How to Play - Halloween
Read, explore, complete challenges, uncover clues, and help Charlie Brown discover what Halloween is really all about.
The Story Comes to Life
Ever since Snoopy found the mysterious book in the pumpkin patch, strange things have been happening.
At first, Charlie Brown tried not to worry. After all, it was Halloween. Seeing shadows in the dark and hearing strange noises was probably normal. And surely there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for the sound of hoofbeats racing past the pumpkin patch.
Probably.
A few days later, someone new arrived in the neighborhood. His name was Ichabod Crane, and he was tall, thin, and had a nose that seemed to arrive everywhere a few seconds before the rest of him.
“Good grief,” Charlie Brown whispered. “Doesn’t that name sound familiar?”
Linus looked down at the mysterious book. More words had appeared on its pages.
Then Halloween night arrived, and the gang headed out to trick-or-treat. Lucy got candy. Linus got candy. Sally got candy.
Charlie Brown looked into his bag.
“I got a rock.”
At the next house, everyone got more treats.
Charlie Brown looked into his bag again.
“Good grief. Another rock.”
Before he could complain, Snoopy suddenly stopped. From somewhere beyond the houses came a familiar sound.
Clop. Clop. Clop.
The gang looked toward the trees and saw something moving between them—a tall shadow on a horse. For just a moment, Charlie Brown could have sworn he saw the glow of a jack-o’-lantern moving through the darkness.
Then it vanished.
“Did everybody see that?” Charlie Brown asked.
No one answered. They were all staring at the mysterious book as another page began filling itself in.
Pumpkins. Ghosts. Horses. Tricks.
Somehow, pieces of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow were appearing all around them, and the more people read, the more of the story seemed to come to life.
Charlie Brown wasn’t sure if they were solving a mystery...
or becoming part of one.
There was only one thing to do:
Keep reading.
Read & Level Up
Every time you read, something happens to the mysterious book.
More words appear. More pages are added. And more of the story comes to life.
You do not have to read books we choose, and you do not have to read books about Halloween or the reading program theme.
Read whatever you want!
Mysteries, fantasy, graphic novels, picture books, nonfiction, audiobooks—it all counts! Every minute you read helps Charlie Brown and his friends fill the blank pages of the mysterious book and discover more about what Halloween is really all about.
Simply record your reading minutes as you go.
Kids can read to Level 5 during the program by reading 1,000 minutes.
Teens & Adults can read to Level 5 during the program by reading 2,000 minutes.
Each time you reach a new level, you’ll unlock another part of the story and earn rewards. Every level earns you 1 Drawing Ticket, plus a growing number of Coins—the higher the level, the more Coins you earn!
And just because you reach Level 5 doesn’t mean you have to stop reading!
Keep reading beyond and you may impress someone very special in the pumpkin patch...
So choose something you love to read, log your minutes, and help Charlie Brown discover that Halloween may be about much more than candy, costumes, and scares.
Rewards:
🎟️ 1 Drawing Ticket at every level
🪙 Coins increase with each level
Complete Challenges
Throughout October, you’ll find several Halloween Challenges to complete. Each one explores a different part of the holiday through fun activities, discoveries, and stories.
At the beginning of each challenge, Charlie Brown has a question about what that Halloween tradition really means.
Complete the challenge, and one of his friends will help him see that there may be more to it than he thought!
Not interested in the extra activities? That’s okay! You can choose the Halloween Reading Challenge instead and explore Halloween simply by reading.
Rewards:
For every challenge you complete, you’ll earn:
⭐ Bonus Points
🎟️ 1 Drawing Ticket
🪙 1 Coin to spend in the Prize Store
The Pumpkin Patch Mystery
Something strange happened in the pumpkin patch.
Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang were waiting for the Great Pumpkin when they suddenly heard hoofbeats racing through the darkness.
The wind blew.
The vines shook.
Pumpkins rolled in every direction.
And a shadow disappeared into the night.
“Good grief!” cried Charlie Brown. “What was THAT?”
When everything finally became quiet again, the gang discovered that the pumpkins had been scattered all through the library.
Now Charlie Brown needs your help.
Search the library and find all 20 hidden pumpkins. Each pumpkin has a secret code. Enter the codes as you find them and help piece together what happened that mysterious Halloween night.
Was it just someone playing a trick?
Was it something from the mysterious book?
Or did one of its stories actually come to life?
Find every pumpkin and the final clue will reveal the answer.
But be careful...
You may discover that something—or someone—is still hiding in the pumpkin patch.
Rewards:
Find all 20 pumpkins to earn:
🎟️ 1 Drawing Ticket
🪙 10 Coins
Ask Lucy for Advice
Lucy’s Psychiatric Help Booth usually costs 5¢ for advice, but this Halloween, she’s giving you one question for free!
She has even given the Library Team permission to hand out her very important advice.
During the month of October, visit the library and ask:
“What is the meaning of Halloween?”
You’ll receive one of Lucy’s special advice cards. Her answer might be helpful. It might be silly. And knowing Lucy, she’ll be absolutely certain she’s right!
Your card also contains a secret code to enter into the reading program.
But does Lucy really know what Halloween is all about?
There’s only one way to find out!
Rewards:
Ask Lucy’s Halloween question and enter your secret code to earn:
🎟️ 1 Drawing Ticket
🪙 1 Coin to spend in the Prize Store
Attend Library Events
Halloween is more fun when we spend it together!
During October, attend a Midweek Matinee on October 21, or October 28, or Super Saturday on October 24 and look for the special event secret code.
Enter the code into the reading program to record that you were there and add another Halloween memory to your adventure.
Attend 4 events by the end of the program to complete the event challenge.
After all, Charlie Brown is beginning to discover that some of the best parts of Halloween are the memories we make together.
Rewards:
Attend 4 events and enter their secret codes to earn:
🎟️ 1 Drawing Ticket
🪙 5 Coins
NEW! Spend Your Coins in the Prize Store
You’ve been reading, completing challenges, solving mysteries, and earning Coins along the way.
Now comes the fun part...
Spend them on prizes!
Visit the Prize Store to see what is available. Each prize has a Coin price, so you can decide whether to spend your Coins now or save them for something you really want.
See something you like?
Choose the prize and purchase it with your Coins. If the item is still available, it will be saved for you and added to My Prizes so you can pick it up at the library.
Some prizes have limited quantities, so if you see something you really want, don’t wait too long!
Once you purchase a prize, check My Prizes for your pickup deadline. Be sure to pick up your prize by that date so we can keep it reserved just for you.
If you aren’t able to pick it up by the deadline, the prize will be returned to the Prize Store and the Coins you spent will automatically be returned to your account. If the prize is still available, you’re welcome to purchase it again.
Your Coins are yours to spend, so choose wisely—and have fun rewarding yourself for all that reading!
Remember:
🪙 Coins = Buy prizes from the Prize Store
📅 Check My Prizes for your pickup deadline
NEW! Enter to Win Drawing Prizes
Those Drawing Tickets you’ve been earning have a special purpose too!
In the program you’ll find Drawing Prizes that you can enter to win.
Browse the available prizes, choose the ones you would most like to win, and decide where to put your Drawing Tickets.
The more tickets you put toward a prize, the more entries you’ll have in that drawing!
You can put all of your tickets toward one favorite prize or spread them among several prizes. It’s completely up to you!
As long as the drawing is still open, you can check your entries and decide how you want to use your available tickets.
When it’s time for the drawings, winners will be chosen from all the entries for each prize.
So keep reading, complete those challenges, and collect as many Drawing Tickets as you can.
You never know—you might be our next winner!
Remember:
🎟️ Drawing Tickets = Enter to win Drawing Prizes
🪙 Coins = Buy prizes from the Prize Store
Want another chance to win?
You can also spend your Coins on extra Drawing Tickets! Each additional drawing entry costs 5 Coins, giving you another way to use your Coins toward a prize you really want.