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Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

Attack Of The Thriller Books

Beware! A bewitching brew has spilled across the planet. Its spell has terrified Austin Ahn, 10, in California. It's given nightmares to 6-year-old Trevor Cline of Los Angeles. And over in Ireland, it's spooked Martin Gray, 12, into imagining spiders crawling down his back. "I really did feel goosebumps!" he claims.

What is this fearsome force?

It's b-b-b-books! Hundreds of spooky stories are giving kids everywhere the shivers. The growth of the most popular series, R.L. Stine's Goosebumps, is monstrous. Nearly 5 million of Stine's books are sold each month, making him America's best-selling author--and a very rich man. Lately his characters have been creeping off the pages and onto television, board games, CD-ROMs and even Goosebumps underwear!

But Goosebumps is just the beginning. Amazed by Stine's success, book companies have begun to turn out thrillers faster than you can say "Boo!" More than 40 different thriller series for kids now crowd bookstore shelves, including Spinetinglers, Spooksville and Bonechillers. This fall at least 10 new lines have been added. According to Roy Wandelmaier of Troll Books, horror is "the hottest thing going."

There seems to be no end to kids' hunger for horror. Says Hillary Hartman, 10, of Essex Fells, New Jersey: "I've just got to read more!"

Why Scary Stuff Scores
Why are kids gobbling up gory books? "They are full of surprises," says Charlie Gibson, 9, of Reading, Massachusetts. Mallory Knop, 9, of Ferron, Utah, has a more basic explanation: "People like gross stuff and weirdness and ooze."

Authors Annette and Gina Cascone, the sisters who write a new series called Deadtime Stories, believe kids like horror because it leaves a lot to the imagination."We put the child in control," says Annette. Some of the series even let kids choose their own story endings.

Stine thinks kids like his books because they resemble a roller-coaster ride. "You know what's in store for you before you get on. The story is fast, with lots of twists and turns--lots of screams. Then it lets you off safe and sound at the end."

Judith Gordon, who runs a school in New York City, agrees. She says scary stories provide a safe way to experience fear, because usually, in the end, "good prevails over evil."

A Tricky Treat
Of course Goosebumps isn't everybody's cup of slime. "It's all fake," complains Adam Sachs, 11, of Newton Centre, Massachusetts. "I don't really like scary books at all."

Some parents and teachers fear that the horror craze is hooking kids on blood and violence. They are also concerned that a steady diet of Goosebumps does not make for a well-balanced reader.

But others are just happy to see kids pick up a book. Many children--especially boys--have discovered reading because of Stine, says librarian Jill Hall of Los Angeles.

A Fearless Future?
Authors are working on spinning more variety and less violence into their tales. L.J. Smith, who writes the Night World series, puts strong females in "thrilling and exciting situations where they can triumph." She lets girls have guts, not gore.

Christopher Pike writes The Last Vampire, a chilling series for older readers, but he adds funny scenes to his younger books to slow down the fast pace of fear. "Spooksville" is about two-thirds humor and one-third horror, says Pike.

Will the craze for scary stories die? Wandelmaier sees a long road ahead for horror. He points to scary fairy tales, like those of the Brothers Grimm, that have lasted through centuries. "These kinds of stories will always be around," he says.

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Cooking Up The Creeps
What goes into a scary story? TFK asked the spookiest authors for their secret recipes:

"Surprises. I think of the ending first and go back and think of the ways I'm going to fool the reader."
--R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps

"A strong heroine with something to learn."
--L.J. Smith, author of Night World

"Mysticism" and "blood only if necessary."
--Christopher Pike, author of Spooksville

"Humor. And a killer ending!"
--A.G. Cascone, author of Deadtime Stories

"I like to put dead kids in my stories. Dead pets also work. And coffins, of course."
--M.T. Coffin, author of Spinetinglers

Next: Fires Rage Through California