All Hallows’ Read is the brainchild of author Neil Gaiman. In 2010 he had the sudden inspiration to start a new holiday tradition that involved giving books. The next major holiday was Halloween, and All Hallows’ Read was born. The idea behind All Hallows’ Read is to encourage people to “give someone a scary book for Halloween.” Old books, new books, secondhand books, hardcovers, paperbacks, eBooks, audiobooks, they are all fair game. Gather together and share a book with family or friends, or gift a total stranger as a random act of kindness. Rather than a sugary treat, All Hallows’ Read gives someone an experience by connecting that person with a story.
While booksellers were quick to embrace the book giving aspect of All Hallows’ Read, libraries quickly embraced the reading aspect. During the month of October, librarians encourage patrons to read a scary to celebrate Halloween, making All Hallows’ Read a celebration of reading as well as of books. If you don’t enjoy horror or paranormal, try suspense. If that’s not to your taste, try something seasonal. And, if you don’t care for the theme, then simply read. Read a book this Halloween.
Scary Books
It by Stephen King
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
Classic Horror Stories
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft by H. P. Lovecraft
Edgar Allan Poe: The Best of His Macabre Tales Complete and Unabridged
Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
Family Friendly Halloween Reads
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! by Charles Schulz
The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea
Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo! by Tad Hills
Ollie's Halloween by Olivier Dunrea
Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes
The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree by Stan Berenstain