I love Halloween, or All Hallow's Eve or Samhain, whatever your flavor. But this year I'm doing a bit more than just giving out candy to my trick-or-treaters; this year, I am participating in All Hallows Read.
This is an awesome concept started by the even more awesome Neil Gaiman. The concept is to simply give out books (preferably scary books) as well as candy to the goblins and witches that come a'knocking.
I already have 10 copies of Coraline squirreled away and am on the hunt for more. Every year I say I'm going to do this but every year I have a hard time finding enough affordable books to make it worth while. But you know what? Even five books would be worth it.
So I'm on the hunt and I will have at least 20 books to pass out. Coraline is an awesome book to give to both girls and boys, but I imagine the girls will want it more. I can recommend (very highly) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman as a more appropriate "boy" book but the girls will enjoy it too. You can also find Goosebumps sold in huge lots all over the internet and in used bookstores, good for boils and ghouls. Another inexpensive idea would be comic books because anything that gets kids reading is awesome. And we know there are oodles of books appropriate for the older trick-or-treaters so just go crazy with those.
But I wouldn't recommend giving books INSTEAD of candy; give both - you don't want to clean up eggs and toilet paper in the morning.
Information on All Hallows Read can be found here.
