"I feel happy to terrify kids"

R. L. Stine’s admission, “I feel happy to terrify kids,” reveals a candid joy in provoking fear as a storyteller. Embedded within that statement is a nuanced appreciation for the unique role that horror plays in children’s literature. Stine, celebrated for his Goosebumps and Fear Street series, understands the cathartic thrill that young readers seek, a safe encounter with the unknown. Terrifying children, for him, isn’t about trauma or distress, but about guiding young minds through controlled, imaginative danger.

There is a deep respect for the intelligence and bravery of children embedded in this idea. Unlike endless reassurance, a frightening story invites kids to confront vivid scenarios of menace, supernatural chaos, and suspense, all within the safe confines of a book’s pages. When Stine claims happiness in this act, he expresses pride in being a sort of guide, ushering his audience through their anxieties until they emerge, giggling or breathless, on the other side. Children know these monsters are fiction, yet the adrenaline and uncertainty they bring act as practice for real-life challenges. Stine’s joy is therefore partly empathetic: he takes pleasure in entertaining, yes, but also in empowering.

Another layer to his statement is the recognition of the generational bonding that horror enables. Campfire stories, urban legends, and scary tales have always been rites of passage. Stine participates in this tradition, updating it for his readers. His happiness also comes from creative satisfaction: to design exactly the right blend of fright, suspense, and relief is an art, demanding attunement to his audience’s fears and desires.

Ultimately, admitting pleasure in frightening children is neither sadistic nor careless; it is a celebration of the thrill and resilience found in youth, as well as the author’s delight in being the architect of those unforgettable shivers that linger long after the book is closed.