Halloween Archives

Autumn is my fav season — hope it is for you, too! Lots of fun, possibilities and traditions. Ubiquitous, proverbial pumpkin, spices and cooler weather are all in the air. Let’s get programming and looking forward to winter! But first! It’s Time to Apply for the Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards For more than 25 years, Penguin Random House has been working to encourage the next generation of writers through their Creative Writing Awards. In 2019, Penguin Random House entered a partnership with national advocacy organization We Need Diverse Books. And they are now accepting applications until February 1, 2022 or until they reach 1,000 applicants. The program awards five U.S. high school seniors with scholarships of up to $10,000. More Crafts than you can shake a cinnamon broom at! The BIGGEST (& Best) List of Fall Crafts, Ever Wednesday is ART day! Have you downloaded our FREE Art Challenge yet? Try these…

Blogger Jonathan Dolce

Things on Sticks – Shadow Puppets You Can Do!

November 1, 2020October 31, 2020| Jonathan Dolce|2 Comments

No Excuses Honestly, there are no excuses for not being able to make a shadow puppet show. I’m not talking using your fingers to make that barking dog or your hands to make a butterfly. Shadow puppets are almost as easy to make, economical, easy to store, and frankly an art form in themselves. And thanks to the magic of internet and photocopiers, ANYONE can make these. Let’s dive in! What is a shadow puppet? A shadow puppet is any character, prop or background, made of almost any 2-D material that casts a shadow on another flat surface/curtain. It is a silhouette of a character, or object that helps you tell a story. Shadow puppets can be opaque, translucent, transparent, and include color. Any open areas “holes” or negative space as we say in the art world, allow light through. These areas can have color added with colored tissue paper,…

Blogger Alyson Feldman-Piltch

It’s the Great Edible Halloween Craft, Charlie Brown!

October 31, 2017October 30, 2017| Alyson Feldman-Piltch|Leave a comment

I have been itching to do an afternoon craft program at my new branch, which schedule wise, is not as easy as it sounds.

Blogger Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla

Halloween Must-Reads

October 13, 2016October 13, 2016| Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla|1 Comment

Fall is here, and with it comes pumpkin-everything, changing leaves, crisp air, and of course – Halloween! The scariest holiday of the year gives librarians a perfect opportunity to recommend frightening fare to readers eager for shivers.

Blogger Angela Reynolds

Trick or Treat?

September 20, 2016September 18, 2016| Angela Reynolds|3 Comments

“Want to wear a costume in a graveyard and be in a movie?” On a recent vacation to New England, I was asked if I’d like to make a little day trip to Boston to help out with a literacy project my friend Kirsten was working on. It was going to happen in a graveyard. I got to wear a costume. I got to hang out with people who love, promote, and write kid’s books. How could I say no?

Blogger Mary R. Voors

Do YOU dress up for Halloween?

October 30, 2015October 30, 2015| Mary Voors|2 Comments

It’s almost Halloween! Do staff at your library dress up? Do you take inspiration from your favorite children’s books? Stacey Rattner is on the right with green hair and rainbow socks. She is the librarian at Castleton Elementary School in upstate New York and is pictured with a teacher and a student. All were inspired by Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl. Let us know in the comments below how YOU mark October 31st at YOUR library.

Tweens

Not SCARY Scary (again)

October 29, 2015October 27, 2015| YALSA Blogger|Leave a comment

Last year, I wrote a post about books for kids that have creep appeal but aren’t downright terrifying. I’ll make my shameful confession again: I’m a wuss. And because of that, Halloween isn’t really my jam. I hate being scared!! I DO, however, enjoy some good creepiness or eeriness, and some good suspense. So here are some more titles (all of these are out in 2015) for you to share with your patrons. Good luck with your Halloween/Fall Festival/Harvest programs, librarians! Happy October! Pram can see ghosts. She’s always been able to. And it’s never mattered much that she doesn’t have many friends that are actually alive, but then her aunts put her in school and she makes a friend who has lost a parent and is looking for answers. This adventure takes them from spiritualists to haunted houses and they definitely land in more trouble than they bargained for….

Guest Blogger

Turning Your Library into a Haunted House

August 26, 2015September 8, 2021| Guest Contributor|10 Comments

For the last few weeks, the crickets in Philadelphia have begun playing at night. This is the signal for the end of Summer Reading, the time to begin planning back-to-school visits, and the time to start planning a haunted house. Haunted houses can be easily created, relatively inexpensive, and a fantastic draw that remind community members that the library is vibrant and exciting. They can also be nightmares for staff and patrons if they’re not planned and executed properly. A “well-planned” haunted house does not have to be an “expensive” haunted house. Floorplans are your friends The first time I created a haunted house for my branch, I was at a location that had a very large meeting room. This was a blessing and a curse because we had room to do things… and we also had room to fill. Because the neighborhood was excited for the event, I had…

Tag: Halloween

Fall Previews and Programming!

October 3, 2021October 2, 2021| Jonathan Dolce|2 Comments