She might like Ambrose Bierce stories. An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge is the famous one, but you might have her read Chickamauga as well.

I agree with PP’s that you should get her a collection of Poe short-stories. I read one when I was about her age, and I remember my favorite was “The Pit and the Pendulum.”

Others you might try:
Agatha Christie
Interworld by Neil Gaiman
The Green Knowe series by Lucy M. Boston
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Lord of the Flies
1984

maybe Bradbury? but I don’t know if there’d be any content problems.

Hitchcock had some great anthologies for kids. I think they're out of print, but you can still get some on Amazon.
https://www.librarything....ng+Readers

She might also like non-fiction about unexplained phenomena like the Bermuda Triangle or the Loch-Ness Monster.

Anonymous wrote:Kafka might also be appealing.

Yeah true if she likes short stories, Metamorphosis is a novella.

I also loved horror at that age. Some favorites: Shirley Jackson; Stephen King; the anthology Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (this might be more middle elementary but works well if she likes creepy short stories); Ray Bradbury and/or Philip K Dick (ok leaning more sci fi). Most if not all of these authors wrote short stories, too.

I agree that she may love the Brontë sisters within a few years.

Short stories, as a genre, might be her cup of tea. So many good ones in High School that others have already named. Try also Flannery O Connor, the story about the red Ibis, Kate Chopin, Washington Irving, Shirley Jackson, and more Poe!

Also read poems by Emily Dickinson. Her body of poetry is spectacular!

Kafka might also be appealing.

I also loved Poe at that age. I also loved anything by the Brontë sisters although that was more of a slow burn. Ray Bradbury was another favorite at that age and the tattooed man is basically a short story collection so that might appeal. I also rrrad all the Stephen king stuff which are easy reads, if long.

I haven’t read any of the Neil gamma works but they are sort of in this vein and some are written for MS audience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Woman in White
The Moonstone
No Name
Armadale

Man - I was a lit major and I never heard of this guy - thank you so much!

Moonstone may strike a chord in DD. I think of all of Poe's short stories in the Tell Tale Heart collection - the one that will capture her quickest is The Premature Burial actually. Something about Tell Tale Heart - it's focused impact and limited in scope is what got her

That’s great! Maybe Collins will be a fit when she’s a little older. Although he’s often described as the originator of the “detective,” and that is true, the style has that gothic feel that may appeal to her.

Anonymous wrote:PP - Would love Maupassant titles applicable for7/8th grades if you would be so kind Thank you!

She reads prob at 8th/9th grade level - she's a Wordle champ and very verbal. She doesn't do social media as much as watch movies like crazy so storytelling for over math for example is what comes naturally for her thus my interest in promoting reading! LOL

The Necklace was the one I remember the most.

https://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/Neck.shtml

The few others, I just don't remember the titles. I'll have to dig some up and reread

Anonymous wrote:The Woman in White
The Moonstone
No Name
Armadale

Man - I was a lit major and I never heard of this guy - thank you so much!

Moonstone may strike a chord in DD. I think of all of Poe's short stories in the Tell Tale Heart collection - the one that will capture her quickest is The Premature Burial actually. Something about Tell Tale Heart - it's focused impact and limited in scope is what got her

Anonymous wrote:She could read more Poe- Cask of Amontillado is sometimes read in English classes for this age group.

That is one of the best short stories I ever read.