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[CCBC-Net] Series
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From: Steward, Celeste <csteward>
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2005 08:54:35 -0800
Angela--Geronimo Stilton is one popular mouse here in the States too...ditto for Junie B, Secrets and Lizzie...they aren't home very often.
I have the same dilemma as you...but I gambled on the Rainbow Fairy series for my library system because it was a hot ticket in a small private school library where I worked in last year. Sure enough, the series has shown great kid appeal since they are circulating very well.
I too struggle with what I perceive as the recent (say, in the last five years) explosion of children's paperback series...Just how many and how often do I start a new series? And once started, are we obligated to continue? I don't give it much thought when money is plentiful but I sure do these days.
It's a gamble...you use your best judgment and hope for the best. Fortunately, paperbacks don't cost a whole lot.
Also thrown into the mix is the prevailing sentiment (among many of the adults in kids' lives) that the library is buying and promoting "trash"...I guess kids' paperback series tend to have a pulp fiction kind reputation. This is not my personal opinion but a reality I deal with in my professional life. Popular materials vs. "quality" fiction is always an issue, both financial and philosophical.
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu]On Behalf Of Angela Reynolds Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 8:28 AM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] Series
Many of the books mentioned are popular here in Canada as well. Geronimo Stilton is the big surprise for me, it goes out like crazy (and is even avaialble as an audio book -- what about those--audio series books...). The Dear Canada and Our Canadian Girl books are also quite popular as are Junie B. Jones, Secrets of Droon, and Lizzie McGuire.
I'm always torn when a new series appears - do I spend my limited funds to try a new one, and hope that if it catches on, I already have it, or do I wait until the requests come pouring in? How do others deal with that? A recent example is the Rainbow Fairy books by Daisy Meadows, they haven't caught on yet, but they LOOK like the kind that will. No matter what they've heard, kids do judge a book by the cover.
As for formula series, I remember many years ago fighting to get Goosebumps in a small rural library in the states - the director thought they were no good, no reason to have them. I asked how many copies of the latest Danielle Steele he bought... and soon Goosembumps were available for the many requests. In grad school I did a paper on series-because I too was one of those who thought series were just plain trash and had no purpose, but after doing research and reading much of what has been discussed here, I changed my mind. I also forced myself to read Goosebumps, Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High, just to see what they were like. My reaction - as I suspected, the books were not incredible: the characters and plots were simple and flat, but kids like them, so I was a changed woman.
Great discussion, great analogies (I especially like the fruits), and an interesting topic!
Angela J. Reynolds, Children's and Young Adult Librarian Annapolis Valley Regional Library 26 Bay Rd. P.O. Box 640 Bridgetown, NS B0S 1C0 CANADA 902-665-2995 fax: 902-665-4899 areynold at nsar.library.ns.ca http://www.valleylibrary.ca
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Received on Thu 01 Dec 2005 10:54:35 AM CST
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2005 08:54:35 -0800
Angela--Geronimo Stilton is one popular mouse here in the States too...ditto for Junie B, Secrets and Lizzie...they aren't home very often.
I have the same dilemma as you...but I gambled on the Rainbow Fairy series for my library system because it was a hot ticket in a small private school library where I worked in last year. Sure enough, the series has shown great kid appeal since they are circulating very well.
I too struggle with what I perceive as the recent (say, in the last five years) explosion of children's paperback series...Just how many and how often do I start a new series? And once started, are we obligated to continue? I don't give it much thought when money is plentiful but I sure do these days.
It's a gamble...you use your best judgment and hope for the best. Fortunately, paperbacks don't cost a whole lot.
Also thrown into the mix is the prevailing sentiment (among many of the adults in kids' lives) that the library is buying and promoting "trash"...I guess kids' paperback series tend to have a pulp fiction kind reputation. This is not my personal opinion but a reality I deal with in my professional life. Popular materials vs. "quality" fiction is always an issue, both financial and philosophical.
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu]On Behalf Of Angela Reynolds Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 8:28 AM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] Series
Many of the books mentioned are popular here in Canada as well. Geronimo Stilton is the big surprise for me, it goes out like crazy (and is even avaialble as an audio book -- what about those--audio series books...). The Dear Canada and Our Canadian Girl books are also quite popular as are Junie B. Jones, Secrets of Droon, and Lizzie McGuire.
I'm always torn when a new series appears - do I spend my limited funds to try a new one, and hope that if it catches on, I already have it, or do I wait until the requests come pouring in? How do others deal with that? A recent example is the Rainbow Fairy books by Daisy Meadows, they haven't caught on yet, but they LOOK like the kind that will. No matter what they've heard, kids do judge a book by the cover.
As for formula series, I remember many years ago fighting to get Goosebumps in a small rural library in the states - the director thought they were no good, no reason to have them. I asked how many copies of the latest Danielle Steele he bought... and soon Goosembumps were available for the many requests. In grad school I did a paper on series-because I too was one of those who thought series were just plain trash and had no purpose, but after doing research and reading much of what has been discussed here, I changed my mind. I also forced myself to read Goosebumps, Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High, just to see what they were like. My reaction - as I suspected, the books were not incredible: the characters and plots were simple and flat, but kids like them, so I was a changed woman.
Great discussion, great analogies (I especially like the fruits), and an interesting topic!
Angela J. Reynolds, Children's and Young Adult Librarian Annapolis Valley Regional Library 26 Bay Rd. P.O. Box 640 Bridgetown, NS B0S 1C0 CANADA 902-665-2995 fax: 902-665-4899 areynold at nsar.library.ns.ca http://www.valleylibrary.ca
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Received on Thu 01 Dec 2005 10:54:35 AM CST
