R.L. Stine, the master of horror and suspense for young readers, returns with a thrilling new release titled Nightmare on Nightmare Street ^[*], published by Blackstone Publishing. At eighty-two, Stine continues to defy the passage of time, typing away using just one finger. This persistence has allowed him to produce an array of Goosebumps spinoffs and Stinetinglers, catering to both young readers and the nostalgic adults who grew up devouring his tales in the 1990s. In the book’s introduction, Stine describes Nightmare on Nightmare Street as an "Everything story for Everyone," aiming to be a nightmarish experience for middle-graders and their parents alike. He fondly notes, "A book for adults who read my books when they were kids!"

The story revolves around twelve-year-old Joe Ferber, his sister Sadie, and their parents, who have just moved into a house that screams horror movie tropes: tombstones tucked away in the basement, a creepy doll that seems to have a life of its own, and eerie noises echoing through the walls. On his first night in this unsettling abode, Joe's nightlight flickers, morphing into a spectrum of colors, and the doll seemingly finds its way into his bed. But just as he begins to grapple with these bizarre occurrences, he awakes to find himself in a different reality. Shawn Hannigan, also twelve, shares a similar unsettling experience with his little sister, Addie. Their new school, however, takes the strange to an entirely different level, with teachers donned in animal masks and a principal’s office shrouded in darkness and chaos. By the end of their first day, a mysterious woman claiming to be Shawn's mother asserts that he doesn’t even have a sister. As increasingly odd events unfold around both boys, they must navigate the blurred lines between reality and nightmare.

No, you're not losing your mind. Yesterday, I confidently declared that I was finished with my exploration of kids' horror in the 31 Reads of Terror. Well, it turns out I was wrong—there's one last middle-grade gem that managed to sneak under my radar: No Filter by Kelley Skovron, a 2025 Scholastic paperback that somehow found its way into my eclectic collection. And if you've guessed that I snagged this book solely because of its eye-catching cover, then you’d be absolutely right. It’s a little problem of mine; I tend to get swept away by illustrations before even glancing at the author or the blurb.

Meet Janessa "Jinx" McCormick, a girl whose passion for photography allows her to manipulate reality—making it just as beautiful as she wishes. Armed with her late father's camera, Jinx snaps pictures for nearly everyone in the sleepy town of Greenbelt, turning her into something of a local sensation. But when she’s editing a new shot, she catches a glimpse of… something lurking in the background. A shadow, an ominous presence that wasn't there when she clicked the shutter. It's dark and indistinct, but its shape resembles a figure. And here’s the chilling kicker: with every new photo she takes, that shadow draws ever closer to the lens, as if it’s coming to claim her.

Welcome back to my 31 Reads of Terror, where we dive into the delightful and dark corners of children's literature. Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on a spine-tingling tale that’s perfect for the brave young souls out there: It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand. This is my first dance with Strand’s writing, even though his name has been making waves across Kindle’s depths.

This book marks the inaugural entry in the EEK! standalone middle-grade horror series, drawing an undeniable parallel to the chilling charm of R.L. Stine's iconic Goosebumps. Picture it: a cover that grabs your attention with its eerie allure—its unsettling vibe practically screams to be picked up. Imagine a young reader standing at a school book fair, eyes wide with curiosity, and the moment they spot this masterpiece, they’re drawn in like moths to a flame. Who could resist? If the cash is light, the next step is the classic plea to parents—because what's a little horror without a hint of panel entertainment?

Meet twins Oliver and Trisha, explorers at heart, thrumming with excitement as they embark on a camping and canoeing adventure along the winding Champion River. However, their thrill ride takes a harrowing turn when a capsize in the churning rapids leaves their father knocked out cold. Suddenly, our intrepid duo finds themselves adrift—not just on the river, but in a treacherous situation where cell phones are as useless as a wet match.

After hours of paddling through the uncertainty, they stumble upon an old dock and a narrow, foreboding path that leads to a quaint, albeit odd, village. The townspeople extend a veneer of kindness, but an unsettling aura hangs in the air, all eyes gravitating toward a looming scarecrow in the village square. “He watches over us,” whispers fill the air like the rustle of dead leaves. “He keeps us safe.” Safe? Or sinister?

There was nothing more alluring during the early morning power outage than snuggling up with a flashlight and diving into a middle-grade horror novel. The book in question? Last Laugh by K.R. Alexander—a name I wasn’t familiar with until now, but apparently, he’s penned quite a few spine-chilling tales aimed at kids, trying, perhaps in vain, to measure up to the legendary R.L. Stine. Yes, I admit it: my decision to pick this book was driven entirely by its cover art, which features a porcelain clown doll that practically oozes creepiness. I can't be the only one who thinks clowns are just a bit sinister, right? Ahem... Pennywise.

So, here’s the grim tale: nothing humorous lurks in the shadows of true evil. For as long as they can remember, siblings Victor and Genevieve have been warned about one particular room in their grandmother's house—it’s an off-limits zone, shrouded in mystery. No one dares to give details about what lies inside, only that the door should never be opened. Naturally, this prohibition only piques Victor's curiosity. When the opportunity presents itself, with their grandmother away, he seizes the moment. What he discovers behind that forbidden door is enough to chill the bones: a nightmarish collection of clown dolls, each more sinister than the last. But the real horror? Once that door swings open, the clowns are free to escape, and that's when the real nightmare begins. A race against time ensues—can they put the lid back on this grim Pandora’s box?

K.R. Alexander employs a strategy reminiscent of the Goosebumps formula: you’ve got the plucky child protagonist, an adventurous sibling sidekick—which we find in Victor and Genevieve—along with a delightfully creepy atmosphere that envelops their grandmother's house like a suffocating fog. The villain of the piece? Well, it’s not just the clown dolls, though they certainly take center stage; something darker lurks behind those porcelain smiles. I won't give the twist away, but let’s just say those dolls are confined for a very compelling reason.

Available on AMAZON.

If you're nearing 40, as I am, then more than likely, you grew up reading the Goosebumps books written by R.L. Stine (author of the popular teen Fear Street series). Just in case you don't know what I'm talking about, let me give you a history listen. Goosebumps was a hugely popular children's book series throughout the 1990s. From 1992 to the end of 1997, R.L. Stine published 62 Twilight Zone-like stories that gave every young reader nightmares. Goosebumps quickly became a brand name, starting with the Fox Kids television series that ran for 74 episodes. Spinoff books soon followed, such as Give Yourself Goosebumps, Tales To Give You Goosebumps, and Goosebumps 2000, and a slew of merchandise (bookmarks, games, toys, etc.). As fans became older, they moved on to other things, which resulted in the downfall of the franchise. After a hiatus, R.L. Stine returned to the world of Goosebumps with the spinoff series Horrorland in 2009, followed by two other spinoffs, Most Wanted and SlappyWorld, and two film adaptations, Goosebumps and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween.

New in bookstores this week from Jimmy Patterson Books (Little, Brown, and Company) is Middle School: Field Trip Fiasco by James Patterson and Martin Chatterton. It's the 13th installment in Mr. Patterson's popular Middle School series for middle graders.

The Middle School series centers on Rafe Khatchadorian, a kid with a wild imagination. In this installment, the Advancement of Writers and Contemporary American Artists (IAWCAA) has picked Rafe to attend an educational art trip with other students from around the country. It's a week-long "Camp Culture" in California, and at the end of this event is an art exhibit. Sounds exciting, right?

Everyone's favorite ventriloquist's dummy is back in Goosebumps Slappyworld: My Friend Slappy by R.L. Stine. To be more precise, Scholastic released the book on October 6th, 2020, and due to unfortunate events, I am just now getting around to read to review it.

My Friend Slappy is the 12th installment of the newest incarnation of the Goosebumps franchise. Goosebumps SlappyWorld debuted in 2017 with Slappy as the narrator, and occasionally he plays the villain within whatever story he's telling. The main character in this tale is 6th grader Barton "Sluggs" Suggs. When he's not being bullied by his classmates Kelly and Travis, he's hanging out his only real friend, Lizzie Hellman. Well, that's until his father gives him a special present - a ventriloquist's dummy named Slappy!

Barton quickly learns that Slappy isn't your typical dummy, as he can walk and talk just like a human being, but there's a twist - Slappy is pure evil. Yep, that's right! At first, all Slappy wants to do is terrorize Barton, but he changes his mind once he learns the boy needs a best friend to show him how to get back at Kelly and Travis.

In the world of Goosebumps, the saying "Best Friend Forever" isn't a good thing, and poor Barton's new pal becomes a living nightmare for him.

Final Thoughts

I don't know about other Goosebumps readers, but I was starting to get a Slappy fatigue. Don't get me wrong, I love the character, but each new story involving a ventriloquist's dummy feels the same. A 12-year-old protagonist would either receive Slappy as a gift or somehow stumble upon Slappy by themself. Then Slappy comes to life and turns the kid's life upside down.  

My Friend Slappy starts with the exact formula, but thanks to a few interesting twists, the story has a different outcome. Barton is the protagonist in this tale, and he's more fleshed out than typical your typical Goosebumps character would be. The poor kid has to deal with bullies and Slappy at the same time.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Goosebumps SlappyWorld: My Friend Slappy. It's one of the better entries in the Slappyworld series, but the "shocking" ending could have been better.