For our third installment of an OG Goosebumps book review, I picked the story from an episode I have seen a million times: One Day at Horrorland. A family, lost on their way to a zoo, stop at the Horrorland Attraction and find that the rides are a little too scary… and a little too real.
I’m the type of person who “sees” stories in my head while I read them; that said, I had a wonderful time mixing the images from the show in with my own visuals since the episodes aren’t always exactly like the books. R. L. Stine, as usual, has a knack for writing in such a way that is easy to understand and visualize.
In the book, we’re reading as Lizzy, a girl who is with her family and brother’s friend on a road trip to Zoo Gardens. They get lost and decide to stop at Horrorland to ask for directions. From the start, shit hits the fan: their car blows up, they’re all fighting and annoying each other, there are no phones and the park attendants don’t seem to care. Then there are the rides. A slide of doom that falls forever and loops through darkness and fire. A plaza full of werewolves. A barn full of huge bats. A house of deadly mirrors. A water ride that traps you in a coffin. To be honest, this is the type of entertainment I want to see at a horror-themed theme park (I’m talking to you, Universal’s Epic Universe)!
It’s such a fun time reading each page and feeling the horror that these kids are going through, especially the climax. I won’t spoil it, but there’s a twist that is both hilarious and kind of genius. Plus, if you have seen the TV episode, it’s a cool add-on that increases the scare factor to make it a truly goosebumps moment.
I will never make fun of someone for what they’re reading. Goosebumps books may be “for kids,” but that doesn’t mean adults can’t enjoy them as well. They’re classics. They’re easy to read. One Day at Horrorland is legitimately scary, and there were times when I thought there may not actually be a happy ending. This one is definitely a top tier pick in my book.
What did you think of One Day at Horrorland? Let us know in the comments!
Read our other reviews on R. L. Stine works: The Haunted School, Stay Out of the Basement, Attack of the Mutant, 5 Times Goosebumps Got Real, Boo-tiful Bangers: Goosebumps
