Relive the Nostalgia of Scholastic Book Club Orders from the School Days

The Nostalgia of Scholastic Book Club

For many children of the 80s and 90s, ordering books from the Scholastic Book Club was a beloved ritual. Comedian John Mulaney reflects on this nostalgia in his popular bit "The Scholastic Book Club." As he jokes, "Ah, yes - childhood memories."

The Excitement of Book Order Forms

If you were an elementary school student during this era, you surely remember the excitement when the monthly Scholastic book order forms were handed out. As Mulaney recalls, students would eagerly snatch up the forms and begin deciding which books to order.

The selection seemed endless - from the latest installments of popular series like Goosebumps and Animorphs to sticker books, puzzles, posters, and more. As a kid, being able to choose any book you wanted felt like an incredible luxury.

The Thrill of Book Fair Day

Of course, the most thrilling part was Book Fair day, when all the orders arrived. Your classroom would be transformed into a magical bookstore, with books on every table just waiting to be claimed. Finding your name on an order envelope and getting your books was incredibly exciting.

As Mulaney jokes, some students would order a crazy amount of books, enlisting their parents to spend hundreds of dollars. But even if you only ordered one or two books, it was still special - after all, you picked them yourself.

The Draw of Scholastic Books

What made Scholastic books so appealing and memorable? Beyond the ordering ritual, it was the selection of books themselves.

Affordable Books

Compared to bookstores, Scholastic books were very affordable. They used inexpensive paper and materials to keep costs down. This allowed you to order multiple books at a time - a special treat.

Popular Titles and Series

Scholastic carried exciting, youth-oriented series like Goosebumps, The Baby-sitters Club, and more. These books were instantly appealing and made kids actually want to read voluntarily!

Seeing the latest books from your favorite series show up in the book order catalog was always cause for celebration.

New and Interesting Concepts

Beyond popular titles, Scholastic introduced innovative new series tailored to kids' interests. Series like Animorphs (kids transforming into animals), Magic School Bus (taking scientific "field trips"), and Goosebumps brought fresh concepts that fascinated young readers.

These Scholastic-grown series often blew up into worldwide franchises and major parts of 90s pop culture.

The Nostalgia Carries On

While Scholastic Book Club orders may not capture kids' attention the way they used to, the nostalgia remains.

As John Mulaney says, "Damn you, childhood memories." Even just seeing the logo or someone else's book order form is enough to take many millennials back to childhood immediately.

Indeed, Scholastic Book Club is remembered fondly by many as representing the simple joy and excitement of getting new books as a kid. And that innocent nostalgia endures even decades later.

FAQs

What is scholastic book club?

Scholastic book club is a book distribution service that allows teachers to provide affordable books to their K-12 students. Teachers distribute book order forms monthly with a selection of discounted books for students to purchase.

When did scholastic book club start?

Scholastic launched its book clubs in 1948 with the goal of encouraging children to read more. The model was for teachers to distribute book "flyers" to students with order forms that parents would submit with payment.

What made scholastic book orders so memorable?

For many children, getting the monthly scholastic book order flyers and picking out books to order was incredibly exciting. Scholastic offered popular children’s book series at affordable prices, allowing kids to order multiple books at once.

Why does scholastic book club spark nostalgia?

Many millennials fondly remember the thrill of scholastic book club day when orders arrived to be distributed. Scholastic books represent a simpler, beloved time. Comedian John Mulaney's bit "The Scholastic Book Club" captures this nostalgia perfectly.