Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected by Neil Gaiman 
Lots of teens know who Neil Gaiman is. They’ve read some of his books or seen movies made from those books–Coraline, The Graveyard Book, Neverwhere. And Gaiman’s written several frightening adult books too, if you’re ready to try one of those.
If you are looking for something in-between–say something scary but that lends itself to reading in the 15-minutes of SSR time–why not try Unnatural Creatures? These are sixteen stories selected (not written) by Neil Gaiman for young adults (that’s you). They all have the creep factor, and the lot of them will take you through October’s SSR sessions and right into Halloween.
About Victoria Waddle
Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer and has been included in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. Her books include a collection of feminist short fiction, Acts of Contrition, and a chapbook on grief, The Mortality of Dogs and Humans. Her YA novel about a polygamist cult, Keep Sweet, launches in June 2025. Formerly the managing editor of the journal Inlandia: A Literary Journey and a teacher librarian, she contributes to the Southern California News Group column Literary Journeys. She discusses both writing and library book censorship on her Substack, “Be a Cactus.” Join her there for thoughts on defiant readers and writers as well as for weekly library censorship news.
School Library Lady 