I love Goosebumps; these books bring me back to a simpler time in my life. If you grew up in the 90s, you know. So I’m continuing my Goosebumps kick with 1997’s The Haunted School. Bell Valley Middle School has some secrets, and new student Tommy gets right in the middle of this ghostly mystery.
Unlike Stay Out of the Basement, I didn’t have lasting impressions of an episode anywhere; this meant I got to make up scenes and characters in my head, which is always fun. R. L. Stine is a magician when it comes to describing surroundings. I can practically smell the paint Tommy and his friends used to make school dance decorations. I can feel the cold metal of the lockers, and the thought of hearing ghost children call out from another room is very unnerving.
The story itself is a little more than I imagined a children’s book would be; it’s giving Twilight Zone meets Who Framed Roger Rabbit meets The Island of Dr. Moreau. Tommy and his friends, Ben and Thalia, attend a school where many years prior, a class of kids disappeared, leaving their school with a haunted history and an old portion of the building that children today aren’t allowed in. On the night of the school dance, Tommy and Ben travel to an off-limits section by elevator — which starts going sideways and takes them into a gray dimension where they find the missing class of kids. Apparently, a photographer named Mr. Chameleon transported the children on picture day to this world; as the years went by, the lost school children turned gray themselves and most of them turned into “savages” that try to attack Tommy and Ben. I won’t delve into spoilers, but there are twists and turns and surprise endings — ones I legitimately didn’t see coming!
Another short chapter book, The Haunted School certainly delivers on scares and mystery. While some may think the Goosebumps series is for kids, I’d argue that certain entries like this one are on par with books for older ages, even adults. I always enjoy a nice, easy read, and The Haunted School is just that.
The Haunted School is a superb entry into the Goosebumps lineup. It may be 59th in the original series, but it should definitely be in the top 5 if you’re looking to start. Great for adults and kids alike.
What did you think of The Haunted School? Let us know in the comments!
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