Summer Scares Reading List 2022

In celebration of National Library Lover’s Day, the Horror Writers Association (HWA), in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, and Booklist, is delighted to announce the fourth annual Summer Scares reading list, which includes titles selected by a panel of authors and librarians and is designed to promote Horror as a great reading option for all ages and during any time of the year.

Every year, three titles are selected in each of three categories: Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade. For 2022 the selected titles are:

ADULT

• Coyote Songs by Gabino Iglesias [Broken River Books, 2018]
• My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris [Fantagraphics, 2017]
• The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman [Quirk Books, 2019]

YA

• Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare [HarperTeen, 2020]
• The Companion by Kate Alender [G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2020]
• Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams [Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2020]

MG

• The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown [Scholastic Press, 2019]
• Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker [Henry Holt and Co., 2019]
• Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne [Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2020]

“I’m thrilled with the selection of books and authors chosen by the Summer Scares programming committee for this year’s program,” said 2022 spokesperson Alma Katsu, “and look forward to working with librarians to introduce these great titles to more readers.”

The goal of Summer Scares is to introduce Horror titles to school and public library workers in order to help them start conversations with readers that will extend beyond the books from each list and promote reading for years to come. In addition to the annual list of recommended titles, the Summer Scares committee will release themed lists of even more “read-alike” titles libraries can suggest to readers. And, in order to help libraries forge stronger connections between books and readers, the Summer Scares committee will be working with both the recommended list authors and Horror authors from all over the country to provide free programming to libraries.

The Summer Scares Programming Guide, created each year by the Springfield-Greene County (MO) Library, and free for libraries anywhere to access, is back with the tools libraries need to connect with their communities.

“The 2022 guide is packed with ideas that library workers can use to engage their communities with these great titles, whether they’re putting up book displays, hosting author events, or planning an entire Summer Scares program series,” states Konrad Stump, co-creator of the programming guide.

This year’s programming guide will also feature an article by Yaika Sabat from NoveList, a new Summer Scares partner.

“NoveList is working to highlight the program through the creation of booklists, recommendations, and even some promotional material,” notes Sabat.

Sabat, Stump, Katsu, and many of our Summer Scares 2022 authors will be appearing along with committee members Becky Spratford and Julia Smith as part of the HWA’s Librarians’ Day, taking place in person on May 13, 2022, at the Curtis Hotel in Denver, CO, during this year’s StokerCon. Summer Scares content will be available live, in person, and as part of our virtual conference, as well as on the HWA’s YouTube page.

The HWA is a non-profit organization of writers and publishing professionals, and the oldest organization dedicated to the horror/dark fiction genre. One of the HWA’s missions is to foster an appreciation of reading through extensive programming and partnerships with libraries, schools, and literacy-based organizations.

The 2022 Summer Scares program committee consists of author Alma Katsu, HWA Library Committee Co-Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump, as well as Academic Librarian Carolyn Ciesla, Book Riot Editor and YA specialist Kelly Jensen, and Booklist Editor and Middle-Grade specialist Julia Smith.

For more information about the Summer Scares reading program, including committee member bios and how to obtain promotional materials and schedule events with the authors/committee members, please visit The Summer Scares Resource page: http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/p/summer-scares.html or email HWA Library Committee Co-Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump at libraries@horror.org.