Ms. Nancy's Library & Technology Blog

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

Boooooooooy howdy, do I wish the Goosebumps series had never been created. In my first library (at a school with students grades 6-12), I had a few Goosebumps books, and a number of Goosebumps videotapes. What? Moving along to library #2 (K-8th grade students). The students fought over the Goosebumps books and things turned a little horror show-ish. (“Mine!” “No, mine!” riiiiip went the pages.) It was sort of a Goosebumps story come to life.

The books were falling apart, even without the fighting, and the students were forgetting to bring them back, so… problem solved. I weeded out the few that were remaining, put them in the discard box and off they went.

Then for two years I heard students complain, “Why’d you get rid of all the Goosebumps?” My answer: “Go to the Multnomah County Library and check them out there. Or save your allowance money and buy one.” I had no library budget for the lower grades, and the budget I had for the middle school students did not, sadly, include Goosebumps money. (My choice.)

Don’t get me wrong — I love a good scary book (Stephen King, Lois Duncan, the Twilight books… which are mainly scary because they’re not written all that well, not because of the content). It’s just… Goosebumps aren’t well-written. I know, I know, it’s just like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: “They get the kids reading!” So how can that be bad? Well, I would like to argue that it becomes a bad thing when Goosebumps and DOAWK are all that they read. The comparison I make with the kids is this: Books are like food. It’s OK to have snacks once in awhile, or a little junk food, but when that’s your sole diet? That’s a problem.

My current library has a good-sized Goosebumps collection — battered, fading, pages falling out. The kids adore them, especially the kinders, 1st and 2nd graders.

Even when they can’t read them at all, because they’re struggling readers.

Even when they take them back to class, and their teachers are unhappy. (“What’s wrong with Magic Treehouse? How about Henry and Mudge? Why not try Frog and Toad? Dr. Seuss? Anything?”)

Even when they take them home and their parents are unhappy, because Goosebumps give some kids nightmares. (“No, they don’t.” “Well, sometimes they do.” “No, they don’t.” me: sighing) The covers alone, even if you’re pre-literate, are enough to bring on bad dreams. Then the parents send messages, via the kids, the teachers, e-mails: “Please don’t let my child check out Goosebumps.”

And then… we have forbidden fruit. (I’m with the parents and teachers on this one, 100 percent.)

“Please, go to the public library and check out Goosebumps, if it’s OK with your parents.” — me to my kinder and 1st grade students, daily (the 2nd grade students are allowed 2 books apiece, so they usually choose a Goosebumps book and one other)

Here’s a list I came up with, along with some library friends, of little kid scary books (some of which aren’t too scary), that I suggest in lieu of Goosebumps:

Leveled Readers 2 & 3
* Scooby Doo (Haunted Castle, The Haunted Road Trip, Shiny Spooky Nights, etc.)

* “Ghosts! Ghostly Tales from Folklore” and “In a Dark, Dark Room” (Alvin Schwartz)

* “Stick Man’s Really Bad Day” (Steve Mockus)

* “The Dragonology Handbook” (Dugald A. Steer)

* “Where the Wild Things Are” (Maurice Sendak)

* “Sleeping Ugly” (Jane Yolen)

* “Bony” (Frances Zweifel)

* Captain Underpants (Dav Pilkey) (I can’t believe I’m including this series, sorry Mr. Pilkey)

* “Ancient Astronauts: Unsolved Mysteries” (Sue Hamilton)

* “It’s Halloween, You ‘Fraidy Mouse” (Geronimo Stilton)

* “Grandpa’s Ghost Stories” (James Flora)

* “Tales Once Told” (Felix Pitre & others)

* Any books about the Titanic, high or low level

* “The Teachers from the Black Lagoon” and other titles (Mike Thaler)

“You know what I did this weekend?” one of my 1st graders asked me today. “No, what?”

“Went to the Beaverton Library and checked out Goosebumps.” (Big smile on his face.)

My response: “My secret evil plan worked!” (High five and off he went to class.)

The End. Sigh.

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

How lucky are we to live close to a duck pond? Happy paddling, you babies. Here’s to a good life for all.

— Ms. Nancy

“No Time for Flash Cards” put together a list of 15 great picture books about friendship. I see a few of my favorites on here, including “Owen & Mzee: Best Friends” and “The Giving Tree.”

Happy reading!

— Ms. Nancy

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

(That’s one of our new friends from the neighborhood.)

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

Yes, this is a great month, because April is National Poetry Month, and this is National Library Week.

Enjoy! Read! Enjoy!

— Ms. Nancy

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

Would you like to brush up on your Spanish? French? Italian? Portuguese?

Or perhaps study for your SATs, or hone up on math or geography?

I am kind of taken with MindSnacks, an app that I downloaded so my kid could practice her French and I could refresh my Spanish. I use it on my iPad; my daughter loaded it onto her iPod. You can go through iTunes for it.

The first few levels are free, then I think they want $5. Reasonable enough.

!Bien hecho!

The language he speaks best is tiger.

(Photo by Steve Rawley)

I’m going back to work in a school library, as soon as spring break is over. It’s one of our neighborhood elementary schools, K-5, and to say that I am over the moon is pretty much an understatement.

For the little kids, I plan to read them “Go, Dog. Go!” and “Press Here” (in Spanish and in English) my first day. For the big kids? I’m thinking of reading a chapter from something on the shelves, and giving a little book talk. I’ll have to find some titles with multiple copies. I also like to ask them what they’ve been reading, and find something for them that matches up.

When I stopped by to say hi on Friday, the 2nd graders were checking out Bad Kitty, Babymouse and Harry Potter 7, and you know that made me happy. They love Bart King books, of course, and anything with “Guinness Book of…” in the title. The kids introduced themselves, and a group of them toured me around. Made my day.

ps: Library Tip of the Day (for Washington Co. residents): Check out (literally!) the Washington County Library Services Cultural Passport to Adventure. With the Cultural Pass, you can go to AC Gilbert Discovery Village, the Chinese Classical Garden, Pittock Mansion, the Children’s Museum, Japanese Garden, Rice Rock Museum or the Washington County Museum. Each pass provides free admission to one of these spots and is available for a one-day check out from the library. They can be reserved in advance.

And away we go…

This is me, flying off to a new adventure 🙂

(Heron photo by Steve Rawley)