From: Tracy L. Hubbard <tlhubbar>
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005 19:08:23 -0600

I struggle with series fiction. Yes, I read Nancy Drew and Betsy Tacy Tib (showing my age!), I loved learning more and more about the characters. I think I could say I was insatiable to know what else was going to happen to these characters, and I think the same could be said to be true about today's series. Yet as an elementary school librarian I want the 5 to 10 books my students read be really good ones. I suppose by *good* I mean less formula, more originality. I have used series fiction (notably the Droon series with my sons, and it can drive me crazy how stilted they can become after the second or third one.)

The previous librarian bought all of the series and my understanding is that they moved off the shelves very fast. I have not pushed them, instead started to bring up authors that have perhaps a little less formula, such as Beverly Cleary, Dan Gutman, Bruce Coville, and so these are moving off the shelves.

In particular I am struck in this conversation about how different each library is on series. Could it be that we consciously/unconsciously promote them?



Tracy Hubbard tlhubbar at uiuc.edu
Received on Fri 25 Nov 2005 07:08:23 PM CST