Goosebumps

[Joanne Sullivan <joanne@SHORE.NET>]

Dear Dears,

What a terrific LM_NET family. I love this listserv. Thanks to all who
wrote.

The Goosebumps replies were heartening and informative. I was reminded of
the book challenge form that is put out by ALA, possibly in an appendix
of _Library Power_. I was also reminded of the live presence of
librarians on this list and accepted all comfort, insights and chuckles
tossed my way. (Thanks.) Today offered a different perspective. Our
principal took one (Goosebumps) home last night and said the only thing
he noticed was that he fell asleep after about 60 pages. Personally, I
feel that I need to learn how to look at the larger picture and not be
swept away by small events. I also stand by the May 93 issue of SLJ,
where David Loerrtscher retells the findings of the important Colorado
Study and the Krashen Report. Krashen, among other things, says that
elective reading-and lots of it--is a significant factor in improving
reading skills. If you haven't seen that article, it is a beautiful
capsule form of two significant studies which underline the importance of
strong school library programs and a rich selection of books for children
to choose from. The Colorado Study says that the most important factor in
reading scores is the size of library collection and welcoming, competent
library faculty and staff. I know this strays a bit, but it is important
in the large picture and many of your budget officers do not realize the
enormous effect good libraries have. (I know, many do.)

Here are some of the comments:

One of our objectives is to get children to read. There was a study in
Reading Teacher (last year or the year before)  about what motivates
children
to read. Individual choice was cited as a leading motivator.  The students
chose to read it themselves (it wasn't an assignment) , they picked it
out at
a bookstore, their friends recommended it and they decided to read it -
these
were mentioned. The study also said that this supported the need for a
large
varied selection of books available to students both in the classrooms and
the library.  You and I both know that students who might not read
anything
else, will pick up a Goosebumps book. That validates it for me.  I am
sorry I
don't have that article but it you check Reading Teacher magazine - I'm
sure
you'll find it.

Mary Sciaino  Seth Boyden School  Maplewood, N.J.

PS. I'm sorry I forgot to mention that I think adults are turned off by
the
covers, which are a bit much sometimes, but those are the same covers that
attract the kids.
------------
Joanne: Here's a copy of a message I saved from LM_NET a while back. Hope
you can use it.

******************************************************
*   Debbie Collier          Orange Grove Elementary  *
*   Librarian &             Houston, Texas           *
*   "Resourceress"          COLLIE@TENET.EDU         *
******************************************************

Date: Tue, 7 May 1996 20:58:32 -0400
From: Johanna Halbeisen Rebecca Johnson School <jhalbei@k12.oit.umass.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list LM_NET <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Subject: Goosebumps and Ursula LeGuin

 I am reading Ursula Le Guin's book of essays, _The Language of the
Night_.  Several parts pop out as revelant to the Goosebumps discussion.

        "We kids read science fiction, in the early forties: _Thrilling
Wonder, and _Astounding_ in that giant format it had for a while, and
so on.  I liked "Lewis Padgett" best, and looked for his stories, but we
looked for the trashiest magazines, mostly, because we *liked* trash.
I recall one story that began, "In the beginning was the Bird."  We really
dug that bird.  And the closing line from another (or the same?)- "Back
to the saurian ooze from whence it sprung!" ...I wonder how many hack
writers who think they are writing down to "naive kids" and "teenagers"
realize the *kind* of pleasure they sometimes give their readers.  If they
did, they would sink back into the saurian ooze from whence they sprung!"
(from "A Citizen of Mondath")

        (in talking about some people's idea of writing for kids, she
says)'  "All you do it take all the sex out, and use little short words
and
little dumb ideas, and don't be too scary, and be sure there's a happy
ending.  Right?  Nothing to it.  Write down.  Right on.
        ...you won't have every kid in America reading your book.  They
will look at it, and they will see straight through it, with their clear,
cold beady little eyes, and they will put it down, and they will go away.
Kids will devour vast amounts of garbage (and it is good for them) but
they
are not like adults: they have not yet learned to eat plastic."  (from
"Dreams Must Explain Themselves")

--
Johanna Halbeisen                               "We are confronted by
Rebecca M. Johnson School(K-8)                   insurmountable
opportunities."
Springfield, Mass
jhalbei@k12.oit.umass.edu                               Pogo
---------
There is an article in the March 1996 issue of Teacher Magazine called
"Who's Afraid of R. L. Stine?" that you might find helpful.
Debbie Thompson                    Secretary
Middle School Librarian            Missouri Association of School
Librarians
Camdenton R-III                    P. O. Box 2417
P. O. Box 1409                     Lake Ozark, MO  65049-2417
Camdenton, MO  65020-1409          573-964-6543 (also fax)
573-346-5651 x173
nzx012@mail.connect.more.net
--------
Subject:     Re: MID: Goosebumps
Sent:        12/6/96 3:28 PM
Received:    12/6/96 4:13 PM
From:        R. Jean Gustafson, gustafsj@destiny.esd105.wednet.edu
To:          Joanne Sullivan, joanne@shore.net

I always find it very interesting to ask the person what their favorite
series was as a child.  Because almost every series was at first
considered formula writing, below par, no thought involved and a waste of
time for the reader.  Nancy Drews, Hardy Boys and now look at the position
they have in our collections.  What we are trying to do is hook the reader
in some way and then move them on to more involved reading as their tastes
become more sophisticated.  We have to start somewhere, are we to pull the
wordless pictures books because they don't have quality written stories?
Hang in there.  It is only a phenomenon central to an particular age
level.  Go to the next library up, do they have them?  Go to the next, do
they have them?

R. Jean Gustafson
Librarian Extraodinaire
Lince Intermediate School
316 W. Naches Ave.
Selah, WA. 98942
509-697-0675 ext 665
---------
Hi Joanne,

We had a mother complain about  *The Arizona Kid* earlier this year.  I
informed my supervisor.

I had not read the book.

I then sent the mother the basic ALA form.  To her credit, she completed
it
and admitted that she had not read the entire book.  I took no action.
She
did not take further action, either. This  got me to read the book.  I
asked our middle school librarian to order two more copies.    It's
wonderful.

Keep the faith.

Marty

Martin Swist
International  School  Manila
http://www.portalinc.com/ismanila/
K--12 Library Media Coordinator  AASL KidsConnect Volunteer
P.O. Box 1526 MCPO,  1255 Makati City,   P  H  I  L  I  P  P  I  N  E  S
Tel: (632) 896 - 9801 to 14   *     Fax:  (632) 899 - 3964   *    (GMT+8)
" It's no use going to school unless the library is your final
destination." Ray Bradbury
--------
Joanne