R. L. Stine Has Enjoyed Scaring Children for Decades
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“I’d like for the reader to identify with the main character. You’re much closer to the story and it’s a lot scarier.”
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Rachel Jamison, a fifth grade teacher from this week’s Book Talks review video, sits down with her all-time favorite author, R. L. “Bob” Stine, to discuss his mega-bestselling series, Goosebumps.
Bob lets Rachel in on his development as a writer and his thought process behind the Goosebumps series, including:
• How he started writing at the age of nine to create his own world, even when his mom insisted that he stop typing and go play outside
• How he wants readers to identify with the protagonist so that what they read will feel extra scary
• Why he uses cliff-hangers in his writing (and why it helps readers want to read more)
• The reason he chooses not to put obvious morals in his stories, but instead focuses on how ordinary kids would tackle extraordinary situations
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R. L. Stine is the creator of the bestselling Goosebumps series, which has more than 400 million copies in print worldwide and is now celebrating its 30th anniversary. Goosebumps is one of the bestselling children’s series of all time and inspired a popular television show, as well as a feature film starring Jack Black and Ken Jeong. His other popular books include the series Fear Street, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room, and Rotten School, and his picture books with Marc Brown include The Little Shop of Monsters, Mary McScary, and the forthcoming Why Did the Monster Cross the Road? (August 2023). R. L. Stine lives in New York City. You can connect with him on Twitter at @RL_Stine or Facebook: facebook.com/rlstine. For more information, visit rlstine.com and scholastic.com/goosebumps.
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This Book Is Available from Scholastic Book Clubs
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