Goosebumps is a popular horror storybook series aimed at children ages 9 to 12. (Grades 3-8.) The stories are written by R.L. Stine and produced by Scholastic Books, one of the more “trusted” names the educational arena. , besides being con
The Goosebumps books, besides being educational and sold in schools, have been made into a television series, one that remained at the number one spot for three years in a row. If your kids liked Goosebumps, they could enjoy them in their lives even more because from the popularity of it all, there was merchandise you could purchase. There were items like Goosebumps snack foods, T-shirts, trading cards, games, sleeping bags and more. These stories were really popular, particularly around the celebration of Halloween.
And rightly so, as "goose bumps," as you probably already know, are also those little bumps you get when you are cold or frightened, so with the books, being scary this would be appropriate. Something you might not know is that the little bumps you get on your skin is more technically called "horripilation." Stine, the writer of the Goosebumps series says he believes his job is to “make kids laugh and give them the creeps” and he likes to tell people that his work “has been called a literary training bra for Stephen King.” (Stephen King being a "great" writer of horror and suspense tales for adults.) Books or movies? Just what is horror? By definition, it is intense fear.
Needless to say, the books have stirred some controversy.
While some people want to ban Stine’s books from school libraries and classrooms, others remind objectors that wanting to ban books is nothing new. They argue that freedom is important and many great books have been on the banned book lists. In the past people have wanted to ban classic reads like "Huckleberry Finn," “Bridge to Teribithia,” “Little Black Sambo” and even “the Holy Bible.” People should be allowed the freedom to read whatever they want to they say.
This is America you know. "Freedom of thought," " freedom of speech" is important, besides dealing with fears cannot be all that bad, and "it's just.. fun!."
Parents and teachers have been known to comment that the books are positive because they do not have graphic descriptions of murder and mayhem and they help get kids interested in reading. They are “easy to read stories about weird things that happen,” they say, “just some ghosts, werewolves, or potions and the main character is alive in the end when in the final chapter everything is resolved.”
“Reading the books produces pleasurable anxiety,” said one teacher, “They are “an entertaining escape…the campfire type story that is meant to send chills down a child’s spine, make her scream and clutch her friend’s arm – and then laugh about it later as the kids scare themselves again.” She guaranteed the interviewer, “Children can reassure themselves that “it’s not happening to me, it’s happening to the character.”
"It doesn't matter what you read,” says another person who is a librarian, “It's your personal taste…and the same kids who are reading Goosebumps are many times reading award-winning novels."
Meanwhile RL Stine has moved on to writing more “sophisticated horror” for more sophisticated audiences. His young readers probably will too. As Stine says, Goosebumps is “just a training bra.”
When they are older, these growing minds will probably have to find something more sophisticated and stimulating from which to nurse their need for such “pleasurable anxiety.”
The Goosebumps books, besides being educational and sold in schools, have been made into a television series, one that remained at the number one spot for three years in a row. If your kids liked Goosebumps, they could enjoy them in their lives even more because from the popularity of it all, there was merchandise you could purchase. There were items like Goosebumps snack foods, T-shirts, trading cards, games, sleeping bags and more. These stories were really popular, particularly around the celebration of Halloween.
And rightly so, as "goose bumps," as you probably already know, are also those little bumps you get when you are cold or frightened, so with the books, being scary this would be appropriate. Something you might not know is that the little bumps you get on your skin is more technically called "horripilation." Stine, the writer of the Goosebumps series says he believes his job is to “make kids laugh and give them the creeps” and he likes to tell people that his work “has been called a literary training bra for Stephen King.” (Stephen King being a "great" writer of horror and suspense tales for adults.) Books or movies? Just what is horror? By definition, it is intense fear.
Needless to say, the books have stirred some controversy.
While some people want to ban Stine’s books from school libraries and classrooms, others remind objectors that wanting to ban books is nothing new. They argue that freedom is important and many great books have been on the banned book lists. In the past people have wanted to ban classic reads like "Huckleberry Finn," “Bridge to Teribithia,” “Little Black Sambo” and even “the Holy Bible.” People should be allowed the freedom to read whatever they want to they say.
This is America you know. "Freedom of thought," " freedom of speech" is important, besides dealing with fears cannot be all that bad, and "it's just.. fun!."
Parents and teachers have been known to comment that the books are positive because they do not have graphic descriptions of murder and mayhem and they help get kids interested in reading. They are “easy to read stories about weird things that happen,” they say, “just some ghosts, werewolves, or potions and the main character is alive in the end when in the final chapter everything is resolved.”
“Reading the books produces pleasurable anxiety,” said one teacher, “They are “an entertaining escape…the campfire type story that is meant to send chills down a child’s spine, make her scream and clutch her friend’s arm – and then laugh about it later as the kids scare themselves again.” She guaranteed the interviewer, “Children can reassure themselves that “it’s not happening to me, it’s happening to the character.”
"It doesn't matter what you read,” says another person who is a librarian, “It's your personal taste…and the same kids who are reading Goosebumps are many times reading award-winning novels."
Meanwhile RL Stine has moved on to writing more “sophisticated horror” for more sophisticated audiences. His young readers probably will too. As Stine says, Goosebumps is “just a training bra.”
When they are older, these growing minds will probably have to find something more sophisticated and stimulating from which to nurse their need for such “pleasurable anxiety.”
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