What if the best way to get kids to read was to scare them? R.L. Stine, born on October 8, 1943, figured this out. His Goosebumps book series has sold over 400 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling children's book series in history. Stine did not start out writing horror. As a teenager, he created a humor magazine at his school. He spent years writing funny books and joke books. Then his publisher asked him to try something different. Stine wrote a scary book called Blind Date. It became a hit. He discovered that kids loved being frightened in a safe way. Goosebumps launched in 1992. Each book follows a simple formula. An ordinary kid faces something strange and scary. There are twists and surprises. The ending usually has one last shock. Stine wrote a new book roughly every two weeks. His writing style uses short chapters, simple sentences, and cliffhangers that make readers want to turn the page. Stine once said that reading should be fun, not homework. His books turned millions of reluctant readers into book lovers. Many adult authors today say Goosebumps was the first series that made them want to read.