Review by Booklist Review
Sure, the Goosebumps series made Stine the standard bearer of middle-grade horror for generations, but can he still hold his own against newer upstart competitors? Have no fear actually, have plenty of fear the master has still got it. In this twentieth-anniversary edition of Goosebumps, Stine offers two intertwined yarns with irresistible premises. First, 12-year-old Lu-Ann uncovers a terrifying mask in an attic, perfect for that evening's Halloween party, but it melts into her skin and tearing it off would mean ripping off her own face. Plus, it seems to imbue her with an uncontrollable, hulking (and for the reader, cathartic) rage. In a concurrent tale, Lu-Ann's friend Devin finds himself working with his dad at a Halloween pumpkin patch that just happens to have been planted over an ancient graveyard. The enemy this time: creeping vines. There might be a few too many prank fake-outs and crying-wolf moments, but this book offers a great opportunity to rediscover what makes Stine so special: his swift characterizations, icky ideas, and prose that offers the exact right amount of cover-your-eyes detail. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This twentieth anniversary comes with a few perks: this is the first Goosebumps book in hardback, and the jacket reverses to become a poster. Expect renewed interest in the whole series.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
