Goosebumps

Story

Goosebumps is a series of children’s books. Each novel features different children, who face a supernatural threat. In the first book Amanda and Josh Benson move with their parents into a creepy old house in Dark Falls. They discover the town has been poisoned by gas and all the residents are zombies who lured the family there as they have to kill one person per year in order to remain as living dead.

Why we chose it

Its many fans love the combination of horror, humour and sometimes silliness. Scary stories aimed at upper primary aged children and credited with turning reluctant readers into readers.

Where it came from

Stine said he hadn’t intended to become a horror writer, but his publisher had identified a gap in the market. He wanted to write children’s books which were scary but also funny. Children were initially attracted to the brightly coloured book covers and catchy titles.

Where it went next

There are over 62 Goosebumps books plus many spin offs and it is one of the best selling book series ever.

The Tales to Give You Goosebumps and Goosebumps Triple Header series were written as short story collections and the Goosebumps Series 2000 was designed in the late 1990s to try to boost falling sales.

The Goosebumps Horrorland series came out in 2008, nearly 10 years after the release of the previous book following numerous requests from fans.

From 1995-98 there was a television series based on the original books and there is a live action TV series currently in the works.

In 2015 a film version was released which featured Jack Black playing R.L. Stine. In the film the monsters are real and Stine protects the world by keeping the monsters locked up in his book. The film was hugely popular and boosted book sales all over again, and there was a sequel in 2018.

There are also video games, comics, a stage play, a musical, rides, clothing, games, puzzles, toys and even bike helmets based on the Goosebumps characters.

Associated stories

For primary aged fans of horror and ghost stories, others include The Spooks Apprentice by Joseph Delaney, Chasing Danger by Sara Grant, A Place Called Perfect by Helena Duggan and Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz.