Unspookable

Unspookable is the podcast for every tween who loves creepy stuff but whose parents want them to learn something while getting spooked. Hosted by Elise Parisian, each episode takes a famous scary story, myth, or urban legend — the Wendigo, Bloody Mary, Ouija boards, the Lost Colony of Roanoke — and traces it back to its real origins. The show blends history, brain science, and cultural context to explain why these stories scare us and where they actually came from. Episodes run anywhere from 8 to 26 minutes, released biweekly, and there are over 100 of them in the archive. The format is consistent: pick something spooky, tell the story, then peel back the layers to reveal the history and psychology underneath. It covers everything from cryptids like the Yeti to pop culture phenomena like Five Nights at Freddy's and Godzilla. There are also episodes on phobias like trypophobia and the science of why slime creeps people out. The show has earned a 4.6-star rating from over 2,000 reviews and has been featured by NPR, Vox, Vulture, and The New York Times. Common Sense Media selected it as a recommended podcast, and Apple Podcasts listed it as an Essential. It's age-appropriate for 8 and up — spooky enough to feel thrilling but never actually terrifying. For tweens going through that phase where they want to watch horror movies but probably shouldn't, Unspookable is the perfect middle ground. It scratches the itch for creepy content while teaching real history and critical thinking.