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The central appeal is Charlie’s comic knack for getting into scrapes, with sibling and friendship dynamics alongside a spooky-house adventure.

A determined girl searches for her missing father in a forest associated with a deadly beast, in a magical Beauty and the Beast retelling.

A picture-book story about a frightened creature trying to be brave, with friendship at its centre and a reunion at the end.

A gentle-feeling story about a dinosaur facing familiar fears, with the focus on gradually becoming braver. Notes and further resources offer an additional way for adults to support discussion.

A folk-tale adventure combines a family’s financial hardship with a haunted-house challenge. Thomas’s kindness to a stranger and his encounter with a frightening ghost are central to his attempt to find treasure.

This is an adventure about learning a demanding warrior’s way while facing pursuit and fear. Jack’s training and the frightening ritual give the story a strong focus on courage under pressure.

This is a supernatural adventure about a boy’s attempt to find his father, alongside a ghostly companion. Horses, fear and mysteries about the past and the wider world shape the premise.

A fantasy quest puts a timid sister in an unfamiliar role: seeking a cure while facing dangers she feels unready for. Sisterly devotion and the search for courage are central.

This is a magical-creature adventure built around a hidden sanctuary, family ties and rules that can be broken. Its central conflict grows from a threat to the refuge and Kendra’s need to face her fears.

Scott is known at school for being afraid, while his best friend Amanda helps him face their younger sister’s frightening antics and trouble from neighbourhood children. At Halloween, they decide to spend time in a creepy old house said to be haunted, hoping to overcome their fears and perhaps get revenge. The outcome is unclear.

A school-and-friendship story centred on Lucy’s place in her group, with her friends’ public exploits providing a contrast to her private fear.

A lively story about a child trying to live up to her own idea of bravery, while navigating school, family relationships and fears at night.

Expect an imaginative fantasy journey centred on a brother and sister. Alongside crystal landscapes, unusual characters and confrontations, the book explores family strain, inner fears, courage, forgiveness and finding a sense of home.

This is an illustrated biography about Alcott’s determination to serve during the Civil War, her nursing of wounded soldiers, serious illness, and the way those experiences informed Hospital Sketches and Little Women.

Expect a cat-centred adventure that combines fear, monsters, friendship and comic mischief.

This is a horse-centred mystery-adventure about Hailey, her friend Elaine, and Freedom, a foal with unusual connections to the past. Suspense grows through a disappearance, a dangerous flood and a threatening adult figure.

This is a supernatural horror adventure about a timid child facing ghostly control. Its central appeal is escalating suspense: a Halloween visit becomes dangerous when The Haunter's instructions grow increasingly threatening.

A cinematic, colourful adventure combines a treasure hunt, historical and mythic mystery, and a partnership between a fearless adventurer and a more peace-minded companion. The visual storytelling appears central, while the protagonist’s appeal may be uneven.

A playful, spooky adventure collection in which ghost-hunting brings together a frightened child and an experienced helper. Expect slimy supernatural imagery, unusual creatures, comic danger and practical-looking ghost-hunting activities.

A spooky friendship adventure set at a carnival, where Gabby becomes uneasy about strange happenings while Sydney refuses to leave. The central appeal is suspense shaped by two friends’ contrasting responses.

A myth-inspired adventure combines family consequences, supernatural threats and a heroine who acts despite fear. The premise offers suspense and humour, while Charlotte’s resistance and choices invite attention to courage under pressure.

A playful imagined expedition with a child and a zebra, suited to shared reading or growing independence. Expect a humorous adventure, while keeping room to discover how fear, courage and illness are handled.

This is a fast-moving fantasy quest about rescuing Gus, uncovering dangerous family secrets and navigating a frightening parallel world. Its emotional centre is Oksa’s determination to protect her friend while facing increasingly perilous trials.

This is a suspenseful animal mystery centred on Sammy’s determination to respond to the threat to his family’s sheep. Its strongest appeal is likely the steadily escalating question of what is killing or taking the animals.

This is a comic adventure about an unwanted camping trip that becomes dangerous when an escaped panther threatens Garfield, Jon and Odie. Humour comes from outdoor mishaps, misunderstandings and Garfield’s reluctant bravery.

Expect a fantastical sea adventure centred on friendship, magical beings and a rescue mission. The clearest tension comes from a mysterious curse, a whirlpool and the protagonists’ stated fear.

This offers elaborate gothic atmosphere, supernatural mystery and visual storytelling, with children confronting disappearances, spirits or monsters and difficult choices.

This is an emotionally charged teen novel about being seen beyond labels. Its central relationship brings together romance, loneliness, grief, bullying, disability-related experience and efforts to reclaim confidence and possibility.

This is a young-reader title in the Babou sequence, written by Lucie Papineau and illustrated by Romi Caron.

A school-based detective adventure follows two sisters as they investigate a threatening note, pursue puzzling clues and confront danger surrounding a newly acquired bronze fountain.

This is a brief, metaphorical story about a sad bird who has stopped flying. A surprising horse offers companionship and a question, while the illustrations and open ending invite readers to imagine what happens next.

A reassuring story about losing a treasured comfort object, nighttime fears and becoming more understanding towards a younger sibling. Bella’s growing bravery is shown through a concrete family problem rather than through a lecture.

Expect a comic adventure built around a very fearful mouse facing a series of jungle challenges. The story offers energetic danger, unusual situations and a central question about coping with fear.

A richly imagined coming-of-age fantasy that joins Cromwell’s England to a fairy-tale realm. Coriander is curious, persistent and resilient, but the story also brings bereavement, coercion, danger and moral conflict into her journey.

This is a humorous but emotionally unsettled school-and-family story about coping when several losses and humiliations arrive together. Camille’s resilience is central, though the path towards it is described as difficult.

A good fit for readers who enjoy ghostly mysteries, clues and twists, especially when a story also explores family changes. The suspense is prominent, though the narrative may feel crowded and its conclusion is described as contrived.

A lively haunted-theatre adventure for readers who enjoy supernatural mysteries, jokes and rapid action. Expect ghosts, occult activity, threats to Zack and references to brutal past deaths, alongside a developing friendship.

This is a supernatural camping adventure centred on two siblings confronting a frightening creature. Its strongest offer is atmosphere: mountains, forest, a loch and an ancient cave frame mystery, family interaction and danger.

A visually imaginative story about fear, self-soothing and growing independence. Toby’s rescue of Henry shifts bravery from something supplied by an object to something he begins to practise himself.

A magical friendship story combines snowy adventures with questions about fear, loneliness, community and letting go. Tasha's bond with Alyana is central, while winter's persistence may affect other people around them.

A dark, imaginative adventure for readers who enjoy secret societies, mythological creatures and determined protagonists. Its strongest hooks are the hunter trials, the forest’s threats and Winnie’s effort to reclaim her family’s standing.

Choose this for a child who enjoys eerie folktales, unusual friendships and stories that leave some things to imagine. The visual mood is shadowy, but the skull is presented as polite and friendly rather than simply frightening.

This is a spooky, funny family adventure centred on a child’s fear of a pirate ghost and an older brother’s teasing. Its appeal lies in the uncertainty between an alarming story and a practical joke.

This is a fast-moving historical ghost story that combines football, Iron Age Britain and unsettling visions, with Seth’s family worry and a meeting that helps him find courage.

A visually led story about recovery after a frightening fall, with humour, expressive emotion and a clear movement from avoidance towards renewed possibility. Its ending offers hope, while leaving room to discuss different ways of coping.

A family’s fear grows as a huge black dog watches their home. Small Hope faces it, leads it on a chase, and discovers a playful way to bring it inside.