Annual program encourages readers of all ages to explore horror literature, with curated recommendations for libraries and book clubs.

COLUMBUS, OH, UNITED STATES, February 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In celebration of National Library Lover’s Day, the Horror Writers Association (HWA), in partnership with Booklist, Book Riot, iREAD, and NoveList^®, a division of EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO), announces the seventh annual Summer Scares reading list. Designed to promote horror fiction as a compelling and enriching reading option for all ages, this year’s selections were curated by a panel of authors and library professionals to engage a broad range of readers.

“Is anyone else already missing Halloween? Is anyone else already dying for summer? Well, great news! Summer Scares combines both of our loves with a carefully curated list of horrifying books, giving you the perfect excuse to read chilling tales in hot weather! (If indeed you needed an excuse),” says #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake, this year’s Summer Scares spokesperson.

Blake adds, “I am so excited about every one of these books; they're creepy and delightful, brutal and terrifying, inventive and just plain good reads. The committee has done a bang-up job—there's truly something here for everyone, but why not try them all? Young or old(er), the time has come to fill your scary reading lists."

Every year, three titles are selected in each of three categories: Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade.

The 2025 Summer Scares Selections Include:

Adult Selections:

“Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes” by Eric LaRocca (Titan Books, 2022)
“Reprieve” by James Han Mattson (William Morrow, 2021)
“The Luminous Dead” by Caitlin Starling (Harper Voyager, 2019)

Young Adult Selections:

“Devils Unto Dust” by Emma Berquist (Greenwillow, 2018)
“The Getaway” by Lamar Giles (Scholastic Press, 2022)
“Find Him Where You Left Him Dead” by Kristen Simmons (Tor Teen, 2023)

Middle Grade Selections:

“Eerie Tales from the School of Screams” by Graham Annable (First Second, 2022)
“Ravenous Things” by Derrick Chow (Disney Hyperion, 2022)
“Hide and Seeker” by Daka Hermon (Scholastic Press, 2020)

Summer Scares aims to introduce horror titles to school and public library workers, helping them start conversations with readers that go beyond the books on each year’s list and to encourage a lifelong love of reading. In addition to the annual list of recommended titles, the Summer Scares Programming Guide—produced each year by the Springfield-Greene County (MO) Library and available for free to any library—returns with essential tools to help libraries connect with their patrons.

“The 2025 guide, developed by the HWA’s Library Advisory Council, is a library worker’s roadmap to providing exciting and meaningful experiences for their patrons through Summer Scares. Whether they’re putting up book displays, hosting author events, or planning an entire Summer Scares program series, this guide has everything they need," says Konrad Stump, co-creator of the programming guide.

Stump adds, “We are also excited to enhance our partnership with iREAD by selecting one title in each age group that fits iREAD’s 2025 theme, ‘Level Up at Your Library,’ as well as creating sample partner programs with their input.”

The guide will be available beginning March 1, 2025, on the Summer Scares Resource page. (See link below.)

In addition to the reading list and programming guide, Summer Scares provides free live programming, featuring discussions with the selected authors and committee members. Booklist will kick off the 2025 program with three free webinars in March, allowing readers, educators, and librarians to connect with this year’s featured authors:

Monday, March 10, 2025, at 2 PM ET – Middle Grade authors, moderated by Julia Smith
Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 2 PM ET – Young Adult authors, moderated by Kendare Blake
Monday, March 24, 2025, at 2 PM ET – Adult authors, moderated by Becky Spratford

Each session lasts one hour, and free registration is available on the Booklist website under webinars. Recordings will be available for on-demand viewing after the live events in the archives section.

Additionally, the Summer Scares committee and featured authors will appear in person at the HWA’s Librarians’ Day on Friday, June 13, 2025, in Stamford, CT, as part of StokerConⓇ 2025. All attendees are welcome to join them there.

The 2025 Summer Scares program is organized by a team of horror and library professionals committed to promoting the genre in libraries, schools, and book clubs. This year’s committee members include:

Author Spokesperson: Kendare Blake
HWA Library Committee Co-Chairs: Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump
Academic Library Director: Carolyn Ciesla
Book Riot Editor & YA Specialist: Kelly Jensen
Booklist Editor & Middle Grade Specialist: Julia Smith
Manager of Reader Services at NoveList: Yaika Sabat

Libraries, schools, and book clubs are encouraged to incorporate the Summer Scares selections into their programming. Whether hosting author panels, horror-themed discussions, or book club meetings, Summer Scares offers free resources to make horror an exciting part of any reading community.

About the Horror Writers Association:

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is a nonprofit organization of writers and publishing professionals around the world, dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests of those who write it. Founded in the late 1980s, it now has more than 2,000 members around the world and is the oldest and most respected professional organization for creators of horror fiction.

The HWA encourages public interest in and appreciation of horror and dark fantasy literature and hosts an annual professional conference, StokerCon. HWA is also dedicated to recognizing and promoting diversity in the horror genre and practices a strict anti-harassment policy at all of its events. Learn more on the HWA website.

For more information, including committee bios, promotional materials, and event scheduling, and to access the guide which will be available beginning March 1, 2025, visit the Summer Scares Resource page. For inquiries, visit the HWA contact page to connect with Library Committee Co-Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump.

Desiree Duffy
Black Chateau
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