Chilling reads, thrilling tales & lots of Halloween fun

Feel that chill in the air? Halloween season is here! Your Oak Park librarians are back with spine-tingling reads, creepy tales, and plenty of Halloween fun for all ages.

• Browse: Book suggestions for adults, teens, and kids, plus more digital titles.
• Attend: Halloween-themed events.
• Watch: Videos about letting kids decide how scary they want their stories to be and two great books to share.

Browse: Spine-chilling tales & scary stories

• For kids: More scary stories

More from your digital library

Attend: Upcoming events

FOR ADULTS

Wednesday Matinee Film Series
Wednesdays, 1 pm, Main Library. Join us each week for an afternoon film screening.

• October 9: Vampire in Brooklyn
• October 16: Insidious
• October 30: Hocus Pocus

Special Collections Halloween Open Hours
Wednesday, October 23, 12-5 pm, Main Library. Come visit the Special Collections Reading Room on the third floor for an extended Halloween-themed Open Hours. Learn more about the scary side of Special Collections and strange and unusual facts about Oak Park and its historical figures and Halloween history. Treats and spooky surprises await! Costumes encouraged.

FOR TEENS

Boo Bash (grades 6-12)
Thursday, October 31, 3-7 pm, Main Library. Join us as we transform the Middle School Meet Up and High School Hangout into a spooky place to chill this Halloween. Activities to keep you on your toes and some chilling treats. Don't miss this ghoulishly good time!

FOR KIDS

DIY Magic Wands (ages 5+ with caregiver)
Wednesday, October 9, 4 pm, Main Library. Unleash your creative magic! Join us to learn how to craft and decorate your own magic wand. 

Children's Halloween Costume Swap (ages 0-11)
Main Library. Looking for Halloween costumes for children ages 0-11? "Shop" the free swap—even if you don't have a costume to swap! Have a costume to donate? Drop off gently used and newly washed costumes and accessories for children ages 0-11 in the Main Library Children's Services Area during the library’s open hours.

• Through November 7: Costume Drop-Off
• Saturday, October 19, 1-5 pm: Shop the Swap
• Monday, October 21, 9 am-8 pm: Shop the Swap

Craft Corner: Spooky Jars (grades preK-12 & adults)
Monday, October 21, 5 pm, Main Library. Let's have fun making glowing creepy crawly jars! Bring an empty, clean jar from home or use our upcycled jars. You can also bring any plastic spiders or other leftover Halloween items you may have lying around the house to fill your jar. We'll have all the materials you'll need though. This is an all-ages, intergenerational program.

Haunted Trails Tales in the Dark (grades preK-5)
Monday, October 21, 6 pm, Main Library. Get ready for some spooky stories after dark! Join us outside the library for a series of light fright stories and fun. Costumes encouraged.

Watch: Sharing Halloween stories with your little ones

Some kids love to be scared the right amount, and others don’t want it at all. Caregivers should definitely follow their lead!

Miss Jenny has some ideas on helping kids figure out their preferred scare level in this video.

Kids need help when learning what is real and not real. Some kids can get scared by some of Miss Jenny’s puppets, but seeing how they work makes them feel safe and ready to take the risk of touching one. See how Ruthie the Camel works in this video.