I Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghosts

With the 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters recently celebrated in theaters across the country and Halloween season upon us, it seems like a perfect time to investigate the paranormal for curious kids. Scary stories are fine, but some children may want "real ghost" books and for them these nonfiction titles may satisfy that need.

In A Dark, Dark Room, and Other Scary Stories

Alvin Schwartz, the master of the urban legend, collects some creepy stories based on folklore around the world in this collection for younger readers. Dirk Zimmer's illustrations are an appropriate blend of ghoulish and whimsical. Folklore is a great place to begin to explore ghosts, as tales such as the woman with the green ribbon, and ghosts glimpsed in the night who return to the graveyard, have become so ingrained in our culture that they seem to have a ring of authenticity.

Detective Handbook

For any junior amateur ghost hunter, this handbook is sure to be a must-read. It includes information on ghost behavior and identification, peak times and places for hunting, and a quintessential feature for any serious researcher: a place to document encounters. Happy hunting!

Creepy Chicago

Of course, Chicago kids will be curious to explore the haunted sites in their hometown with renowned tour guide Ursula Bielski. The leading authority on Chicago's ghosts explores such notorious sites as creepy cemetery Bachelor's Grove, Archer Avenue with its famous roadside phantoms, and the animated graves of Calvary Cemetery. This sounds like a fun family road trip in the making.

Ghost Of Maria Marten from Wikimedia Commons, uploaded from source http://www.murderfiles.com/images/marie_ghost.jpg