There’s got to be a term to describe that like. Extremely specific era of children’s literature where all the books were novellas printed on low quality paper, pumped out on a near monthly basis, and made for series that sometimes stretched into hundreds of books
Animorphs. Goosebumps. Bailey School Kids. Babysitter’s Club. Magic Treehouse. Series that plague public libraries and second hand book stores to this day. A genre that was nearly wiped out overnight by the success of Harry Potter, and the newfound desire for kids to read long form literature
It was like pulp fiction for kids
The Scholastic Age
just bc you cant appreciate the positive impact that these made on the children of that era doesnt mean you get to ruin it for the rest of us. literature doesnt have to be thick novels for it to be beneficial, and shorter books like these made it a lot easier for kids to engage with these stories on their own terms and to find enjoyment in reading that often isnt nurtured by the school system or by weighty books that cost far more money than a library card ever will. the mass production of these novellas made it so that there was a surplus available to kids who couldnt get the latest hit at the bookstore and instead were raised in public libraries. you can diss these works all you want, but they proved to the kids of my generation that reading can be fun and engaging and inspired so many of us to follow our creative dreams. also, even if people can afford thick, hardcover books, those are incredibly intimidating, especially to kids with developmental and learning difficulties. are you seriously gonna make fun of books that were far more accessible to kids with dyslexia, adhd, autism, and other issues just because they were mass produced and didnt meet your literary standards? the magic treehouse series was my first introduction to reading and the books have stuck with me ever since, and im currently working towards a career in creating webcomics and graphic novels. and if you actually stuck your nose into any of these books, youd find fun, character-driven writing with simple yet powerful language choices that are worth just as much as thicker, older books. listen, this is all coming from someone who was a voracious reader who excelled in english classes and loves long books. i have every qualification to be a snob like op, and yet im not. i love books like these with all of my heart. not every literary experience has to be a 300+ page book usually written by a dead white guy. if you cant appreciate fun short stories that have inspired a generation of readers and writers, then keep your mouth shut. if you dont have anything nice to say about one of the greatest movements towards inspiring love for reading and writing across class boundaries and making literature accessible to everyone, then dont say anything at all.
Published
ifesbob 