Jennifer Killick
Jennifer Killick has written numerous books for children. She loves to visit schools and festivals and talk with children about books. Her first horror story, Crater Lake, was selected as a bookbuzz title by the UK reading charity BookTrust.
Books by Jennifer Killick
Read, Scream, Repeat
by Jennifer Killick
A creepy collection of short stories curated by England's queen of horror books for 9-12 year olds. This anthology has 13 spooky stories by 13 writers. Perfect for getting a reluctant reader to pick up a book.
Deadly Deep
by Jennifer Killick
Want to start at the beginning of the series? The first book, Dread Wood, made our best books for kids 2022 list.
In our interview with the author, Jennifer Killick recommends the Best Horror Novels for 9-12 Year Olds.
Dread Wood (book 4). Thriller books for kids with the scares well balanced by humour. Age 9+
Flock Horror
by Jennifer Killick
Want to start at the beginning of the series? The first book, Dread Wood, made our best books for kids 2022 list.
In our interview with the author, Jennifer Killick recommends the Best Horror Novels for 9-12 Year Olds.
Dread Wood (book 3). Thriller books for kids with the scares well balanced by humour. Age 9+
“Jennifer Killick started off writing funny books, and then she published Crater Lake, which has the combination of being funny and being a bit scary, which is really hard to do…Yes, Crater Lake does have freaky alien wasps and spores and mind control that turns people into bug-eyed zombies, but they’re not reanimated dead people. It’s probably more accurate to say it has an Invasion of the Body Snatchers vibe. It’s set in a residential camp and there are aliens and a huge hole in the ground and people are behaving in a strange way.” Read more...
The Best Science Fiction Books for 8-12 Year Olds
Dan Smith, Children's Author
Fear Ground
by Jennifer Killick
Dread Wood (book 2). Thriller books for kids with the scares well balanced by humour. Age 9+
Dread Wood
by Jennifer Killick
Fast paced and full of macabre humour, this is a gripping read for children who enjoy thrillers. Four 12 year olds turn up at school for a Saturday detention, which they soon rename “deathention” as things go from bizarre to terrifying. While they figure out what is going on and in getting to know each other outside their normal environment, the children do some reflecting and come out of the experience more thoughtful and aware of the effect their actions can have on others. A word of warning: better not get this book for an arachnophobe.
Ages 9-12
Interviews with Jennifer Killick
Best Horror Novels for 9-12 Year Olds, recommended by Jennifer Killick
Adults sometimes worry that horror novels are too scary for children, but children’s author Jennifer Killick is a fan. Here she picks out five fantastic horror books for 9-12 year olds and explains that in addition to the sheer fun of reading a thriller, horror books can help kids develop courage and often appeal to reluctant readers.
Interviews where books by Jennifer Killick were recommended
The Best Science Fiction Books for 8-12 Year Olds, recommended by Dan Smith
There needs to be a lot more sci-fi for kids, especially if it’s got a good dose of horror, argues Dan Smith, author of the sci-fi mystery series Crooked Oak. He recommends five works of science fiction for 8 to 12 year olds, from books written more than half a century ago to more recent jewels.
