Goal: The Trick or Reater goal is to utilize an individual’s or organization’s access to trick-or-treaters on Halloween to create discovery for children’s literature creators and publishers.
Program: At the center of the program will be www.TrickOrReaters.com, a website that delivers “haunting” unique visual and written content by children’s book creators and visual and written extracts from existing children’s books for children ages 3-12. The website will be promoted through printable flyers available free to individuals and organizations. We envision those promo flyers being dropped into trick-or-treater bags (with or without candy) to introduce children nationally to the website.
Visuals: The website and promotion materials have a monster or other “scary” creature reaching up and grabbing the “T” from “Treaters” in the phrase, “Trick-or-Treaters” changing the final word to “Reaters,” a play on the word “Readers.”
Motivation: Libraries and schools can be reluctant participants in Halloween because of the holiday’s traditional candy giving. Health parameters that have solidified in the last six years have led schools to cancel school celebrations and have led libraries to stuff trick-or-treat bags with bookmarks and other small giveaways. Individuals and parents have also become more aware of the toll packaged candy takes on child health in their communities.
Libraries and schools are easily accessed through Curious City’s participation in national member and literacy forums. Educator and librarian commitment to literacy and reluctance about the candy-driven holiday can be combined to turn the Halloween trick-or-treater experience into literature discovery. Not only would schools and libraries participate, but individual librarians and educators would likely participate in their own neighborhoods. Parents encountering these flyers in trick-or-treat bags would be introduced to the idea of participating the following year.
Model: The Halloween model is Neil Gaiman’s All Hallows Read, a project that encourages individuals to give physical books to trick-or-treaters instead of (or in addition to) candy. While a wonderful and growing movement, it has a strong socioeconomic barrier to participation. How many of us can afford to give away 50 paperbacks to neighborhood kids?
The model for book discovery is Curious City’s Bunk Reads, a book discovery program that creates literacy-rich camp environments where kids can encounter new books and authors. Like Trick or Reaters, Bunk Reads is a marketing pilot supported by the Erin Murphy Literary Agency and the group funding of the participating creators.
Halloween 2016 Pilot & Author/Illustrator Participation: On July 17, 2016, Curious City will be opening registration to authors and illustrators who a) publish with a PALS Publisher and b) create for ages 3-12 for the Halloween 2016 pilot.
Authors & illustrators will be asked to provide:
- “Haunting” visual and written content which can include either:
— 400 words or less of original haunting prose or poetry
— 400 words or less excerpt from a published work
— Book trailer with haunting theme + 100 words of text
— Up to 10 pieces of sequential art to be displayed as a slideshow + 100 words of text - One book to highlight
- Link to website
- $100 fee paid to Curious City via PayPal*
- Optional: Downloadable free activity
*This fee will be $50 for EMLA Clients (subsidized by EMLA) and for former “Halloween 16” participants.
In turn the Trick or Reaters Team will provide:
- Blog post featuring creator’s haunting piece, a single book highlight (with buy links) and links to creator’s website.
- Fliers available for individuals and organizations to promote the website.
- Rolling announcements August – October ’16 to national library, literacy, consumer groups.
- Social media accounts and outreach.
Questions can be directed to Kirsten Cappy at Curious City, 207-420-1126 or kirsten@curiouscity.net.
