Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark shouldn't be banned

       It’s not unusual for kids to try new things and see if they like something or not. In Alvin Schwartz’s book series, the reader is introduced to a series of scary stories and poems. Most parents don’t want their children reading this book series due to the fact that it talks about death, or it might just scare them. I think differently,  I think that children should be told about death and that it can happen , because its best to let them learn this so they can be prepared in case of a death in the family. I also feel that the children should have the choice of knowing if they’re ready to read something or not, they should think about if they would get scared and try to make wise independent decisions.

       I think kids should try to pick out what books are good for them because it can really teach them responsibility. For a reader my age I personally think that this book is a little corny and cheesy, but in a kids perspective I feel that this book would be a little creepy. One poem in the book specifically talks about the slow process of the body rotting inside of a coffin. Everyone’s different so I feel that some kids might really enjoy reading scary things and some kids could be frightened for a long period of time. in the article, “ In Defense of The Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark”, by Eva Niessner  she claims that, “ there’s always that  one hot-ticket book in the elementary school library, the one everyone is ready to knock out another child’s teeth over. When I was a kid, those were the “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” series”. This proves that a lot of kids do like this book and they all decided on their own that they knew they wouldn’t be too scared after reading it. Eva also states that, “Judging by the controversy these books have caused and the number of places it’s been banned, it’s probably easier to get drugs in a school library nowadays than “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”. But they weren’t banned in my elementary school, at least not back in the day”. This shows that its sad how people are more concerned on banning books than more serious things like drug use, it’s just so detestable. The last quote that shows us that kids should choose what they want to read is, “Still, scary as they are, I don’t think they deserve to be banned. They taught kids that some things were really scary, but you always had the power to shut the book and turn the light on if it got too intense. If kids don’t learn what’s too much for them in a controlled environment like the library, maybe they won’t learn what’s too much for them later in life”. Kids need to know what suits them and what’s too much for them, they need to test things out and take some risks to learn more about what they like.

         In some situations people think that parents should be the ones choosing if they should read specific books or not. One quote from the article states, “These books were absolutely terrifying. My parents can confirm that I had several recurring nightmares related directly to various stories, but the books also fascinated me”. I think that just because someone had a nightmare doesn’t mean they should stop reading it, because they even said it was fascinating. Eva then states, “On the other hand, how great was it to test your bravery? Even better was testing the bravery of other people”. This shows that kids were testing their bravery and trying to figure out if they enjoy these types of books. Eva lastly stated, “Still, scary as they are, I don’t think they deserve to be banned. They taught kids that some things were really scary, but you always had the power to shut the book and turn the light on if it got too intense. If kids don’t learn what’s too much for them in a controlled environment like the library, maybe they won’t learn what’s too much for them later in life”. I love everything Eva Niessner had to say because it’s all the truth, sure things can get scary and harsh but that’s why we test things out, to see if it’s the right choice for us. Everybody is different so you have to see for yourself if something really suits you.

       All in all the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series by Alvin Schwartz is a book every child should test out by reading it; they never know what they like unless you try it. Eva Niessners article is a great way to read about the pros and cons about the books. My very favorite quote of hers is, “If kids don’t learn what’s too much for them in a controlled environment like the library, maybe they won’t learn what’s too much for them later in life”. It’s very true because it’s a part of growing up, you need to try new things and learn new things. A part of growing up is really finding out what’s for you and what isn't.