From: Tessa Michaelson Schmidt <tessa_at_pagosalibrary.org>
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:03:56 -0600

First, my addictions as a wee lass: I loved Sweet Valley High, which I began reading in 3rd grade. Oh how I longed for a lavaliere necklace like the Wakefield twins. My favorite was SVH #26: Hostage. Thankfully, more age-appropriate series soon showed up on the market and I moved on to The Babysitter's Club and Sleepover Friends. The handwriting was on the wall for my future as a librarian when my best friend and I created our own "lending library" of BSC titles for our fellow campers at summer camp. There was a bit of drama when someone ruined a copy of Super Special: Babysitters on Board when it got wet at the beach.

I think the big draw to series books for me as a young reader was the familiarity of the characters. Each book was like its own episode of a sitcom I really liked. The initial chapter explaining the setting (Stoneybrook, CT), the relationships (identical twins, except for a small mole on Elizabeth's shoulder), and personalities (shy and responsible Mary Anne) was the theme song--a musical intro that set the stage for the main drama.

Series are pretty popular at my library for both boys and girls. RL Stine's Goosebumps still check out like mad as do the Magic Tree House titles. The Lunch Lady books are pretty popular and go hand in hand with Wimpy Kid requests. Junie B. Jones has Amber Brown beat in the popularity polls, but no one can top the Warrior Cats. Warrior Cat readers are a biblio-cult. They might dip into the Seekers or take a break with the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, but they really just want more Warrior Cats.

As for me, I placed a hold on Francine Pascal's new book--Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later.

Tessa

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt Assistant Director Ruby Sisson Library / Upper San Juan Library District 811 San Juan Street P.O. Box 849 Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 (970) 264-2209 http://pagosa.colibraries.org
Received on Thu 04 Aug 2011 02:03:56 PM CDT