Synopsis
A boy discovers a magical deck of wizard cards… but will they spell chaos for his school talent show? Two siblings believe that the best way to beat their bullies is to become monsters… but what happens when they can’t change back? A boy gets a strange call on his second-hand cell phone… but when the creatures on the other end of the line find him, he gets much more than he bargained for. And each story comes with a personal introduction from Stine himself, adding even more chills.
Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 5 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you’ll be sleeping with the lights on tonight.
Review
Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio, Feiwel & Friends, and Netgalley for the audio ARC. The narrations by Johnny Heller, Katherine Chin, & Torian Brackett were all solid. I love the idea of someone being “the voice” of R. L. Stine as he introduces every story. You can read my reviews here for Stinetinglers 2, 3, & 4!
“10 New Stories from America’s Scare Master.”
That’s a pretty hefty tagline, and one hell of a thing to live up to. Now I’ve been reading Stine since I was little. I absolutely loved the original TV series as well, and I think the Disney+ ones are pretty cool too. So as much as I go into each read just looking to have a good time, there’s still pretty high expectations. One thing I always try to remember … I am not the middle grade audience. That said, I mostly enjoy shutting my brain off and keeping an ear or eye out for those little Stine-touches—you know, those one- or two-sentence twists at the end of stories that change everything you thought previously. And I’m glad to report there’s certainly still some of those herein.
I wasn’t madly in love with this set of stories, but I also didn’t mind my listening whatsoever. I just think when I mentally stack them up with the four other sets out so far, these were a little less fleshed out. And keep in mind that preferring these less doesn’t mean I think they’re bad. Now, will a middle-grade reader notice or feel the same? No, definitely not! Other adults reading this might disagree with it too; that’s the beauty of reading.
My personal favorite was a spin on a tale as old as time, or rather a popular item (the doll/collectible craze here) as old as time. Raggedy Ann, Cabbage Patch Kids, Beanie Babies, Furby, even things like Tamagotchi and whatever the heck a Labubu is. Now, Stine has brought us the latest iteration with his own creation, one that’s flying off tables and shelves, forcing people to resort to shoving and shouts. When there’s only one left on the table, without the box(!) no less, well, beggars can’t really be choosers. I seriously doubt that the 2-per-person rule was strictly followed here, though. What follows is anything other than the expected. This latest iteration is supposed to talk, but the things this one is saying, the things it’s doing, just don’t seem right! It immediately made me think of E. Reyes’ Scurry Furries, although if a middle-grade student read that, it’d give them some premature hair on their chest. This is a fun story with elements of Gremlins for a younger generation.
My runner-up would have to be the collection’s first story. A young boy is made king after the unexpected death of his father. He’s far younger than he’s meant to be when taking the crown, too green, too untaught. This has caused some obvious friction as his father’s lead advisor—no, his advisor now—is unhappy with this development. In a grab for power or simply in outright anger, the advisor tells the young king he must ride a dragon for all to see. It’s the rite of passage for all kings, and his age certainly shouldn’t be enough to change the rules, right? Sadly, the advisor is far more nefarious than he lets on. This dynamic, as well as the cool and calm demeanor of the young king, reminded me of Tom Dumbrell’s Cyrus in The Look of a King, though admittedly sans dragons. That one’s for young adults, though, so there’s something there young readers can enjoy. It was nice to see Stine integrate some fantasy into his scares, or perhaps it’s his signature scares into some fantasy?
The book proves what I have always felt: Stine can turn pretty much anything into a creepy story. So again, this is another success. Perfect for fans of Stine (you know who you are), and a great entry point for young readers who want to get into something a little scarier.
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