Everyone has their fall traditions, whether it’s carving a pumpkin or watching a scary movie. Autumn is a time where the leaves change, the days get colder, and the festivities begin. And sometimes on a rainy and cloudy day, cuddling up by the fireplace with a book is the perfect activity.

On October 10, I sent out a survey to the middle school faculty asking them what their favorite spooky book was for days like these along with their Halloween traditions in the fall. To provide you (the reader) with some fun recommendations from none other than our middle school faculty, here are some of their top book picks:

Stranger with My Face by Lois Duncan

Something Upstairs by Avi

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Shining by Stephen King

Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon

In regards to the Halloween traditions, multiple responses said handing out candy, seeing everyone’s costumes, and taking kids trick-or-treating were their most memorable traditions. Aside from the majority, a few people said unique traditions such as attending an annual pumpkin carving party or a vivid sensory feeling like eating candy corn, scooping out the pumpkin goop before the carving, and hanging up scary decorations. Nonetheless, each person had their own seasonal tradition they carried out ritualistically. And that’s the special part about fall festivities: everyone has their own plans to warm our hearts for the holidays as autumn rolls around.