Spring Reads: Goosebumps SlappyWorld: Slappy Birthday To You

Scholastic; 156 pages; $6.99; Amazon

Now available from Scholastic is the first book in the all new Goosebumps series, titled SlappyWorld: Slappy Birthday To You, featuring the fan favorite villain - the ventriloquist dummy named Slappy.

In a slight change of format from the Goosebumps Most Wanted series, SlappyWorld begins with a short introduction by Slappy himself, followed by the first part of the story. Occasionally, Slappy interrupts the story for a page or two; typically adding some slapstick humor.

The main character in this tale is Ian Barker, who is forced to celebrate his twelfth birthday with his younger sister, Molly, and their two annoying cousins Jonny and Vinny.

Ian's father repairs dolls for a living, (Yep, that's a real job!) and he gives Ian a ventriloquist dummy named Slappy. The dummy was sent to be repaired by Mr. Barker, but it came with no return address. After a year passed by, Mr. Barker decided to give the dummy to Ian, who has been wanting a ventriloquist dummy for years.

Of course Slappy is no ordinary dummy, (He even has his own Wikipedia page!). After Ian's cousin reads the words off a mysterious piece of paper - "Karru Marri Odonna Loma Molonu Karrano!,"strange things begin to occur in the Barker household, all of which points to one conclusion - Slappy is alive!

Final Thoughts: When it comes go Goosebumps villains, Slappy has always been my favorite ever since I read the original "Night of the Living Dummy" back in 1993. He's a rare villain who can be scary and funny at the same time. I was both surprised and excited when I heard the new series would focus on Slappy; though I do have a feeling he won't be the main villain in every new installment.

The plot for Slappy Birthday To You is pretty simple, especially the part with the Barker's talent contest, which is too silly at times. All the characters are generic and are your typically "Goosebumps" characters. The standout here, of course, is Slappy, as he has all the good dialog.

Overall, while it's not the best Goosebumps novel, I did enjoy reading Goosebumps SlappyWorld: Slappy Birthday To You. It's an interesting start to a new series in the franchise.