The popularity of Halloween and scary Halloween costumes is a testimony to how much people love to be scared. One children’s author has tapped into this love of fear and has turned it into a publishing empire. R.L. Stine’s popular Goosebumps series of “horror” novels for children and teenagers has proved that there is indeed a strong market for fear around the world.
Originally from Ohio, Stine developed a love for writing early in his life and knew that he wanted to be a full-time writer as an adult. After working through a few different jobs, he ended up working for Scholastic Publishing for several years, editing the humor magazine Bananas and doing several other jobs. Eventually, however, Bananas was cancelled and Stine found himself pursuing a career as a freelance writer.
Coupling his love of scary stories with his love for writing, Stine published his first Goosebumps novel, Welcome to Dead House in 1992. Almost immediately, the work was a success. In fact, the Goosebumps series ranks among the most popular children’s book series of all times, Stine’s novels being sold all over the world in at least 30 different languages.
- Kids Reads: Stine Interview — an informative interview with R.L. Stine
- Goosebumps - wikipedia article on the series and the author.
- R.L. Stine — official homepage for the author of the Goosebumps series of books
- USA Weekend: R.L. Stine — short article on R.L. Stine with some advice from the author
From 1992 to about 1997, Goosebumps enjoyed what might be called its golden age. According to USA Today, Stine sold more books than any other author in America for three years and at the series peak his works were selling 4 million copies a month. Goosebumps merchandise appeared everywhere — toothbrushes, cereal, and just about anything else one can think of.
Sales saw a downturn in 1997 as the children who grew up with Goosebumps moved to the new Harry Potter novels and other pastimes. But the brand’s popularity did not disappear entirely, and nearly two million copies of Goosebumps books continue to be sold each year as of 2008. Counting the various reprints and different Goosebumps series, over 250 Goosebumps books have been produced.
- Bestselling Children's Books 2008 — Publishers Weekly sales ratings for children’s books, scroll down to see sales figures for 4 Goosebumps titles
- Goosebumps and Guffaws in Stine's Horrorland — National Public Radio site on the popularity of Stine’s book series, with an excerpt of one of his novels
- Internet Book List: Goosebumps — listing of most of the Goosebumps books that have been published with links to story descriptions
Seeing the success of the Goosebumps series, marketing executives developed a Goosebumps television show that originally ran from 1995–1998 in the Fox Kids block of the Fox television network. Seventy-four half-hour episodes were produced, most of which were adaptations of the book series.
Today the Goosebumps television show has not disappeared entirely but is rerun each October on the Cartoon Network. These reruns continue to sustain the popularity of the Goosebumps series and introduce new readers to the books.
- Bookrags: R.L. Stine — article from St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture reprinted online
- Goosebumps on TV.com — page on the Goosebumps TV series with episode descriptors and more
Aside from the original Goosebumps series, Stine has produced many other Goosebumps series. The Give Yourself Goosebumps series is made up of the familiar find-your-fate books but with Goosebumps characters. Among the many other series bearing the Goosebumps name, a series of books based on the Goosebumps television show has also been produced.
Currently, Stine is releasing a new series called Goosebumps Horrorland, all of which are set in a haunted amusement park. To date, twelve of these books have been published, with more on the way. Stine is hoping that they will help rekindle some of the great popularity that once accompanied the Goosebumps series.
Goosebumps books can be found at all major online and brick-and-mortar retailers. Online auction sites, thrift stores, and similar venues are some of the best place to find some of the classic Goosebumps merchandise that is no longer being produced.
- Goosebumps — Scholastic publishing’s Goosebumps homepage
- "Goosebumps" Rises from the Literary Grave — an article about Stine’s return to Goosebumps
- What Do We do With R.L. Stine? — a scholarly article about gender relationships in the Goosebumps series of books
The Goosebumps series may no longer be quite as popular as it once was, but it is clear that the books remain favorites among children of nearly all ages. No doubt this will continue to be the case far into the future.
Written by Michael S. Atwood