Thursday, August 24, 2017

Review - Goosebumps SlappyWorld: Attack Of The Jack!

Scholastic; 152 pages; $6.99; Amazon
Now available from Scholastic is Goosebumps SlappyWorld: Attack Of The Jack! written by the bestselling author R.L. Stine.

The original Goosebumps book series debuted in 1992 with "Welcome To Dead House." The books quickly became popular with middle graders. Sixty-two titles were published between 1992-1997, before a spinoff series Goosebumps 2000 took over in 1998. The books were adapted into a low-budget live-action anthology television series that aired on FOX Kids from 1995 to 1998. Several other spinoff book series were released during the late 1990s, titled Give Yourself Goosebumps, Goosebumps Presents, Goosebumps Triple Header, and Tales To Give You Goosebumps.

The Goosebumps franchise was resurrected in 2008 with a brand-new book series called Goosebumps Horrorland. More spinoff series followed - Goosebumps Hall of Horrors, Goosebumps Most Wanted, and Goosebumps SlappyWorld.

"Attack Of The Jack!" is the second book in the Goosebumps SlappyWorld series. Unlike the other spinoffs, this series features an introduction by the #1 favorite Goosebumps villain Slappy, the ventriloquist dummy. "Attack Of The Jack" centers on twelve-year-old Violet Packer and her ten-year-old brother Shawn being sent to a little New England seaside village, Sea Urchin Cove, for the summer; where they will stay with their uncle Jim for the summer while their parents are traveling for work.

Uncle Jim, an old admiral, lives in a lighthouse with his talking cat named Celeste. While Violet and Shawn were a little nervous about staying with an uncle they barely knew, their attitudes change as they get settled into the lighthouse. They can explore the lighthouse all they want, but Uncle Jim told them never to open one specific door. Of course, Violet and Shawn get bored and open the door to the room, where they find a chest full of jack-in-the-boxes. However, what they didn't know is that the evil Captain Jack and his crew are locked up in the boxes.


Final Thoughts: While the world has definitely changed since the first Goosebumps novella was published in 1992, the Goosebumps plots have basically stayed the same by using a simple formula of putting a young character or characters in a supernatural situation, and normally these stories end with a shocking twist.

Goosebumps SlappyWorld: Attack Of The Jack! uses a mix of scares and humor in a really weird tale that includes a talking cat. Yes, I said that correctly! There's a talking cat, along with evil jack-in-box toys, and a ghost. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book; though it's one of the oddest entries in the Goosebumps franchise.



*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.





About the Author

R.L. Stine's books are read all over the world. So far, his books have sold more than 300 million copies, making him one of the most popular children's authors in history. Besides Goosebumps, R.L. Stine has written the teen series Fear Street and the funny series Rotten School, as well as the Mostly Ghostly series, The Nightmare Room series, and the two-book thriller Dangerous Girls. R.L. Stine Lives in New York with his wife, Jane, and Minnie, his King Charles spaniel. You can learn more about him at www.RLStine.com.

1 comment:

  1. This looks awesome! I used to love Goosebumps when I was a kid :) They are definitely books I want to pass on to my kids!

    Megan @ Ginger Mom & the Kindle Quest

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