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YA / Teen Library Program · Ages 11–17 · 50–60 Minutes
The teen program that fills the room without a single craft supply.
- Ages 11–17
- 50–60 minutes
- I bring everything
Fifty YA horror novels wrapped around magic that’s genuinely unsettling — and every teen walks out with the reading list, ready to check them out from you.
Check my October dates See the 50-book list
Or call me directly — (716) 940-8963
The hook
Why teens actually turn up
Young adults and teens are often some of the hardest people to draw into your library.
You already know that. And it’s hard for a reason that has nothing to do with you: teens are quick to abandon something if it doesn’t immediately captivate their attention.
The teens who’ll come to a craft night were coming anyway. The ones you actually want to reach — the ones who haven’t been through your doors since they aged out of summer reading — need a reason that doesn’t feel like a library program.
A good YA/teen library program has to be visual, fast-paced, interactive, and on their level.
This is that program. It’s pitched at them, not down to them. Nothing in it apologizes for being scary — which is exactly why they stay.
Two teen shows, one season
Horror in the Library, or FEAR?
I run two teen programs in the same season, and librarians ask me this every year. Here’s the honest answer.
Horror in the Library is the reading program. It’s built on YA horror novels — Stephen King, Christopher Pike, Stephanie Perkins — and every teen leaves with a list of fifty titles they can check out from you that night. Book this one if you want circulation.
FEAR is the phobia program. It’s built on what actually frightens us — spiders, needles, clowns, the dark — and it points teens at your non-fiction shelves instead. It’s the scarier of the two. Book that one if you had Horror last year, or if your teens want the harder edge.
Both run 50–60 minutes. Both are built for ages 11–17. Plenty of libraries book one each year and alternate.
What students experience
What happens in the room
In Horror In The Library, I’ve taken several YA/teen horror novels and wrapped their plots around strange, bizarre, and scary magic.
- A chosen page from Dracula vanishes — and reappears in the strangest of places
- An unusual cure for a disease has patrons laughing while they’re being grossed out
- YAs have their minds read as they freely select words from popular books
- Psychokinetic activity is demonstrated in a dramatic way, with a shocking ending
- A cell phone reveals a teen’s thoughts
- An old Edgar Allan Poe story inspires a routine with poisoned cups
There’s no blood. But plenty of “Ewww, gross!” And a few moments where they’ll scream.
Ages 11–17 · 50–60 minutes · nothing you’d have to explain to a parent
The part your director cares about
Every teen leaves with fifty books they can check out from you.
Every guest is handed a printed list of FIFTY YA and horror novels — and every title on it is one they can walk over and check out from your shelves.
Featured in the show: Carrie by Stephen King · Chain Letter by Christopher Pike · Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist · The Merciless by Danielle Rollins · There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins · #murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil — and many more.
That turns a line on your programming budget into a circulation number — which is the number that gets reported upward, and the reason this show gets rebooked.
Why I built this one
I loved reading scary books when I was growing up.
When other kids my age were reading Seventeen or the latest celebrity gossip magazine, I was reading Stephen King’s The Stand, or Salem’s Lot. As I got older I moved on to Clive Barker and Dean Koontz. When I got to college I discovered the past masters — H.P. Lovecraft, Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe.
It was all so glorious.
Helping people discover a love of reading is one of my main passions. You can probably tell — I have three different school assemblies themed to reading, and about a dozen different library programs.
Horror in the Library is the one I’d have wanted at fourteen.
Proof
What librarians and media specialists say about Cris Johnson’s library programs
“Fantastic program! One of the BEST young adult programs we have ever had. ALL of the teens were extremely engaged and fascinated with Cris’ combination of storytelling and historical knowledge. Every teen who attended wants Cris to come back as soon as possible!”
Tim RyanYoung Adult Services Librarian
Sully Branch Library, Rochester, NY
“Our show was AWESOME! My group had such a great time listening to and participating with all the different stories. A guaranteed awesome, spooky time! Highly recommended!”
Katie SmithTeen Services Librarian
Wood Library, Canandaigua, NY
“The tweens and teens definitely thought the act was creepy and cool! This show featured a lot of historical mysteries that a lot of kids did not already know, so they got a LOT out of it!”
Merrie HaumannAhira Hall Memorial Library
Brocton, NY
“The teens enjoyed the weaving of historic accounts in with the illusions! Very entertaining and good visual program use of the artifacts!”
Lynda PageWest Elmira Library
Elmira, NY
“The guests really enjoyed the whole show — the stories, the presentation, and the presenter! Cris was great to work with, very professional and personable. I liked that he plugged librarians and books!”
Tina DaltonYouth Services Librarian
Cuba Circulating Library, Cuba, NY
“Teens and adults loved the program. They leaned forward in their chairs during the stories and demonstrations. Cris is great to work with — he helped arrange tables, talked at length with the teens afterward, and was very engaging.”
Doris Jean MetzgerTeen Librarian
Steele Memorial Library, Elmira, NY
“WOW! Totally awesome show — our audience was blown away! Also learned quite a bit about some historical facts. I recommend for libraries to have Cris Johnson come and present a show.”
Kate PuehnLibrarian
Elma Library, Elma, NY
“This was one of our most popular programs of the year! Our patrons enjoyed the audience participation and were very happy with the program. Highly entertaining and educational. Thank you so much!”
Carol Ellen Kowalik-HappyLibrarian
Olean Public Library, Olean, NY
“Fascinating history of sites, regardless of whether you believe in ghosts or not! Great thrills and scares!”
Theresa StrebLibrary Director
Lyons Public Library, Lyons, NY
“It was mind-boggling — I don’t know how you did what you did! It was awesome, I loved it!”
Stacy WicksallLibrary Director
Macedon Public Library, Macedon, NY
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Easy to host
I make this the easiest thing on your calendar.
- I bring everything. State-of-the-art sound system included for larger groups at no additional fee.
- Fast set-up, and I work around your schedule — not the other way around.
- Poster and a customized press release to publicize the event.
- Unusual props and creepy decorations. The room gets dressed, not just the stage.
- Your existing space is fine — meeting room, community room, or the stacks themselves.
- No deposits. Ever.
The no-risk part
If your patrons aren’t amazed, you don’t pay — and I donate $500 to your library.
In over 20 years of full-time performing, not one client has ever taken me up on it.
Book it
October always sells out.
That’s when nearly every library wants this show, and I only have so many October evenings. The libraries that get their first-choice date are the ones that call in the summer.
Call me at (716) 940-8963 — that’s my cell phone — or email [email protected] to lock in your preferred date.