We’re Screaming for Our 2024 Ghost Story Winners!

Get ready for chills and thrills! We’re excited to reveal the winners of Halifax Public Libraries’ 2024 Ghost Story Writing Contest.

In September, we received a binder’s worth of stories (51 to be exact) from young writers in our community who conjured up some truly haunting tales. From eerie whispers in the night to ghostly encounters that had us jumping out of our seats, each story showcased incredible imagination and creativity.

Our judges had a tough time selecting the top entries, but some stories stood out as the most bone-chilling and captivating of them all. 

Winning Entries

And now, the winners! Click the links below to read this year’s spine-tingling tales (PDF):

Ages 7-9

A Quest of the Dead , opens a new windowby Beau Clark

The YouTuber and the Dare , opens a new windowby Kemal Caliskan

A Lesson to Remember , opens a new windowby L.B. Murdock

Ages 10-12

The Girl , opens a new windowby Ahaana Sahni

The Creepy Doll , opens a new windowby Saren Mercer-Lodge

Goblin Rising , opens a new windowby Annelise Alarcon

Ages 13-15

The Dark Reflection , opens a new windowby Addie Biggar

Animal Behaviours , opens a new windowby Rebecca Johnson

The Ghost of River Brook Middle School , opens a new windowby Annora Hele

A huge thank you to all the talented writers who submitted their ghostly tales! Your creativity keeps this annual tradition alive, and we can’t wait to see what you dream up next.

Also, a special thanks to Nimbus Publishing for generously donating this year’s book prizes and our esteemed judges for their time in supporting this beloved contest.

Keep your eye out for our next Teen Short Story Contest coming later this year—and until then, keep the stories (and the ghosts) coming!