times; her third marriage was to author William F. Wu (divorced 1990). Gallagher died December 2, 2021 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 75 years of age.

Richard Lee Byers
Richard Lee Byers
Author · 45 books
A resident of the Tampa Bay area, Richard spends much of his leisure time fencing, playing poker, shooting pool and is a frequent guest at Florida science-fiction conventions. His current projects include new novels set in the Forgotten Realms universe and the eBook post-apocalyptic superhero series The Impostor.
Alice Eve Cohen
Alice Eve Cohen
Author · 3 books
Alice Eve Cohen is a writer and solo theatre artist. Her new memoir, THE YEAR MY MOTHER CAME BACK, is published by Algonquin Books, March 31, 2015. Winner of Elle's Magazine Grand Prize for Nonfiction, Oprah Magazine’s 25 Best Books of Summer, and Salon's Best Books of the Year for her memoir, "What I Thought I Knew" (Penguin). She has written for Nickelodeon, CTW, and CBS, and has toured her solo shows nationally and internationally. Alice has received fellowships and grants from the NYS Council on the Arts and the NEA. She graduated from Princeton University and got her MFA from The New School. Alice teaches at The New School and lives with her family in New York City. She is currently working on a novel.
Bobbi J.G. Weiss
Bobbi J.G. Weiss
Author · 13 books

Hi! Bobbi here. I specialize in media creative writing: developing/writing online games and MMORPGs, books, comics, animation, and other products that tie into film and television shows, as well as the development and creation of new tie-in products. I've written everything from Nickelodeon’s RIDE novelizations and Disney's PIXIE HOLLOW MMO to interactive ebooks based on the Mooshka doll line and an original non-fiction text published by Heinemann entitled WRITING IS ACTING: HOW TO IMPROVE THE WRITER’S ONPAGE PERFORMANCE. I've also self-published—an original horror novel that involves the Peter Pan mythos entitled HOOKED (Publishers Weekly gave it a great review!). You can find my entire resume and cover gallery at http://www.BobbiJGWeiss.com. I also post Facebook, tumblr, twitter and other social media sites. Find links to my social profiles on my website.

David Seidman
David Seidman
Author · 8 books

David Seidman is a Los Angeles–area journalist, editor, and author who often writes nonfiction for teens. He comes to the topic of atheism with empathy for teenagers and for people in the religious minority, but he’s nobody’s advocate. He has written on topics as diverse as a US president, civil rights, teens in Iran, and holiday lights displays.

V.E. Mitchell
Author · 5 books
Victoria "Vicki" Estelle Mitchell Gustafson is a science fiction author specializing in Star Trek novels.
Clayton Emery
Clayton Emery
Author · 13 books

Clayton Emery is an umpteen-generations Yankee, Navy brat, and aging hippie who grew up playing Robin Hood in the forests of New England. He's been a blacksmith, dishwasher, schoolteacher in Australia, carpenter, zookeeper, farmhand, land surveyor, volunteer firefighter, and award-winning technical writer. He's a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America. Clayton lives with his sweetie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where his ancestors came ashore in 1635. From: http://www.claytonemery.com/CE\_bio.html

Brad Strickland
Brad Strickland
Author · 44 books

William Bradley Strickland (b. 1947) is the author (or co-author) of over 60 novels and over 60 pieces of short fiction and poetry. Born in New Hollard, Strickland earned his Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Georgia. He has taught English courses at the University of Georgia, Oglethorpe University, Truett-McConnell College, and, since 1987, at Gainesville State College. His first novel was 1986's To Stand Beneath the Sun, followed quickly by the books in the Jeremy Moon trilogy. Strickland has shared co-author credit on many of his books: with his wife, Barbara, on stories in the Star Trek and Are You Afraid of the Dark? properties; and with the late author Thomas Fuller, books in the Wishbone series, involving the popular Jack Russell Terrier from the Public Television series of the same name. Strickland and Fuller also collaborated on numerous original works, including the Pirate Hunter series, the Mars: Year One series, and the comedic mystery for adults, The Ghost Finds a Body. After the death of John Bellairs, Strickland was approached by John’s son, Frank, to complete the two books his father had already started; these unfinished manuscripts became The Ghost in the Mirror and The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder. Strickland also wrote two books based on brief plot outlines left by Bellairs: The Drum, the Doll and the Zombie and The Doom of the Haunted Opera. Beginning in 1996, Strickland has kept Bellairs' legacy alive by writing the further adventures of Johnny Dixon and Lewis Barnavelt. Books in the corpus include The Hand of the Necromancer (1996); The Tower at the End of the World (2001); The House Where Nobody Lived (2006); and his most recent title, The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer (2008). In 2001, Strickland won received the Georgia Author of the Year Award, Children's/Young Adult Division, for When Mack Came Back, set in WWII-era Georgia. Strickland says the story "is based on the farm owned by [his] grandfather, where [I] often visited when [I] was a child." Kong: King of Skull Island was released in 2005, an illustrated tale by Strickland, author John Michlig, and fantasy artist Joe DeVito that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the epic story of the legendary ape. Strickland is an active member of the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company, where he writes and performs in numerous audio drama projects. He was awarded the ARTC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. He is married to the former Barabara Justus and has two grown children.

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Are You Afraid of the Dark?