Horror books draw young readers at Baghdad fair

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Booksellers at the Baghdad International Book Fair say horror literature is attracting growing interest among young Iraqi readers, pointing to social media, fast-paced storytelling and escapism as key drivers of demand.

The 27th Baghdad International Book Fair opened on Sept. 2 with more than 600 Iraqi, Arab and international publishing houses participating.

Mais Al-Baghdadi, 22, told Shafaq News that horror offers an escape from daily pressures, including instability, conflict and the struggle to make a living, allowing readers to enter a different world.

Short, suspense-driven videos on social media can lead users from one frightening story to another, gradually filling their feeds with similar content, she added.

According to booksellers at the fair, demand is particularly strong among people aged 25 to 30. Salma Mohammed, 27, who works at a stand selling horror books, said young readers make up most customers, although entire families also buy titles in the genre.

She linked the appeal partly to audiences becoming accustomed to short, fast-moving online content and seeking similarly intense storytelling.

Haitham Hassan, owner of Egypt-based Dark Publishing and Distribution, said the trend extends beyond Iraq, with social media having “expanded the audience” for horror and crime fiction among young readers. He said the genre could also help keep younger audiences engaged with books.

The genre’s appeal among younger audiences has also raised questions about children’s exposure to frightening content.

Psychology researcher Shaimaa Majeed Bahiya told Shafaq News that children may be drawn to horror out of curiosity, a desire for excitement, imitation or an attempt to appear brave, and that such interest does not necessarily indicate a psychological problem.

She warned, however, that repeated exposure to frightening and violent content could have stronger effects on younger children, who may struggle to distinguish imagined threats from real ones.

She said possible effects could include “fear of darkness, sleep disturbances, heightened sensitivity to sounds or movement, and reduced emotional response to violent imagery.” She also cautioned that recommendation algorithms can expose children who watch frightening material to increasingly intense content.

Bahiya urged parents to monitor what children watch, use age-appropriate limits and discussion rather than relying only on bans, avoid horror content before bedtime, and watch for changes in sleep, mood or behavior.

Read more: Iraq lacks laws to protect children from harmful social media content