Ideas for Halloween Classroom Activities
Follow along with our Community Engagement Manager Matt for some fun and slightly spooky Halloween reading appropriate for all ages.
Horror Writing and Halloween Reading
spooky season is here!
This is the place to celebrate horror writing, uncover mystery books, find Halloween reading, writing, and more! Plus, with a number of Halloween events in October, the AWM is the place to be for Spooky Season.
But be warned, explore at your own risk…
PLAN YOUR VISIT BOOK A GROUP TOUR BOOK A FIELD TRIPHALLOWEEN EVENTS IN CHICAGO
Join us for one of our many Halloween events in downtown Chicago to celebrate scary movies, mystery novels, spooky writing, and more. No tricks here, just treats.
In this special tour of the AWM, learn more about the Master of Macabre Edgar Allan Poe, from talking ravens to tell-tale hearts. This free 15-minute tour introduces you to all areas of the AWM, and following the tour you can explore all of our exhibits more in depth.
Explore the AWM in a whole new way with our Pumpkin Hunt! Search the museum to find the missing pumpkins hidden in their favorite works of American writing. Find all of the pumpkins and win a special prize! Included with museum admission, no advance registration required.
This one’s for the kids! Join us for a special family storytime where our Storytellers will be reading their favorite Halloween books and poems, followed by DIY family crafts and games. Storytime is included with museum admission (kids 12 and under always get free admission).
Gift Shop
Visit our gift shop—either in-person or online here—for activities and apparel fit for the season. Treat yourself to a monstrous facemask or a “Nevermore” winter hat to keep the cold—and spooky ravens—at bay. We also have Fahrenheit 451 socks to keep you warm!
“Beware the autumn people…For these beings, fall is the ever normal season, the only weather, there be no choice beyond…In gusts they beetle-scurry, creep, thread, filter, motion, make all moons sullen, and surely cloud all clear-run waters. The spider-web hears them, trembles- breaks. Such are the autumn people. Beware of them.”
—Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes
Pictured here is “The Halloween Tree” painting by Ray Bradbury. Bradbury’s favorite holiday was Halloween and he returned to the story of The Halloween Tree many times. He would host elaborate Halloween parties and always dress up. Halloween is featured in many of his stories, and is hinted at in some of his longer works like Something Wicked This Way Comes. Check out our blog for Ray Bradbury’s Guide to Throwing the Best Halloween Party.
Explore our online exhibit about Ray Bradbury here:
Ray Bradbury: Inextinguishable
LISTEN
Check out the AWM Podcast Network if you are interested in learning about writers of the past or hearing from leading writers of the present.
- Listen to Nation of Writers to learn about influential horror and mystery writers like Edgar Allan Poe or Ray Bradbury, including an episode about Shirley Jackson with her son as a guest.
- Tune into AWM Author Talks to hear contemporary masters of mystery like Walter Mosley and Sara Paretsky discuss their craft, process, and more.
READ
Hit the American Writers Museum blog for even more Halloween reading and explorations of horror and mystery writing.
- Uncover the history of the mystery genre in our Many Writers, Many Forms blog series.
- “Visit” frightening sites like Sleepy Hollow or Halloweentown in our fun blog series AWM Destinations.
- Learn more about Mildred Benson and her typewriter on which many Nancy Drew stories were written.
WATCH
Over on our YouTube channel we’ve put together a Spooky Season playlist for your viewing pleasure. Revisit many of our past programs with writers who thrive in the mystery and horror genres
- Screenwriter Sarah Gubbins discusses writing the film Shirley, starring Elisabeth Moss as Shirley Jackson.
- Historian Scott Peeples shares insights into how city life shaped Edgar Allan Poe’s work.
- Editor Charles Ardai talks about the crime stories of Ray Bradbury.
Looking for more horror book recommendations and happy Halloween writing and reading suggestions? Check out our list of Creepy Crawly Halloween Reading Recommendations.