Series Books Have Long Been the Subject of Much Controversy

Series books have long been the subject of much controversy. The debate over their possible value or lack thereof is epic. They have been touted as fun, and as damaging to the adolescent mind. But what makes these books so controversial? It is perhaps partly due to the abnormal perfection of the characters and partly the dubious value of the books. Series books have been popular with readers of all ages since their inception. Perhaps this is because readers are able to bond with the characters. “They can return to familiar settings and beloved characters and plunge forward with a story (Dyer).” The characters are familiar to them, and they don’t want to part with them. In other cases, the books are short, easy reads, and instead of getting comfortable with a character, a reader is intrigued and goes looking for more, wanting to get to know the character better.

“Any reader, novice or pro, can identify with the delicious greed of wanting a story about someone they like, someone with whom they have connected, to go on and on and on (Heppermann).”

Some series even breed spin-offs, hoping to capitalize on the popularity of the originals. The long running Nancy Drew series has been the originator of several spin-offs. The teen romance series River Heights, the Nancy Drew Files, and the newest, Nancy Drew On Campus. The two most recent mystery series have been updated with the tastes of the times, becoming darker and more violent. There is also a Nancy Drew Notebooks series, depicting Nancy as a child for young readers, and a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys crossover series (Harris). Tom Swift later became Tom Swift, Junior. Sweet Valley High spawned Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley College, Sweet Valley Kids, and numerous others. The characters are made available to all ages, and often, readers are able to grow up with their favorite characters. The idea of growing up with your favorite characters is certainly one that that popular Harry Potter series is building on. With each book, Harry Potter ages as do his readers, and the books themselves grow increasingly mature and complex. Author J.K. Rowling expands the world of Harry Potter to keep the attention of readers, as they grow older, and to attract new readers. Perhaps one of the first things to do is to define the concept of a series book. Although this sounds obvious, in some cases, they can be hard to identify. For the sake of clarity, assume that any book with a connecting book is a series. For example, Mark Twain wrote Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, perhaps as stand alone books, but they took place in the same time, with many of the same characters, and indeed, Huckleberry Finn uses the story Tom Sawyer as the lead in to his narrative. Louisa May Alcott’s popular classic Little Women was followed up by two lesser- known books, Little Men and Jo’s Boys. Although these are not often recognized as series books, they are. More easily recognizable are the more prolific series books, like Nancy Drew or The Bobbsey Twins. Early series books were often filled, not to subtly with morality tales of children too good or too bad to be true. Most of these books have faded away. They were replaced; starting around the mid-19th century, with books that reached out to children for entertainment purposes. This is not to suppose that morality in literature disappeared, not even in series books. Little Women appealed to the masses, but its heavy-handed morality cannot be denied. Series books, perhaps most of all continued to uphold the themes of good versus evil and the idea that all morality was clear-cut. The hard-working, brave boys were the ones that got lucky, had adventures and eventually made their way to the top in astonishing rags to riches stories like the ones told by Horatio Alger, Junior. The morals here were black and white, but not necessarily what parents might want their children to read. Meaning, the bold and dashing, mostly good, but relatively unsupervised hero was the one who made it to the top, not the polite, obedient ones. As the books continued to evolve, so did the characters, until instead of humans, you had what appeared to be “superteens”. These kids could do anything, and often did (Watson). Their perfection appealed to readers, as did their exciting lives. Cherry Ames traveled the world as a sleuthing nurse, Tom Swift went from the Amazon to outer space, and wrestled lions in-between. The Merriweather Girls found long lost heiresses and founded their own businesses. It is hardly to be wondered at that these teenagers should become heroes to their readers. They were breaking down barriers to create new and better worlds. The impossibly thrilling adventures of these teen heroes raised eyebrows. In a 1913 article Franklin K. Matthews wrote that

“The red blooded boy, the boy in his early teens, must have his thrill. He craves excitement, has a passion for action…and in nothing is this more true that in his reading…The subversive works like the ‘Rover Boys’ ‘no effort is made to confine or control these highly explosive elements. The result is that, as some boys read such books, their imaginations are literally blow out and they go into life as terribly crippled as though by some material explosion they had lost a hand or foot (Watson).”

The article closed by citing a letter in which a parent blamed a child’s running away on “cheap reading.” In the early 1900’s, some librarians banned series books and many bookstores ceased to carry popular series’ like Tom Swift (Watson). Despite these setbacks, the books continued to sell. Edward Stratmeyer, a prolific author, said “Any writer who has the young for an audience can snap his fingers at all the other critics (Watson)”. It is, in fact, impossible to look at the history and development of series books for youth without looking at Edward Stratmeyer. One of the least known, but most prolific authors for children, Stratmeyer produced up to and over 22 different series for children. Despite this, his name is known to few. In fact, he wrote under as many pseudonyms as he had series. A few of the most recognizable are Franklin W. Dixon, Carolyn Keene and Laura Lee Hope. These are the names for what were arguably Stratmeyer’s longest-lasting and most popular series, the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and the Bobbsey Twins. After his first rush of fame, Stratmeyer founded the Stratmeyer Syndicate, which employed a vast number authors to continue the series’ that he has begun. Author’s signed over all rights to the books to the syndicate, and received no royalties. The number of books and the number of authors published under one of Stratmeyer’s pseudonyms seems endless. More than one author might have been published under a single pseudonym. Indeed, Nancy Drew was produced by at least half a dozen different authors, most notably – and most prolifically, Stratmeyer’s daughter, Harriet, who was, perhaps the true Carolyn Keene (Watson). Although Stratmeyer did not write all of the books, he did produce the first two or three books to nearly every series, and took an active role in publication until his death in 1930. The immense popularity of the books produced by the Stratmeyer syndicate has not vanished. Many of the books are still being printed, and some have never gone out of print. In 1991, it was estimated that the syndicate, which was founded in 1906, sold more than two million books per year (Watson). Given the sheer number of books produced by the syndicate, Stratmeyer’s impact is easy to see. He and his competitors flooded the market, bringing up echoes of the old dime novels, and providing fun literature for youth. Its popularity with children did not sway adults, and even today the so-called cheap literature is often frowned upon. The fact that this popular literature is rarely taken seriously, and is often over looked has lead to the title “fugitive literature (unknown)”. These books tell us something about the history of youth, and youth literature, and to overlook them trivializes both (unknown). An article on popular literature for girls reads, “When you’re writing about girls and trying to understand how girls live and have lived, this literature is very important (unknown).” Books like the Nancy Drew series were among the first to portray an intelligent, inventive and free female protagonist. Compare Nancy to Louisa May Alcott’s feisty Jo March. Both of them are bold and brave, willing to try anything, but Jo learns to embrace her place in the home, and Nancy finds her way out of the home. The difference is striking, and is certainly a testimony to the evolution of both literature for youth and society. Perhaps it would be fairer to compare Nancy to another series character that is closer to being her contemporary. Cherry Ames, the sleuthing nurse, was developed around the same time as the Nancy Drew series. But where Nancy was given the freedom to roam and develop as she pleased, Cherry was subtly put back in her place. She confesses, in her series, that she once wanted to be a doctor, but quickly learned that a woman’s place was as a nurse. Despite this limitation placed on her sex, Cherry goes on to prove herself as good as any man, even rescuing a fighter pilot from drowning at one point, which unfortunately causes the budding romance between the two to fizzle instead of sizzle. In fact, Cherry’s dismal lack of recognition of her “place” causes more than one romance to die on the vine. The struggle between traditional women’s roles and the developing role for women is evident. These books, entertainment value aside, provide a valuable tool to study the development of character and society (unknown). One concern voiced by librarians about series is their formulaic tradition. Do the books fail to challenge readers? And should this be a concern? Will readers stagnate if they are not challenged? Admittedly, this can be an issue, but series can also help children to develop a love of reading. Many series do rely on formula to support themselves.

“The series-books pattern oils the decision making process for persons all along the book production, sales and use pipeline…Publishers, who build a kind of brand loyalty, do not have to promote a book from scratch. The publishers of series books know how to push our buttons (Boardman).”

Publishers fall back on old favorites to sell new books. One example of this is the recently revived Boxcar Children series. Republishing the old books, and releasing a continuation of the classic series written by a new author uses the nostalgia of parents to sell books to kids. Unfortunately, continuity and quality with the original books is not guaranteed, even if sales are. Attempts to update successful formulas from yesterday often fail when applied to today’s readers. R.L. Stine, who is currently one the most prolific writer’s for young adults and children, has certainly cashed in on formula. His Fear Street and Goosebumps series sell very well, and it is no surprise as he turns them out nearly as quickly as the Stratmeyer syndicate used to. Like many series books, these books rely on formula. Scary thing meets kid, kid defeats scary thing somehow; kid lives happily ever after…mostly. Change the age level, and you have a standard Stine book. Interestingly, Stine is not the only one taking a basic theme and stretching it to cover as many age groups as possible. Whereas early series books were generally aimed at very specific age groups, newer series may splinter to try and reach more than one group. Where the Bobbsey twins left off, Nancy Drew picked up. Now, Nancy Drew has an elementary school counterpart, and one in college to catch readers as old and as young as possible. The Baby-Sitter’s Club has also flashed back to sneak a peek at the before they were baby-sitters years. It is easy to understand, in some cases, why librarians would be wary of whole-heartedly embracing series books, past and present. But that doesn’t mean that they should ignore or reject all series books. In their haste to provide “good” books, even the best-written, most original series are sometimes overlooked. Newberry Medal winners like Beverly Cleary and Lois Lowry are praised for their non-series books, but their serial works, like the Ramona books, and the Anastasia Krupnik series are overlooked. These books certainly are not part of the formulaic tradition developed by Stratmeyer and his imitators, so why are they overlooked? Perhaps in the search for “good” literature, librarians have been too quick to dismiss series books based on outdated information? In an odd twist, the romance genre is one that often does honor series books. How does this apply to a young adult readership? Fourteen percent of all romance readers are under 19, and 41.4 million people over the age of ten have read at least one romance this year (Charles and Mosley). Series books have received top honors in the romance world, Ironically this combination may prove lethal to reader interests in libraries, as both series books and romance novels are often looked on as literature’s last resort. However, it is unfair to gloss over an entire genre based on a preset perception. Perhaps the popularity of series romances should not come as a surprise, given that historically, popular series books have often contained a bit of romance. The long- running Sweet Valley series spends about three-quarters of its volumes discussing who is dating who and what the couples are fighting over (usually other couples). Alcott married off the March sisters to their ideal men, and Anne of Green Gables went through half a dozen boyfriends before L.M. Montgomery let her settle down with Gilbert. Nancy Drew had any number of boyfriends, including the ever-popular steady guy Ned Nickerson. In fact Nancy Drew readers merited their own Sweet Valley like spin-off in River Heights, which focused on all the romantic entanglements of the teens at Nancy’s former high school. Cherry Ames had plenty of suitors, but most of her romances died on the vine. Tom Sawyer had Becky Thatcher and even the Hardy Boys had their girl problems. Basically, popular series for teenagers have always included a hint of romance. The shift to reading romance series shouldn't be too surprising as it skips straight from hint to full-blown romance. One major change in series books for children and young adults is that they are often used as a marketing tool, selling products other than books. The Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson books, instead of being original adventures are tie-ins to their popular movies and televisions programs. Disney jumped on the bandwagon by creating a set of companion books to go with the increasingly popular show, Lizzie McGuire. Series like these are closing the gap in entertainment media, and some of them are the cause of continued dismay for parents and librarians alike. Instead of encouraging children to read instead of watch TV, they encourage children to read about TV when they can’t watch it. This is quite a contrast to the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books, which spawned television programs, instead of being spawned by them. However, despite the protests of parents, teachers and librarians, series books maintain their popularity. When the books of the Stratmeyer syndicate were put on “trial” and yanked from libraries and bookstores, their popularity remained constant. In 1926, 98% of young readers surveyed had Tom Swift on their favorites list (Watson). Nowadays, Tom Swift would probably be replaced by boy wonder Harry Potter. What is the secret to the success of these series? Maybe familiarity. Maybe the ability to relate to characters.

“The heart is not a literary critic…it may prove that favorite series can serve a serious purpose, too; in times of stress and distress, of isolation and loneliness, of fear and anxiety, they can provide the comforting familiarity of recurring settings and characters who have become both faithful friends and family, living in a reliably unchanging alternate world, a place of sometimes necessary refuge and sanctuary (Cart).”

Maybe though, it’s just the desire to be entertained instead of educated. In a time when readers are almost constantly subjected to the dangers of reality on every page, a little escapism may be a healthy thing.

Bibliography

Boardman, Edna M. “Series books: Can We Buy With Confidence?” Book Report 16: November/December (1997): 23-24.

Cart, Michael. “One Cheer for Series Fiction.” Booklist 97:4 October 15 (2000): 430

Charles, John A. and Mosley, Shelley. “Getting Serious about Romance: Adult series romance for teens.” Voice of Youth Advocates 25:2 June (2002): 87-93.

Dyer, Lucinda. “To Be Continued….” Publisher’s Weekly 249:45 November 11 (2002): 26-31.

Harris, Sharon Reid. “The Nancy Drew FAQ.” Website: http://www.bookloversden.com/series/girls/Drew/DrewFAQ .html Accessed 2/20/03

Hepperman, Christine. “Reading by the Number: paperback series fiction.” The Horn Book 73: July/August (1997): 432-436.

MacPhearson, Karen. “Parents Continue to Puzzle Over Appeal of Best-Selling Children’s Series.” Pittsburgh Post- Gazette October 9 (2001): C-3.

Stevenson, Deborah. “Rewriting the Rules: girls and books.” The Horn Book 73: November/December (1997): 654-659.

Sullivan, Edward T. “More Not Always Better.” School Library Journal 46:4 April (2000): 42-3.

Unknown (Duke University). “Beyond Nancy Drew: Preserving the ‘Fugitive Literature of Girls.” Ascribe Higher Education News Service May 30 (2002).

Watson, Bruce. “Tom Swift, Nancy Drew and Pals all had the Same Dad.” Smithsonian 22:7 October (1991): 50-59.