In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories
by Alvin Schwartz
Picture book · ages 8–12 · grades 3–7 · 600L · 63 pages · 1991
Why we'd hand it over
The gold standard campfire-story book—fast reads, genuine chills without gore, and the illustrations are just creepy enough to stick; kids reread it constantly once they realize they can handle the fear.