Took: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

Daniel's parents move the family out of the state and into the mountains, but no one is happy. Daniel and Erica, his little sister, are teased at school, and the other children tell them  stories about their new house. It seems a girl about Erica's age disappeared from the house fifty years ago, and fifty years before that and fifty years before that. The rumor is that an old witch has taken the little girls to her rundown cabin at the top of Brewster's Hill where they live with the skeleton of her wild razorback, Bloody Bones. Of course, Daniel doesn't believe the stories until Erica starts acting strange. She walks alone into the woods, and Daniel watches her talking to someone he can't see. Then, one day Erica disappears in the trees and bushes but doesn't return. The witch has struck again.

I love this author's books! Her ghost stories are eerie and spooky, but they can easily be read  and enjoyed by middle grade students. She allows readers to know what the evil character is thinking, as Erica falls into her trap. The suspense is heightened, as all of the people in town believe the tales and are too frightened to help. I highly recommend Hahn's books for readers looking to get a taste of ghost stories. They're not gentle stories, but they're not going to give you nightmares either.