R.L. Stine

When I moved away from Texas as a teenager, I received as a going away gift from my best friend Dan, a copy of R. L. Stine's book, "How to be Funny".  I've made it a point to hold on to this book not just because of its sentimental value, which is abundant, but also because I still enjoy reading it at my increasingly advanced age.

A page from R.L. Stine's book, "How to be Funny".

Illustrated by Carol Nicklaus, the book introduces a host of original characters, whose studied efforts and foibles are used as examples on how to be funny, how not be funny, and how to survive the consequences of both.  This book introduced me to the word "bloopgaloop" for the first time.  (I find occasion to use this word once in a sentence every day, which was surprisingly easier back when I worked the phone in customer service for aftermarket parts sales).   I'll always treasure my surge in popularity at my high school cafeteria, as I implemented Wilma Wallaby's "Double Surprise Backward Bump & Spill",  not to mention my consumption of her several page dissertation on how to tell a two-line grape joke.  And I would credit my perfecting of Harrison Babble's "10-step Classroom Bumbling Entrance" as my sole accomplishment at my karate dojo! 
R. L. Stine is one of the world's leading children's book authors, although unfortunately this book was my only real exposure to his work.  I think you can still find copies of this book on Amazon.com, although I note that some copies have a different cover than the version that I have.  I wouldn't mind having this book imprinted on my eyeballs as I bloopgaloop and greepgreep my way down the merry lane of life.