I read a ton ton ton as an awkward kid. Lemme break it down for you, the things I read to make me such a great, beautiful, and quality writer today 🙂 . Also this post reminds me of – THE SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR!!! Okay, here’s what I read.
Goosebumps.
This was obviously a fan fave. And R. L. Stine is a legitimate creep. But the best part about these books would probably have to be the “pick your own ending” books. Every time I died, I would just go back to the last page, and pick a different ending. All I do is win. Nice try though, creepy Stine.
Fear Street.
Another creepy creation from R.L. Stine’s mind. My mom bought me dozens of these from a book fair or something, and I read them over and over and over again. Really sick. Also there were books abut the history of fear street, and there was a really nasty series called Fear Street Seniors, where everyone in this graduating senior class was dying. Sort of not cool, looking back on it.
The Babysitters Club
Duh. And in this particular book, the truth about Stacey actually is that she has Type I Diabetes. Total Buzzkill Ann M. Martin. But my dad is a diabetic, so it kinda made me feel like I could relate to him on some level.
Animorphs
This was probably as manly as I got with the books. But these were rad. I always kinda wished I could morph into an animal, not for the purposes of saving the world, but more so I could like, run really fast. Also, Tobias got stuck as a hawk. WTF! That is so not okay. You’re telling me there was no way he could turn back? Ugh.
Sweet Valley Middle, High, and University
Don’t even talk badly about his one. These girls took us through Sweet Valley Kids, Middle, High, and University. Bonus points for the fact that Elizabeth, the good twin, crashed her car in a DUI, but got out of it because the other driver confessed to driving like an idiot at the last second. Also nailed it how the models on the covers of the Sweet Valley University (SVU) would change all the time. That shit is really confusing.
This was so much fun to put together! Now what did you read as a kid?
We share some fave, Cheri. I didn’t read the horror stories but as a little kid, I liked the Enid Blyton stories and the Nancy Drew series and Sweet Valley Twins, High and University came later but also I liked novels. I made a list of some of my favorites in a blog post for World Book Day. You can read it here http://runwright.net/2014/03/06/celebrating-reading-on-world-book-day/
I loved The Babysitters Club, too! Did you know there was a TV show? I had a Christmas episode growing up, and it never occurred to me that it was a whole series, but I found it on Netflix last summer, and it’s pretty terrible/amazing: http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Baby-Sitters_Club/70264625?sod=search-autocomplete
That is amazing. I also remember there being a BSC movie where Kristy’s biological dad didn’t show up to her birthday party! What a shitbag!
I loved Goosebumps, The Baby-Sitters Club, and Sweet Valley High!!