Point Horror

Last updated

Point Horror is a series of young adult horror fiction books. The series was most popular among teenagers. [1]

Contents

History

The Point Horror series was launched in 1991 by Scholastic Inc, with the publisher re-releasing several of its previous titles under the Point Horror banner. Authors who published under the label of Point Horror include R.L. Stine, L.J. Smith (author), Diane Hoh, Richie Tankersley Cusick, Christopher Pike, and Caroline B. Cooney. [2] The series was notable as Blind Date was one of R.L. Stine's first works and helped launch his career. [3]

After an eight-year absence, Scholastic announced their plan to release three new titles in May 2013, with more to follow later in the year.

Literary criticism

While the Point Horror series did not attract much serious attention, British children's novelist and literary historian Gillian Avery noted the series was "invariably structured around oppositions" in that teen horror novels "does not 'put an end to the opposition between the real and the imaginary' but, instead, affirms the distinction". [4] Roy Fisher wrote the series embodied and represented "the fears and anxieties of young people about their lives in general and about school in particular". [5] Others noted the series' similarity to Stephen King, saying that there "was little difference between the approach and design...other than length". [6]

Will Davis of The Guardian attributed the decline of the series to higher standards from teen readers and the series' lack of real-life issues. [7]

The series has received negative criticism for its portrayal of female characters. British educational historian Mary Hilton wrote in her book Potent Fictions: Children's Literacy and the Challenge of Popular Culture (Routledge, 1996) many young readers viewed the female characters as the ones who get "upset, killed, or dumped". [8]

Offshoots

There have been three offshoots of the Point Horror series that, while all showing the "Point Horror" Logo, are often regarded as separate series in their own rights. They are Point Horror Unleashed, Nightmare Hall and Mutant Point Horror. Nightmare Hall is unique amongst the offshoots as the entire series was written solely by Diane Hoh.

Television

In November 2019, it was announced that Point Horror would be adapted into an anthology series for HBO Max. [9]

Publications

1979

1980

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2013

2014

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vampire literature</span> Speculative literary genre

Vampire literature covers the spectrum of literary work concerned principally with the subject of vampires. The literary vampire first appeared in 18th-century poetry, before becoming one of the stock figures of gothic fiction with the publication of Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), inspired by a story told to him by Lord Byron. Later influential works include the penny dreadful Varney the Vampire (1847); Sheridan Le Fanu's tale of a lesbian vampire, Carmilla (1872), and the most well known: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). Some authors created a more "sympathetic vampire", with Varney being the first, and more recent examples such as Moto Hagio's series The Poe Clan (1972–1976) and Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire (1976) proving influential.

Kevin Christopher McFadden, known by his pseudonym Christopher Pike, is an American author of children's fiction and for mystery-thrillers and supernatural horror fiction, mainly for young adults though he has also published adult fiction.

Watcher or Watchers may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. L. Stine</span> American writer and producer (born 1943)

Robert Lawrence Stine, known by his pen name R.L. Stine, is an American novelist. He is the writer of Goosebumps, a horror fiction novel series which has sold over 400 million copies globally in 35 languages, becoming the second-best-selling book series in history. The series spawned a media franchise including two television series, a video game series, a comic series, and two feature films. Stine has been referred to as the "Stephen King of children's literature".

<i>Goosebumps</i> Series of childrens horror novels by R. L. Stine

Goosebumps is a series of children's horror novels written by American author R. L. Stine. The protagonists in these stories are teens or pre-teens who find themselves in frightening circumstances, often involving the supernatural, the paranormal or the occult. Between 1992 and 1997, sixty-two books were published under the Goosebumps umbrella title. R. L. Stine also wrote various spin-off series, including, Goosebumps Series 2000, Give Yourself Goosebumps, Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Goosebumps Triple Header, Goosebumps HorrorLand, Goosebumps Most Wanted and Goosebumps SlappyWorld. Additionally, there was a series called Goosebumps Gold that was never released.

A vampire is a being from folklore who subsists by feeding on the life essence of the living.

Haunted or The Haunted may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diane Hoh</span> American author of young adult horror

Diane Hoh is an American author of young adult horror fiction, best known for her Nightmare Hall series and Point Horror novels. She grew up in Warren, Pennsylvania and moved back there permanently in 2021 after 33 years in Austin, Texas.

<i>The Nightmare Room</i> Childrens horror anthology television series

The Nightmare Room is an American children's horror anthology television series that aired on Kids' WB. The series was based on the short-lived children's book series that went by the same title created by Goosebumps author, R. L. Stine. The Nightmare Room originally aired in the United States from August 31, 2001, to March 16, 2002.

<i>Goosebumps</i> (1995 TV series) Childrens horror anthology television series

Goosebumps is a children's horror anthology television series based on R. L. Stine's best-selling book series of the same name. It is an anthology of stories involving children and young adults in otherworldly situations. The series is centered around the same supernatural or occult elements featured in the novels, with most episodes being direct adaptions of the books.

The Highgate Vampire was a media sensation surrounding reports of supposed supernatural activity at Highgate Cemetery in London, England, United Kingdom, in the 1970s. The most thorough account of the story is given by folklorist Bill Ellis in the journal Folklore, published in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slappy the Dummy</span> Villain in the Goosebumps book series

Slappy the Dummy is a fictional character and a major antagonist in the Goosebumps children's series by R. L. Stine. He is the main antagonist of the Night of the Living Dummy saga and one of the series' most popular villains, as well as its mascot. He is also the main antagonist of the franchise's film adaptation and its sequel, described by their interpretation of Stine as having a "serious Napoleonic complex" in the former. He comes alive when the words, "Karru Marri Odonna Loma Molonu Karrano," which roughly translates to "You and I are one now" and can be found on a sheet of paper in the coat pocket of Slappy's jacket, are read aloud. After being brought to life, Slappy will try to make the person who did so serve him as a slave, to the point of framing them for his misdeeds.

"The Harvest" is the second episode of the first season of the American supernatural drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was written by series creator executive producer Joss Whedon and directed by John T. Kretchmer. The episode originally aired on The WB on March 10, 1997, forming a two-hour premiere with the previous episode, "Welcome to the Hellmouth", and attracted 3.4 million viewers.

Goosebumps HorrorLand is a horror novella series by R.L. Stine, a spin-off of his popular Goosebumps books. There was an almost ten-year gap between the publication of the initial installment in the Goosebumps Horrorland.

Silent Scream(s) may refer to:

Twilight: Where Darkness Begins is an out of print teen horror novel series published between 1982 and 1987. There are 26 stand-alone books in the series written by various authors; the most notable being Bruce Coville, Carl Laymon, Imogen Howe, Betsy Haynes, Richie Tankersley Cusick, and Joseph Trainor. The series was published by Dell Publishing and is similar to the Dark Forces teen horror series published by Bantam Books. Each book involves the main character(s) battling supernatural forces of evil.

<i>Goosebumps</i> (film) 2015 American film by Rob Letterman

Goosebumps is a 2015 American horror comedy film directed by Rob Letterman and written by Darren Lemke, based on R. L. Stine's children's horror book series of the same name. The film stars Jack Black as a fictionalized version of Stine, who teams up with his neighbor and his teenage daughter, to save their hometown after all the monsters from the Goosebumps franchise escape from his works, wreaking havoc in the real world. It also stars Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee and Jillian Bell in supporting roles.

Goosebumps video games are a series of action-adventure games based on Goosebumps book series.

References

  1. Coles, Martin. Hall, Christine. Children's Reading Choices. Routledge, 1998, p 46.
  2. Reynolds, Kimberly. Frightening Fiction. Continuum, 2004, pgs 20-44.
  3. Memory Wipe: Point Horror AV Club
  4. Avery, Gillian. Representations of Childhood Death. Palgrave Macmillan, 2000, p 193-194
  5. Fisher, Roy. Education in popular culture: telling tales on teachers and learners. Routledge, 2008, p 54.
  6. Cullingford, Cedric. Children's literature and its effects: the formative years. Continuum, 2000, pgs 178-189.
  7. When did Point Horror lose its edge? The Guardian
  8. Hilton, Mary. Potent fictions: children's literacy and the challenge of popular culture. Routledge, 1996, p 136.
  9. "HBO Max to Develop Anthology Series Based on 'Point Horror' Books (EXCLUSIVE)". 12 November 2019.
  10. Wilson Overstreet, Deborah (2006). Not Your Mother's Vampire: Vampires in Young Adult Fiction. Scarecrow Press. pp. 93–94. ISBN   0810853655.