Libraries Celebrate Halloween
By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 10/30/2009
Halloween is one of the most loved holidays for kids, and libraries across the country are celebrating it in style. Here are some traditional—and some untraditional—festivities.
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Highland Middle School faculty carved different pumpkins. This one represents a "cannibal pumpkin." |
Some 80 preschoolers will wear costumes and hear Hancock read Ed Emberly’s Go Away Big Green Monster (LBKids, 1993). Each page of the die-cut book features a new part of a big green monster—his nose, teeth, and eyes—which disappear again as you continue to turn the pages. The book is often used in teaching situations that include hands-on art, cooking, math, writing, and science activities. She will also read Ted Arnold’s Five Ugly Monsters Jumping on a Bed (Scholastic, 2003), a book written in chant form and follows the rhythm of the popular children's rhyme, "Five Little Monkeys." Following story time, children will decorate bags and then trick-or-treat in the different departments of the library.
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Highland Middle School faculty carved different pumpkins. This one represents "test anxiety." |
Teacher-librarian, Helen Murdoch, used blogs, Facebook, and her school’s daily bulletin to promote a monster poll at the San Marcos High School library in Santa Barbara, CA. “Which monster do you want to invite over to scare your younger sibling? Come to the library to vote for your favorite monster.” Some 1,800 students will choose among Frankenstein, Lord Voldemort, Cuja, and others. Those who vote will be eligible to win gift certificates for smoothies, sandwiches, or books from Borders. Friday, a group of faculty members also performed a Readers Theater version of Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “A Tell Tale’s Heart”.
Youth services librarian Jessica Lamarre of the Pembroke Public Library in Massachusetts says her young patrons will trick-or-treat and celebrate at the library. Lamarre gathered a bunch of teen volunteer who set up stations around the kids’ room, where they’ll play Halloween themed games for prizes, listen to stories, and make crafts.
