Stine — who cranked out 67 of these books and claimed he could write one in 6 days — tweeted: "I’ve never changed a word in Goosebumps. Any changes were never shown to me."
If you really cared about the "mental health" of children, you'd want them reading better things than the Goosebumps series. But I can see that Scholastic is keen to keep the old series from getting cancelled for seeming behind the times for repetitively calling its characters fat and crazy.
ADDED: Four days ago, the London Times published "Goosebumps author edits mentions of weight and mental health/Writer’s self-censoring includes changing ‘plump’ to ‘cheerful’ and ‘crazy’ to ‘silly.'" That article is linked to by the newer article that contradicts it.
Did Stine self-censor or not? One or the other article needs a correction update.
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19 comments:
Turns out "1984" is indeed a how-to guide. The people making these changes for mental health reasons are the crazy ones.
Uh Ew Gooseberms- ot my favrite berks…
The more you give in, the more is demanded.
If you really cared about the "mental health" of children, you'd want them reading better things than the Goosebumps series.
I was going to disagree. Reading anything is better than not reading. At least for me. I read a lot of crap, but seemed to eventually get into better books. But that was back in the 60's, and 3 TV channels. Today lots competing things fight for attention.
All of this editing of old text feels like people competing to see who can be the most woke.
IF...all of this makes a difference, explain to me, again, about violent video games, youngsters play 6 hours a day, having no effect on violence of youth.
Reading Goose Bumps, has to be better.
rehajm said...
Uh Ew Gooseberms- ot my favrite berks…
3/7/23, 4:56 AM
LOL
"I’ve never changed a word in Goosebumps. Any changes were never shown to me."
He’s not quite saying he didn’t give permission, just that he didn’t make the changes and they were never shown to him.
For some reason this reminded me of the late 70s at NIU English department. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" was being taught as a metaphor for abortion and woe betide the student who asserted it was about the loss of innocence and the horror of war.
"As well as changing cultural references such as 'Walkman,' the publisher removed words that it believed some readers might find offensive."
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her walkman started to melt
Bigmouth
Bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
With the Human race
Scholastic Books were around when I was growing up. They were not a bad outfit and maybe the only was a lot of kids got books of their own. I shudder to think of what they're like now.
I never thought about this before, but the absence of pronouns in the snippet made me wonder: R.L. Stine, male or female? Male. E.L. Konigsberg? Female.
Thee are many things in this modern world that I find "silly".
"mental health" is a subjective, offensive term with allusions to #NoJudgment #NoLabels.
"young" is a subject, offensive term with ageist implications.
"reader" is a selective, offensive term with visual connotations.
"sanitized" is a past, present, and progressive offensive term used in affirmative action by Nazis and Dezis,
That said, good luck. Ok (no diversitism intended).
I guess if you put out Crap for $$, you don't mind if they make the crap a little crappier. As long as you get the greenbacks baby!
As a youngster, if my younger son hadn’t had Goosebumps and Harry Potter books it’s not clear he’d have read anything at all.
... references to villains making victims 'slaves' have been removed and 'crazy' has been changed to 'silly.'
Somehow, I feel offended.
Hope it doesn't become mainstream.
"But I can see that Scholastic is keen to keep the old series from getting cancelled for seeming behind the times for repetitively calling its characters fat and crazy."
History begins anew daily.
Has Tarzan been banned yet? I recall a passage where Tarzan, perched in a tree, observed a line of African warriors marching through the jungle. He would jump the last guy and remove his head, then fly through the trees so he could deposit the trophy further up the trail as a surprise for the procession.
I always find these hugely popular children's books a bit of a mystery. My daughter had no desire to read them. And I never read them either, unless it was Dr. Seuss. I started reading Dr. Doolittle and ALice in Wonderland at 10 and skipped all that stuff.
Do little kids need to be reading a lot of books at 5, or 6, or 8? I dont think so. But I could be wrong.
Thank you Kay. Restored my faith that someone is still paying attention…
My daughter had no desire to read them. And I never read them either, unless it was Dr. Seuss
Reading in rhyme makes for a gay olde time at all ages.
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