Terrifying True Tales

Haunting Histories, Creepy Cryptids, and Scary Stories from Around the World

By Paige Towler and R.L. Stine

Hardcover

Published on Jun 9, 2026 | 192 Pages

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Audiobook Download

Published on Jun 9, 2026 | 6 Hours 59 Minutes

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Grades 3–7
Ages 8–12

Some scary stories are more than just tall tales. This spine-tingling collection of TRUE terrors and haunting legends is perfect for Halloween—and thrills and chills all year long.

This book is not for the faint of heart…but for those brave enough, a bone-chilling, globe-trotting adventure awaits.

Filled with gripping photography and mind-boggling facts that reveal the history and science behind the curiosities of our world, PLUS a foreword written by bestselling author and king of creep R.L. Stine, this book is ideal for storytelling by flashlight around a campfire, throwing into a backpack to share at a sleepover, or—if you dare—reading alone under your covers. (But reader beware: Don’t forget to check under the bed before turning the page…)

In these pages, you’ll:

Roam the crumbling, skull-filled catacombs of Paris
Come face to face with an island full of real dragons
Hear haunting stories from history—from the “vampire epidemic” in New England to an epic (and gruesome) ship mutiny off the coast of Australia
Puzzle over unsolved mysteries, from UFO sightings to whole cities that have simply … vanished
Shiver at modern retellings of classic scary stories and urban legends—and learn the truth behind the terror.

Want more spooky stories? Check out National Geographic Kids’ other collections: Don’t Read This Book Before Bed and That’s Creepy!

ISBN 9798217224869 (Hardcover)
Published on Jun 9, 2026
Published by National Geographic Kids
Pages 192
Dimensions 7-1/8 x 9-1/8
Age Range 8-12 years
Grade Grades 3-7

ISBN 9798217224876 (Hardcover Library Binding)
Published on Jun 9, 2026
Published by National Geographic Kids
Pages 192
Dimensions 7-1/8 x 9-1/8
Age Range 8-12 years
Grade Grades 3-7

ISBN 9798217347155 (Audiobook Download)
Published on Jun 9, 2026
Published by Listening Library
Age Range 8-12 years
Grade Grades 3-7

Paige Towler

PAIGE TOWLER lives in Washington, D.C., where she edits children’s books. Her poetry for children has appeared in anthologies such as Hey, Baby!, The Poetry of US, The Book of Nature Poetry, and more.

R.L. Stine

Robert Lawrence Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of one of the bestselling children’s authors in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the bestselling Goosebumps series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon—leading to a top-rated TV show on Fox and the all-time most successful children’s video line. Stine’s major teen series, Fear Street, has sold more than 80 million copies. R. L. Stine is dedicated to doing everything he can to encourage literacy for kids. He was the honored guest of Governor Jeb Bush in 2001, launching Florida’s statewide Celebration of Reading campaign, received the first-ever Champion of Reading Award from the Free Public Library of Philadelphia, and established a writing program in the middle schools of his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. In fall 2003, First Lady Laura Bush asked R. L. Stine to be part of a select group of authors to accompany her to Russia to promote literacy. When he’s not writing, Stine travels the country talking to kids and can be found every October at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. R. L. Stine’s Haunted Lighthouse, a spine-chilling 4-D movie, is featured at Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. R. L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids’ Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the National Education Association’s Read Across America program. Mostly Ghostly is R. L. Stine’s latest creation—a terrifyingly fun new series for middle-grade readers. The first two books in the series are Who Let the Ghosts Out? and Have You Met My Ghoulfriend?