What books are similar to The Haunting?

The 10 closest matches to The Haunting by Joan Lowery Nixon on ReadingList include Whispers from the Dead, The Name of the Game Was Murder, Christina's Ghost, The Dollhouse Murders, and Closed for the Season. Each is scored on shared themes (haunted houses, ghosts, and mystery), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Haunting reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.

How does ReadingList choose similar books?

Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Books like The Haunting

If you liked The Haunting, read Whispers from the Dead, The Name of the Game Was Murder, or Christina's Ghost — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Haunting by Joan Lowery Nixon (Mystery · grades 6–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of haunted houses, ghosts, and mystery. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 6–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Whispers from the Deadgrades 6–9: Is by Joan Lowery Nixon, the same author, shares themes of mystery and detective stories, and both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list. Amazon → books like this →
The Name of the Game Was Murdergrades 3–8: Is by Joan Lowery Nixon, the same author, shares themes of mystery and detective stories, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Christina's Ghostgrades 4–6: Shares themes of ghosts and mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Dollhouse Murdersgrades 4–7: Shares themes of ghosts and mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Closed for the Seasongrades 3–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Nightmare Mountaingrades 3–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Dead Man in Indian Creekgrades 4–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Horror at the Haunted Housegrades 4–6: Shares themes of haunted houses and ghosts and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Tarot Says Bewaregrades 3–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Terror at the Zoogrades 3–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Haunting for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

Piggins by Jane Yolen · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and same genre (Mystery).
Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and same genre (Mystery).
A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery.
Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and the same era (1990s).

Books like The Haunting for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

Piggins by Jane Yolen · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, and same genre (Mystery).
Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and same genre (Mystery).
All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of ghosts and mystery and overlapping grades (5–8).
Alvin's Swap Shop by Clifford B. Hicks · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like The Haunting for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

The Dark and Deadly Pool by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Is by Joan Lowery Nixon, the same author, shares themes of mystery and detective stories, and same genre (Mystery).
A Deadly Game of Magic by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Is by Joan Lowery Nixon, the same author, shares themes of mystery and detective stories, and overlapping grades (6–8).
Twisted Summer by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–8).
All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of ghosts and mystery and overlapping grades (5–8).
Alvin's Swap Shop by Clifford B. Hicks · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like The Haunting for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12).
How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (7–12).
That's Not My Name by Megan Lally · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12).
The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Haunting?: The 10 closest matches to The Haunting by Joan Lowery Nixon on ReadingList include Whispers from the Dead, The Name of the Game Was Murder, Christina's Ghost, The Dollhouse Murders, and Closed for the Season. Each is scored on shared themes (haunted houses, ghosts, and mystery), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Haunting reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.
How does ReadingList choose similar books?: Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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