What do you think?
Rate this book
Night of the Living Dummy #16
Slappy, Beware!
The untold true story of Slappy in a terrifying new special edition!
This is Slappy's world-- you only scream in it! But where did he come from? And can he ever be destroyed?
Slappy the ventriloquist’s dummy has only one mission in his tiny, deranged do evil every day, all day. His creator, powerful sorcerer Darkwell the Magician, has warned him that should he fail to cause chaos before the sun sets each day, he will sleep FOREVER. Normally, this is a piece of poisonous cake for Slappy—but he may have met his match in the Carlton family. Each attempt at evil ends in disaster, and the dummy starts to panic. Will Slappy’s scariest day yet bring an end to his reign of terror?
This special edition features four full page pieces of original Slappy art!
This is Slappy's world-- you only scream in it! But where did he come from? And can he ever be destroyed?
Slappy the ventriloquist’s dummy has only one mission in his tiny, deranged do evil every day, all day. His creator, powerful sorcerer Darkwell the Magician, has warned him that should he fail to cause chaos before the sun sets each day, he will sleep FOREVER. Normally, this is a piece of poisonous cake for Slappy—but he may have met his match in the Carlton family. Each attempt at evil ends in disaster, and the dummy starts to panic. Will Slappy’s scariest day yet bring an end to his reign of terror?
This special edition features four full page pieces of original Slappy art!
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2022
36 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,739 books18.8k followersRobert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 20, 2022
Slappy has many origin stories. They can't all be true, can they? In his introduction to this special Goosebumps 30th anniversary book, Stine writes that he's skeptical of prior Slappy legends and believes this book is the "true" story of the living dummy. Though he adds an "I think" in case he decides to change his mind.
Whether or not this is the definitive origin story, it is a good one. The book begins two hundred years ago in the cottage of Ephraim Blackwell, powerful sorcerer and "master of the dark arts." In a scene that will remind longtime fans of the Fear Street Saga, townsfolk affront the sorcerer with pitchforks and torches to put an end to his evil reign. But Blackwell has a trick up his loose sleeves, namely SLAPPY!
Though not an official entry in the SlappyWorld series, it follows the similar structure where the story is occasionally interrupted by a narrator. In this case, that narrator is R.L. Stine rather than Slappy. It's also a beautiful hardcover, complete with lovely illustrations. For listeners of the audiobook, you'll get to hear Stine himself narrate his parts. As an added bonus, there's even a selection of Slappy's most iconic jokes at the back of the book.
Easter eggs are scattered throughout the story for hardcore fans to spot. For example, Mr. Wood makes a reappearance. Some of the twists are spins on classic past twists from the original series. Despite having written so many Slappy books, including many Slappy origin stories, it's pleasantly surprising to find this one comes across fresh and exciting. There's plenty of laughs, a few scares, and overall a rollicking good time. For Goosebumps fans young and old, you won't want to miss this one.
Whether or not this is the definitive origin story, it is a good one. The book begins two hundred years ago in the cottage of Ephraim Blackwell, powerful sorcerer and "master of the dark arts." In a scene that will remind longtime fans of the Fear Street Saga, townsfolk affront the sorcerer with pitchforks and torches to put an end to his evil reign. But Blackwell has a trick up his loose sleeves, namely SLAPPY!
Though not an official entry in the SlappyWorld series, it follows the similar structure where the story is occasionally interrupted by a narrator. In this case, that narrator is R.L. Stine rather than Slappy. It's also a beautiful hardcover, complete with lovely illustrations. For listeners of the audiobook, you'll get to hear Stine himself narrate his parts. As an added bonus, there's even a selection of Slappy's most iconic jokes at the back of the book.
Easter eggs are scattered throughout the story for hardcore fans to spot. For example, Mr. Wood makes a reappearance. Some of the twists are spins on classic past twists from the original series. Despite having written so many Slappy books, including many Slappy origin stories, it's pleasantly surprising to find this one comes across fresh and exciting. There's plenty of laughs, a few scares, and overall a rollicking good time. For Goosebumps fans young and old, you won't want to miss this one.
November 23, 2022
Slappy, Beware! is a special edition hardcover book released to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Goosebumps franchise, which now has hundreds of books across numerous series, after starting out with the original Goosebumps series of sixty-two books released from 1992-1997. This book tells "an" origin story for Slappy, the ventriloquist dummy that has become synonymous with the Goosebumps franchise. I say "an" origin story and not "the" origin story because it sounds like Slappy has more than one. There doesn't seem to really be a canon in Goosebumps, with Slappy apparently having died in numerous books over the years and then just being alive again in later books with no real explanation of how that happened. So I'm not really surprised his origin is loosely defined.
I don't have too much to say about this one, other than that it was disappointing. R.L. Stine's writing is still really pedestrian, even after all these years. It's absolutely unbelievable to me, but this reads exactly like a book from the original series in the 1990s. Stine still has the same serious flaws in his writing, and there are a lot of them. I feel like he should be called "The Recycler", because all he does is reuse everything from his previous stories, and I mean everything. He has literally just taken entire plots from some of his previous books in the past, changed very minor details, and then published it as a "new" book.
He does that here as well. This started out as a very interesting and well written origin story, but after around 20 pages it devolved into the same Slappy book Stine has written a dozen times before: Slappy ends up with some kids in a family, Slappy starts wreaking havoc in their home and sets things up so the children either blame each other for his actions, or the parents blame the children for them, or both, and this just repeats itself over and over again and then the book is over.
The complete lack of any kind of evolution in Stine's writing is truly unbelievable to me, because since the original sixty-two-book series I think he has written hundreds of books. Let me count out the ones I'm aware of, but there are probably a lot more than this, because of how prolific he is:
- Goosebumps Series 2000 (25 books)
- Goosebumps Most Wanted series (14 books)
- Goosebumps SlappyWorld series (17 books published to date, with more on the way)
- Goosebumps HorrorLand series (19 books)
- Goosebumps Hall of Horrors series (6 books)
- Red Rain (a 371-page adult novel)
- Superstitious (a 400-page adult novel)
- Stinetinglers (short story collection)
- The final Ghosts of Fear Street series books (9 books)
- New Fear Street series (4 books)
- The Final Fear Street Sagas series books (7 books)
- Fear Street Seniors series (12 books)
- Fear Street Nights series (3 books)
That's over a hundred books, and that's just what I know of; he's also been involved with numerous graphic novels and other projects, so it's probably a lot higher than this. Anyway, how, after having written at least 100 books across numerous different age levels and mediums since the original Goosebumps series, is R.L. Stine's writing still so flawed? Like, he still endlessly repeats the same exact crutch words he used back in the 1990s ("stammered", "demanded", etc). And he still writes the same cookie-cutter characters that are developed in just a single sentence or two. And he still repeats the same events within a single book over and over again. And he still reuses the same tired, old ideas he's beaten like a dead horse a dozen times before in numerous Goosebumps series past. And he still writes the same stories that start out well and then competely fall apart. It's truly shocking to me that he basically hasn't evolved at all as a writer in the past thirty years, when he's had hundreds of books in which to do so.
Anyway, long rant over. This book was okay, but I don't recommend spending money on it; rent it from the library. It's basically Slappy: Part XXV. If you've ever read a single Slappy book in any Goosebumps series, you've sort of already read this book, because they're all the same. If you're new to Goosebumps, this might be a reasonable place to start, but don't expect to be blown away. It's a pretty average book.
CAWPILE rating:
Characters: 5.0
Atmosphere / Setting: 5.5
Writing Style: 4.5
Plot: 4.0
Intrigue: 4.0
Logic / Relationships: 5.0
Enjoyment: 4.0
= 32 total
÷ 7 categories = 4.57 out of 10
= 3 stars
I don't have too much to say about this one, other than that it was disappointing. R.L. Stine's writing is still really pedestrian, even after all these years. It's absolutely unbelievable to me, but this reads exactly like a book from the original series in the 1990s. Stine still has the same serious flaws in his writing, and there are a lot of them. I feel like he should be called "The Recycler", because all he does is reuse everything from his previous stories, and I mean everything. He has literally just taken entire plots from some of his previous books in the past, changed very minor details, and then published it as a "new" book.
He does that here as well. This started out as a very interesting and well written origin story, but after around 20 pages it devolved into the same Slappy book Stine has written a dozen times before: Slappy ends up with some kids in a family, Slappy starts wreaking havoc in their home and sets things up so the children either blame each other for his actions, or the parents blame the children for them, or both, and this just repeats itself over and over again and then the book is over.
The complete lack of any kind of evolution in Stine's writing is truly unbelievable to me, because since the original sixty-two-book series I think he has written hundreds of books. Let me count out the ones I'm aware of, but there are probably a lot more than this, because of how prolific he is:
- Goosebumps Series 2000 (25 books)
- Goosebumps Most Wanted series (14 books)
- Goosebumps SlappyWorld series (17 books published to date, with more on the way)
- Goosebumps HorrorLand series (19 books)
- Goosebumps Hall of Horrors series (6 books)
- Red Rain (a 371-page adult novel)
- Superstitious (a 400-page adult novel)
- Stinetinglers (short story collection)
- The final Ghosts of Fear Street series books (9 books)
- New Fear Street series (4 books)
- The Final Fear Street Sagas series books (7 books)
- Fear Street Seniors series (12 books)
- Fear Street Nights series (3 books)
That's over a hundred books, and that's just what I know of; he's also been involved with numerous graphic novels and other projects, so it's probably a lot higher than this. Anyway, how, after having written at least 100 books across numerous different age levels and mediums since the original Goosebumps series, is R.L. Stine's writing still so flawed? Like, he still endlessly repeats the same exact crutch words he used back in the 1990s ("stammered", "demanded", etc). And he still writes the same cookie-cutter characters that are developed in just a single sentence or two. And he still repeats the same events within a single book over and over again. And he still reuses the same tired, old ideas he's beaten like a dead horse a dozen times before in numerous Goosebumps series past. And he still writes the same stories that start out well and then competely fall apart. It's truly shocking to me that he basically hasn't evolved at all as a writer in the past thirty years, when he's had hundreds of books in which to do so.
Anyway, long rant over. This book was okay, but I don't recommend spending money on it; rent it from the library. It's basically Slappy: Part XXV. If you've ever read a single Slappy book in any Goosebumps series, you've sort of already read this book, because they're all the same. If you're new to Goosebumps, this might be a reasonable place to start, but don't expect to be blown away. It's a pretty average book.
CAWPILE rating:
Characters: 5.0
Atmosphere / Setting: 5.5
Writing Style: 4.5
Plot: 4.0
Intrigue: 4.0
Logic / Relationships: 5.0
Enjoyment: 4.0
= 32 total
÷ 7 categories = 4.57 out of 10
= 3 stars
March 6, 2023
A hardback book for the thirtieth anniversary of Goosebumps? Hey, I'm all for it! Multiple origin stories have been given Slappy over the years, but at least this book sticks to one: the ventriloquist dummy was created hundreds of years ago in a European village by sorcerer Ephraim Darkwell. The village's people may have been superstitious, but they were correct that the dolls Darkwell made were evil. As chief constable Darius Koben ratcheted up the pressure, threatening to let the villagers burn the house down with Darkwell inside, the doll-maker put the finishing touches on his master work: a dummy named Slappy. Darkwell brought Slappy to life and commanded that he carry on the sorcerer's legacy by committing at least one evil act every day. If Slappy misses a single day, he will go to sleep forever. Darkwell's wooden "son" was more than pleased to do his father's bidding.
Tampa Bay, Florida, two hundred years later: Reggie Foreman, age twelve, is a good amateur ventriloquist who teams with his dummy, Junior, to put on an effective comedy routine. His ten-year-old sister Poppy isn't as adept, though she always copies Reggie's interests. This leads to the purchase of a brand-new dummy for Christmas: Mister Wood is the year's hottest toy, and now Poppy can work to become as good as her brother. Almost immediately after pulling Mister Wood from the box, strange things begin happening. He insults their aunt in a nasty voice; Poppy swears she's not making him speak, and Reggie claims he's not either. Mister Wood's crass words turn to destructive pranks, but Poppy's parents will never believe a dummy is the culprit. Finally her parents confiscate Mister Wood...but are they about to face an awful surprise regarding what's really going on?
"Why don't parents ever believe their kids?"
—Reggie, Slappy, Beware!, P. 74
Part three of this book sees Slappy with a new kid, twelve-year-old Bryce Carlton, who spots him hanging out of a garbage can. Slappy is eager to commence doing his daily evil as Darkwell commanded centuries ago, but today all his tricks somehow get subverted; none are hitting the mark. As the hours dwindle, Slappy's desperation grows. He can't reveal that he's alive, but if one of his pranks doesn't hurt Bryce soon, he'll close his eyes and never awaken. Perhaps a confrontation with the ageless Darkwell has been destined for today, but will Slappy's maker be the one to decommission him at last?
Slappy, Beware! is superior to most of the SlappyWorld series. The Darkwell prelude contains a surprising moment, and the Reggie and Poppy story harks back to the ominous feel of Night of the Living Dummy, where Slappy had not yet become an overexposed character and we weren't sure if the wooden doll was alive or not. The premise for Slappy, Beware! has flaws; for one, why do Slappy's acts of evil only count once they hit the victim? Cutting the brake line of a bike that's about to be used seems like an intent crime, so Slappy should be credited as soon as he does it. In the end, though, the distinction turns out not to matter. This book isn't as full of twists as early Goosebumps, but it's at least on par with what R.L. Stine routinely produced thirty years later, and I can't say it isn't fun.
Tampa Bay, Florida, two hundred years later: Reggie Foreman, age twelve, is a good amateur ventriloquist who teams with his dummy, Junior, to put on an effective comedy routine. His ten-year-old sister Poppy isn't as adept, though she always copies Reggie's interests. This leads to the purchase of a brand-new dummy for Christmas: Mister Wood is the year's hottest toy, and now Poppy can work to become as good as her brother. Almost immediately after pulling Mister Wood from the box, strange things begin happening. He insults their aunt in a nasty voice; Poppy swears she's not making him speak, and Reggie claims he's not either. Mister Wood's crass words turn to destructive pranks, but Poppy's parents will never believe a dummy is the culprit. Finally her parents confiscate Mister Wood...but are they about to face an awful surprise regarding what's really going on?
"Why don't parents ever believe their kids?"
—Reggie, Slappy, Beware!, P. 74
Part three of this book sees Slappy with a new kid, twelve-year-old Bryce Carlton, who spots him hanging out of a garbage can. Slappy is eager to commence doing his daily evil as Darkwell commanded centuries ago, but today all his tricks somehow get subverted; none are hitting the mark. As the hours dwindle, Slappy's desperation grows. He can't reveal that he's alive, but if one of his pranks doesn't hurt Bryce soon, he'll close his eyes and never awaken. Perhaps a confrontation with the ageless Darkwell has been destined for today, but will Slappy's maker be the one to decommission him at last?
Slappy, Beware! is superior to most of the SlappyWorld series. The Darkwell prelude contains a surprising moment, and the Reggie and Poppy story harks back to the ominous feel of Night of the Living Dummy, where Slappy had not yet become an overexposed character and we weren't sure if the wooden doll was alive or not. The premise for Slappy, Beware! has flaws; for one, why do Slappy's acts of evil only count once they hit the victim? Cutting the brake line of a bike that's about to be used seems like an intent crime, so Slappy should be credited as soon as he does it. In the end, though, the distinction turns out not to matter. This book isn't as full of twists as early Goosebumps, but it's at least on par with what R.L. Stine routinely produced thirty years later, and I can't say it isn't fun.
July 10, 2023
This is a special edition hardcover that was released in tandem with the 30th anniversary of Goosebumps passing. It is also technically the 16th book in the “Living Dummy” saga of Slappy.
This is part prequel origin story of Slappy, as well as a modern day horror. It features 4 parts, with only the first being in the past. I did realize ventriloquist dummies dated back so far (the 1800s) but also I didn’t realize evil sorcerers created them either…
What didn’t make sense for me was that part 2 kind of ends on a climax, with the family becoming aware of Slappy’s being alive (as usually happens), but the reader gets no resolution, it just…ends. Then part 3 starts with Slappy getting an entirely new family. Almost starting over for some reason.
Regardless, this is still a fun and quick read. Never count on Slappy being gone… personally a 3/5*
This is part prequel origin story of Slappy, as well as a modern day horror. It features 4 parts, with only the first being in the past. I did realize ventriloquist dummies dated back so far (the 1800s) but also I didn’t realize evil sorcerers created them either…
What didn’t make sense for me was that part 2 kind of ends on a climax, with the family becoming aware of Slappy’s being alive (as usually happens), but the reader gets no resolution, it just…ends. Then part 3 starts with Slappy getting an entirely new family. Almost starting over for some reason.
Regardless, this is still a fun and quick read. Never count on Slappy being gone… personally a 3/5*
December 22, 2022
Slappy's origin story is every bit as fun as I hoped it would be. I enjoyed reading about his menacing puppet pranks as much as he seemed to enjoy performing them.
January 22, 2024
I thought this book was too much slappy than goosebumps in general. If you're obsessed with slappy. This is the book for you, lol.
January 28, 2023
For Goosebumps 30th anniversary, we got a book called Slappy Beware,a retelling of Slappy's origin. And I will be honest.I loved this idea, and I'd love to see more origin Goosebumps books. Think of the opportunity of having the Masked Mutant, a retelling of the origin of The Haunted Mask. That would be awesome right ? Slappy Beware begins 100 years ago.And instead of Slappy in the prologue,we get Stine himself which was awesome in itself. Their is this puppet maker in this small village named Darkewell. He is working on a new puppet but their is a problem. The people of this town see him talking to these puppets like they are human and they get freaked out and want Darkewell to leave. But Darkewell also lives with his nephew Issac.And the towns people want to take him away because they claim Darkewell is unfit to take care of Isaac. The first part of this book was absolutely the best part of the whole book. There is a twist right off the bat that caught me off guard. Darkewell ends up putting a curse on Slappy where he has to do one bad deed a day to stay alive. If not he sleeps forever. We cut to present day and we get Reggie watching his little sister Poppy in this talent show thing. She's playing a banjo and it keeps falling apart. He offers help but his little sister doesn't want any of it.Reggie has his own act, a ventriloquist act with his dummy simply named Junior. Poppy ends up wanting her own dummy out of jealousy and also independence.So her dad gets her a dummy named Mister Wood. A very popular dummy that's being sold worldwide. They end up going to a Christmas party and classic Slappy throws out a bunch of insults. And Poppy blames the dummy.But Reggie is the only one of them that can throw his voice. So he pretty much gets blamed.And he thinks poppy is dong this all on purpose just to get him in trouble.Reggie's friend gives him the idea of making Poppy believe the dummy is alive by swapping him and putting him in places that she didn't leave him. Only it backfires and they get swapped with junior and stuff.This part was fine. I liked that poppy ended up needing her brother at the end. And the scene at the store was pretty epic.Part three was the final story. And it's very reminiscent of Slappy's Nightmare from the Series 2000 books.This kid and his dad are walking in a back ally and find slappy who they presume is a homeless man or something. What ? And the kid asks can he keep him.The kid becomes slightly obsessed with slappy.He let's him eat with him and even listen to music. This story is in Slappy's point of view which is fine. I still prefer the ones on the characters view.It makes slappy way more mysterious. Anyway. Slappy must do evil deeds or he has to sleep forever. He tries letting the kids dog loose, pushing him in a cake that he's making, and even drilling holes in a boat while they are on a fishing trip.But something always comes up.The ending to this book is fine and a little surprising.I liked how it actually ended their was scenes where I thought Stine was going to finally kill off Slappy, which is a bit of a big deal. The book also has illustrations which are very good looking. And the end has a few extras such as slappy's greatest jokes. (mine being the Jane her clothes one .) And an interview with Stine and Slappy. This book was fine.But compared to other Slappy books.I do feel like we didn't get anything new. And their are way better Slappy books out there. I give Slappy Beware a three out of five stars.
October 25, 2022
Geez, finally, amirite? Yep, I finally got access to this so I'm ready to go over it. As usual there will be more to say down the road but for now here we go.
I thought this was pretty good. While it's not an offical SlappyWorld book, it is the best in a while I'd say. It's a special edition done for 30 years of Goosebumps and the structure is similar to Wanted The Haunted Mask. We have two different stories and a prologue to set up the backstory. Thankfully, it's way better than that one.
Sure, it is clear that this was forced into being a special edition but I think the stories being unconnected makes it feel less clunky than that one. Everything at least connects to Slappy overall. If you're expecting a deep dive into Slappy, you won't get that but on its own it was a fun read.
The prologue is Slappy's backstory, which they treat as new even though it's just a retread of I am Slappy's Evil Twin. I like the writing and atmosphere here, but it felt like the same as that book and I wanted more done with Darkwell, the guy who made Slappy here. There's a bit with his nephew that was just odd and pointless.
Story 1 is the typical formula, and is most like Dummy 1. But it has some little details that make it work fine. The siblings have a good dynamic, where I get both sides and there's a balance of bickering and them getting a lot. It's not perfectly done but both have nice moments. The parents were mostly smart for once, and the ending was satisfying and a bit dark. There's an interesting thing done with a familar face that was kind of clever.
Story 2 is the one you came here for. The backstory reveals Slappy has a spell that will make him go to sleep forever if he doesn't do one bad deed per day. He has trouble with his latest victim and it becomes a big farce. It's pretty fun with the wacky ways things go wrong, both forced and natrual. Slappy's plans are a bit weaker to make this work but a few are at least evil enough although he never busts out his powers which are shown in this very book!
This book as a whole is decently funny. The sister in story 1 is savage, and there's a bunch of funny bits in story 2. It's Slappy POV ala Slappy's Nightmare and we get even more of his evil thoughts which adds extra humor. It's a bit rushed yet the main joke does get a bit old. The overall ending is weak, I liked aspects of it but more could have been done and it feels like a classic case of hitting the dead line. The joke it ends on is funny though.
It's openly flawed, with miss chances all over the place. But enjoyment wise, i was never bored or annoyed as it went at a good clip, especially for a special edition. One scene aside, there's no scares but it is decently funny. On purpose even!
It's a solid and enjoyable Slappy tale.Again, you can poke plenty of holes but at the end of the day I had more fun than I expected, so i call it a win.
There, finally got that done. See ya Thursday for end of Halloween antics.
STINE-ISMS: Riot.
RED HEAD WATCH: Aunt Halley
I thought this was pretty good. While it's not an offical SlappyWorld book, it is the best in a while I'd say. It's a special edition done for 30 years of Goosebumps and the structure is similar to Wanted The Haunted Mask. We have two different stories and a prologue to set up the backstory. Thankfully, it's way better than that one.
Sure, it is clear that this was forced into being a special edition but I think the stories being unconnected makes it feel less clunky than that one. Everything at least connects to Slappy overall. If you're expecting a deep dive into Slappy, you won't get that but on its own it was a fun read.
The prologue is Slappy's backstory, which they treat as new even though it's just a retread of I am Slappy's Evil Twin. I like the writing and atmosphere here, but it felt like the same as that book and I wanted more done with Darkwell, the guy who made Slappy here. There's a bit with his nephew that was just odd and pointless.
Story 1 is the typical formula, and is most like Dummy 1. But it has some little details that make it work fine. The siblings have a good dynamic, where I get both sides and there's a balance of bickering and them getting a lot. It's not perfectly done but both have nice moments. The parents were mostly smart for once, and the ending was satisfying and a bit dark. There's an interesting thing done with a familar face that was kind of clever.
Story 2 is the one you came here for. The backstory reveals Slappy has a spell that will make him go to sleep forever if he doesn't do one bad deed per day. He has trouble with his latest victim and it becomes a big farce. It's pretty fun with the wacky ways things go wrong, both forced and natrual. Slappy's plans are a bit weaker to make this work but a few are at least evil enough although he never busts out his powers which are shown in this very book!
This book as a whole is decently funny. The sister in story 1 is savage, and there's a bunch of funny bits in story 2. It's Slappy POV ala Slappy's Nightmare and we get even more of his evil thoughts which adds extra humor. It's a bit rushed yet the main joke does get a bit old. The overall ending is weak, I liked aspects of it but more could have been done and it feels like a classic case of hitting the dead line. The joke it ends on is funny though.
It's openly flawed, with miss chances all over the place. But enjoyment wise, i was never bored or annoyed as it went at a good clip, especially for a special edition. One scene aside, there's no scares but it is decently funny. On purpose even!
It's a solid and enjoyable Slappy tale.Again, you can poke plenty of holes but at the end of the day I had more fun than I expected, so i call it a win.
There, finally got that done. See ya Thursday for end of Halloween antics.
STINE-ISMS: Riot.
RED HEAD WATCH: Aunt Halley
September 21, 2022
we follow our favorite ventriloquist dummy, slappy. slappy just wants to do evil every single day. we have slappy origin story, how his creator darkwell the magician tells slappy if he doesn’t do something evil every day he will fall asleep forever. normally slappy have such an easy time doing something evil until he meets the carlton family and he’s having a hard time doing something evil.
i really enjoyed hearing more about slappy origin story, i think it was pretty interesting and very cool to learn more how he was created and why is he so evil. this was very fun and loved reading slappy failing so many times. this story is more funny than scary or creepy but u had a good time!
↳- ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ stars ∞༺♥༻✧
i really enjoyed hearing more about slappy origin story, i think it was pretty interesting and very cool to learn more how he was created and why is he so evil. this was very fun and loved reading slappy failing so many times. this story is more funny than scary or creepy but u had a good time!
↳- ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ stars ∞༺♥༻✧
November 5, 2022
This is an anniversary edition and I couldn’t resist getting it for my middles when I saw it was released.
I just finished reading it so I can put it on the shelves and I know it’ll be super popular.
This is Slappy’s origin story. It also tells the tale of two of his hauntings.
Super middle school appropriate and super creepy fall vibes. And wait to see how checks it out first.
I just finished reading it so I can put it on the shelves and I know it’ll be super popular.
This is Slappy’s origin story. It also tells the tale of two of his hauntings.
Super middle school appropriate and super creepy fall vibes. And wait to see how checks it out first.
June 4, 2023
For being a special edition hardcover of a Goosebumps book, I was kind of disappointed, only because of the format that makes this book's price when I could have spend the money I bought this to a more better hardcover like a Stephen King book, and the story inside here doesn't even make that more special than the rest of the 100 normal Goosebumps books out there (atleast the illustrations in this one makes the book worth it).
All those aside, Slappy, Beware is mostly played out like Slappy's origin story but I'm not buying it as I consider most Goosebumps books aren't even canon to each other, especially think of his apperances in the original NOTLD books, the Horrorland and most books in the Slappyworld series.
The story is seperated into 4 parts..
Part One begins 200 years ago with Darkwell an evil sorcerer, that just got his place attacked while he just happened to finish up crafting his dummy and that's just my short little summary
Part Two is your typical NOTLD retelling and at this point, it's enganging enough to make me keep turning up the page, it's just the characters aren't interesting; they don't have that enough inner monologue like in typical Goosebumps books and the scary parts in here aren't that scary or surprising as the previous NOTLD books, the reason might be the slightly different writing style where we don't focus much on the character's perspective.
Part Three is more interesting.
It doesn't even attempt to be a scary story. If anything, it's more of a cute story in Slappy's perspective and this story is more focused and summed up at the blurb at the back of this book. It's more funny from our icon's point of view and in some ways it's almost a parallel to the Toy's perspective in the Toy Story movies and that's all I have to say as it progresses into Part Four.
In general, the book isn't the best story ever. it's just an average read and it's mostly done great on what it presents. I think I just expected this book to be dark or scary but it's far from that with the exception of some bits from the book's introduction. while on that note, it just ends up just a cute story to follow. Maybe if I haven't read that many Goosebumps books or any books in general, then maybe this will win me over even than I think of this book. It was't irritating or annoying as the previous Slappyworld books and atleast it's fun right?
All those aside, Slappy, Beware is mostly played out like Slappy's origin story but I'm not buying it as I consider most Goosebumps books aren't even canon to each other, especially think of his apperances in the original NOTLD books, the Horrorland and most books in the Slappyworld series.
The story is seperated into 4 parts..
Part One begins 200 years ago with Darkwell an evil sorcerer, that just got his place attacked while he just happened to finish up crafting his dummy and that's just my short little summary
Part Two is your typical NOTLD retelling and at this point, it's enganging enough to make me keep turning up the page, it's just the characters aren't interesting; they don't have that enough inner monologue like in typical Goosebumps books and the scary parts in here aren't that scary or surprising as the previous NOTLD books, the reason might be the slightly different writing style where we don't focus much on the character's perspective.
Part Three is more interesting.
It doesn't even attempt to be a scary story. If anything, it's more of a cute story in Slappy's perspective and this story is more focused and summed up at the blurb at the back of this book. It's more funny from our icon's point of view and in some ways it's almost a parallel to the Toy's perspective in the Toy Story movies and that's all I have to say as it progresses into Part Four.
In general, the book isn't the best story ever. it's just an average read and it's mostly done great on what it presents. I think I just expected this book to be dark or scary but it's far from that with the exception of some bits from the book's introduction. while on that note, it just ends up just a cute story to follow. Maybe if I haven't read that many Goosebumps books or any books in general, then maybe this will win me over even than I think of this book. It was't irritating or annoying as the previous Slappyworld books and atleast it's fun right?
April 10, 2025
This was just ok for me...very standard Goosebumps story and a lot of it is just a rehash of what happened on the original Goosebumps tale about Slappy. But...don't let my review sway you...my 10 year old LOVED this and she has just discovered Goosebumps and is in the targeted reader age for this series. I thought the Q and A at the end was entertaining. So if you like and enjoy Goosebumps...I think this is definitely worth a read.
October 29, 2022
It was like 3 story’s in one the first Half was looking promising then after that it want downhills from there , the ending was vary bland and forgettable , even though this was a special edition it didn’t feel it in the story.
December 18, 2022
Intro was ok. Book could have been a lot better if they stuck to the origin story. Instead of a big origin slappy sorry we got a few chapters of his origin then the rest the book was just a few more slappy tales messing with families.
January 2, 2023
Thank you Slappy ♡♡
September 3, 2023
My inner kid is screaming for joy right now!! I was always a die hard goosebumps fan so this is perfect in my eyes. However realistically the only things that make this special is the hardcover, illustrations & origin of Slappy so in that instance I can understand why some might not be happy with this.
November 13, 2022
Maybe it's because I'm getting old, maybe it's because I expected more out of a 30th anniversary celebration, maybe it's because this is the 8th dang Slappy book I've read this year, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. The Prologue is genuinely great and makes me wish we had a full-on origin story period piece on Slappy. But it's the usual formulaic Slappy story, with the same premise of Slappy's Nightmare Newcomers to the series and Slappy books might enjoy this, and I will say, the book itself is one fantastic edition.
October 31, 2022
I actually enjoyed this book more than I expected to. RL Stine hasn't lost his touch. Very nostalgic! A fun Halloween read, but would have worked for Christmas too since that's when it takes place. Living in Central Florida, I appreciated the references to the area and how humid it still is even at Christmastime.
March 19, 2023
In this book you go beyond Slappy’s intent, you learn about a lot of Slappy related things. His origins, intent, need for evil, reason for evil, etc… Read this book if you want an inside look on the evil doll and his reasons and self justification for his actions, after all the ventriloquist doll breathes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2022
this is so awesome book
This is the best origin story for the favorite puppet Slappy I love this so much it’s amazing to see
This is the best origin story for the favorite puppet Slappy I love this so much it’s amazing to see
April 29, 2025
For my 300th read on this site, I’ve decided to conclude this reading milestone with the final Slappy book I needed to mark down as read. I’ve already read this one before, but it was way back when it came out, and I definitely have some new thoughts on it this time around. Since this is a special review for a special edition, I’m gonna format this a little different and more professionally.
Positives:
Parts 1 and 2:
These two segments are the true specialty of this book. “Part 1 - 200 Years Ago” takes place in 1822 (doing quick math), and it’s the origin of Slappy. It’s a very good and short little segment but an awesome one that clears up a lot of things even if it is contradictory of stuff that’s been made clear before, but that doesn’t bother me since Slappy’s lore was already convoluted enough lol. Slappy’s first moments are cool and I like how he was initially a blank slate, waiting for a designated personality. “Part 2 - Tampa, Florida” is an interesting take on the typical Slappy story, being during Christmas break and having some different but familiar twists. It gives Mr. Wood new lore—apparently he’s a mass produced doll that has existed since at least 1993–and also shoves in a great talent show scene, okay Slappy bits, and a shocking twist, that being reminiscent of the Smiley twist in NOTLD3. Very nice segments.
R.L. Stine:
Not a huge positive but I liked how he had little indentations in the story. They’re nice to read and it’s great to see him write in his own voice within Goosebumps. (Side note: he did his own lines for the audiobook).
There’s some other positives like the Q&A with Slappy hosted by Stine at the end of the book, Darkwell’s character, and the pacing/writing being of high quality. I also liked the art pieces in the book a lot. But now for negatives.
Negatives:
Part 3:
What. The. Fuck. We had a good streak going here and then it all went to shit. “Part 3 - The Next Day” takes place right after Part 2 and it’s just a Slappy’s Nightmare clone that’s just as repetitive and boring as that story. Slappy tries nine fucking times to do a bad deed (forget to mention that detail, of which I am neutral on in itself as a concept) so he doesn’t fall asleep forever, and it’s painfully drawn out. It’s not horrible, since it’s only like thirty pages, but it’s still annoying. Oh, and now the ending. “Part 4 - Later That Night” and the epilogue that follows are stupid, and in fact I’m gonna make them their own issue.
The Ending:
As I was saying, the ending is horse shit. Slappy is encountered by the ghost of Darkwell who wants to end Slappy since he’s had his revenge by then, and he reveals that SLAPPY NEVER NEEDED TO DO BAD SHIT BECAUSE HE MADE THE “YOU GONNA DIE IF YOU DON’T” SHIT UP. This… is not epic. In fact, this isn’t even good. What a way to waste my time… and whilst I like the idea of Darkwell moving on from his vengeful reign of terror and trying to put a stop to Slappy, couldn’t he have just lifted the curse and gave us the same ending that came after? But with that in mind, Slappy then is almost out to sleep—but doesn’t hear the chant via AirPods blocking it out, which for some reason cancels it, and Slappy lives on. So, so, so dumb. I hate this. I like him living on, but not how we got there. But moving on now…
…I’ve got some smaller issues. Poppy in Part 2 was quite annoying but not the worst thing ever, and the Dummy tropes in Part 2 were also prevalent and mildly annoying even if the build up was worth it to the awesome end to that. Also, the ending joke segment (not the Q&A) is just very cringey. Sorry.
Score:
Slappy’s Origin (Part 1) - 10/10
Tampa Christmas Shenanigans (Part 2) - 8/10
Slappy’s Nightmare—Again! (Part 3, 4, and Epilogue) - 4/10
And overall? 8/10. The opener makes up for a lot of this shit that came up and I liked a lot of things about this book, let alone I’m very forgiving. And, thanks for checking out the 300th review… keep on bumping.
Positives:
Parts 1 and 2:
These two segments are the true specialty of this book. “Part 1 - 200 Years Ago” takes place in 1822 (doing quick math), and it’s the origin of Slappy. It’s a very good and short little segment but an awesome one that clears up a lot of things even if it is contradictory of stuff that’s been made clear before, but that doesn’t bother me since Slappy’s lore was already convoluted enough lol. Slappy’s first moments are cool and I like how he was initially a blank slate, waiting for a designated personality. “Part 2 - Tampa, Florida” is an interesting take on the typical Slappy story, being during Christmas break and having some different but familiar twists. It gives Mr. Wood new lore—apparently he’s a mass produced doll that has existed since at least 1993–and also shoves in a great talent show scene, okay Slappy bits, and a shocking twist, that being reminiscent of the Smiley twist in NOTLD3. Very nice segments.
R.L. Stine:
Not a huge positive but I liked how he had little indentations in the story. They’re nice to read and it’s great to see him write in his own voice within Goosebumps. (Side note: he did his own lines for the audiobook).
There’s some other positives like the Q&A with Slappy hosted by Stine at the end of the book, Darkwell’s character, and the pacing/writing being of high quality. I also liked the art pieces in the book a lot. But now for negatives.
Negatives:
Part 3:
What. The. Fuck. We had a good streak going here and then it all went to shit. “Part 3 - The Next Day” takes place right after Part 2 and it’s just a Slappy’s Nightmare clone that’s just as repetitive and boring as that story. Slappy tries nine fucking times to do a bad deed (forget to mention that detail, of which I am neutral on in itself as a concept) so he doesn’t fall asleep forever, and it’s painfully drawn out. It’s not horrible, since it’s only like thirty pages, but it’s still annoying. Oh, and now the ending. “Part 4 - Later That Night” and the epilogue that follows are stupid, and in fact I’m gonna make them their own issue.
The Ending:
As I was saying, the ending is horse shit. Slappy is encountered by the ghost of Darkwell who wants to end Slappy since he’s had his revenge by then, and he reveals that SLAPPY NEVER NEEDED TO DO BAD SHIT BECAUSE HE MADE THE “YOU GONNA DIE IF YOU DON’T” SHIT UP. This… is not epic. In fact, this isn’t even good. What a way to waste my time… and whilst I like the idea of Darkwell moving on from his vengeful reign of terror and trying to put a stop to Slappy, couldn’t he have just lifted the curse and gave us the same ending that came after? But with that in mind, Slappy then is almost out to sleep—but doesn’t hear the chant via AirPods blocking it out, which for some reason cancels it, and Slappy lives on. So, so, so dumb. I hate this. I like him living on, but not how we got there. But moving on now…
…I’ve got some smaller issues. Poppy in Part 2 was quite annoying but not the worst thing ever, and the Dummy tropes in Part 2 were also prevalent and mildly annoying even if the build up was worth it to the awesome end to that. Also, the ending joke segment (not the Q&A) is just very cringey. Sorry.
Score:
Slappy’s Origin (Part 1) - 10/10
Tampa Christmas Shenanigans (Part 2) - 8/10
Slappy’s Nightmare—Again! (Part 3, 4, and Epilogue) - 4/10
And overall? 8/10. The opener makes up for a lot of this shit that came up and I liked a lot of things about this book, let alone I’m very forgiving. And, thanks for checking out the 300th review… keep on bumping.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2023
Library copy
Back in the quasi-medieval times, we meet Ephraim Darkwell, a toymaker whose pleasant business hides his evil intentions. When the townspeople realize that he is dabbling in the dark arts, they decide to attack. Someone comes to warn Darkwell, who doesn't quite believe the threat, but when his nephew Isaac is beaten, he puts his evil plan into action. He has created a wooden doll and given it the happy and innocous name of Slappy, but tasked it with being evil and doing an act of destruction every day, lest he perish. Slappy takes gladly to the challenge of being evil and prepares to unleash his ways on the world. We flash forward to the present day in Florida and meet Reggie and Poppy. Reggie has a ventriloquist dummy named Junior with whom he preforms in the school talent show. Poppy plays the banjo but has a less than stellar performance. She tends to copy Reggie, and for her birthday, asks for a dummy as well. She recieves Mr. Wood, which her father has picked up at a local toy store. Right away, things are odd; Mr. Wood makes rude comments to the children's aunt at a family gathering. Of course, the siblings start to squabble, each blaming the other for Mr. Wood's actions. Their parents don't believe them that it is the toy that is creating the havoc, but eventually, everyone realizes that the dummy is evil. The father tries to return it, but Slappy ends up in the trash. There, he is picked up by Bryce Carlton, who tries to make Slappy part of the family, bringing him to dinner. His friend Deshaun thinks it is a little weird, but indulges his friend. Slappy keeps up with his practice of doing evil things every day. This is sometimes hard, and he is angry when his family foils his plans. He's frustrated, especially when he falls overboard and is waterlogged, and thereby consigned to be left alone while his family goes out without him. At this time, Darkwell appears to Slappy to say that he has made peace with the world and wants Slappy not to be evil anymore. He works a spell, but is it enough to keep Slappy down?
Strengths: This is worth buying for the complete list of Goosebumps books in the front, as well as a nice pictorial spread of the covers of all the series at the back. I haven't read all of these books, since my library only had the Fear Street series, and it wasn't until Son of Slappy came out ten years ago? that I read them Goosebumps titles. They are all a bit goofy, but still appear to middle school readers who like a less serious horror book. There are plenty of cliff hanger chapter endings, jump scares, and unbridled, somewhat silly evil.
Weaknesses: I'm such a fan of Stine's handling of historical details that I was expecting more from the Darkwell installment. Young readers will think it's fine. Also, there are so many books by Stine that I can't keep them all straight, nor make sure that all of my series are complete!
What I really think: I bought this one without having read it and have no regrets. I am a bit curious to see if there is a small series arc of new Slappy tales.
Back in the quasi-medieval times, we meet Ephraim Darkwell, a toymaker whose pleasant business hides his evil intentions. When the townspeople realize that he is dabbling in the dark arts, they decide to attack. Someone comes to warn Darkwell, who doesn't quite believe the threat, but when his nephew Isaac is beaten, he puts his evil plan into action. He has created a wooden doll and given it the happy and innocous name of Slappy, but tasked it with being evil and doing an act of destruction every day, lest he perish. Slappy takes gladly to the challenge of being evil and prepares to unleash his ways on the world. We flash forward to the present day in Florida and meet Reggie and Poppy. Reggie has a ventriloquist dummy named Junior with whom he preforms in the school talent show. Poppy plays the banjo but has a less than stellar performance. She tends to copy Reggie, and for her birthday, asks for a dummy as well. She recieves Mr. Wood, which her father has picked up at a local toy store. Right away, things are odd; Mr. Wood makes rude comments to the children's aunt at a family gathering. Of course, the siblings start to squabble, each blaming the other for Mr. Wood's actions. Their parents don't believe them that it is the toy that is creating the havoc, but eventually, everyone realizes that the dummy is evil. The father tries to return it, but Slappy ends up in the trash. There, he is picked up by Bryce Carlton, who tries to make Slappy part of the family, bringing him to dinner. His friend Deshaun thinks it is a little weird, but indulges his friend. Slappy keeps up with his practice of doing evil things every day. This is sometimes hard, and he is angry when his family foils his plans. He's frustrated, especially when he falls overboard and is waterlogged, and thereby consigned to be left alone while his family goes out without him. At this time, Darkwell appears to Slappy to say that he has made peace with the world and wants Slappy not to be evil anymore. He works a spell, but is it enough to keep Slappy down?
Strengths: This is worth buying for the complete list of Goosebumps books in the front, as well as a nice pictorial spread of the covers of all the series at the back. I haven't read all of these books, since my library only had the Fear Street series, and it wasn't until Son of Slappy came out ten years ago? that I read them Goosebumps titles. They are all a bit goofy, but still appear to middle school readers who like a less serious horror book. There are plenty of cliff hanger chapter endings, jump scares, and unbridled, somewhat silly evil.
Weaknesses: I'm such a fan of Stine's handling of historical details that I was expecting more from the Darkwell installment. Young readers will think it's fine. Also, there are so many books by Stine that I can't keep them all straight, nor make sure that all of my series are complete!
What I really think: I bought this one without having read it and have no regrets. I am a bit curious to see if there is a small series arc of new Slappy tales.
November 18, 2023
It's been awhile since I've read a Goosebumps book. Like, pre-Goodreads era. However, the new series had me feelin' like I'm gonna do a binge of my collection (when I find it). Saw this guy in a store and decided to pick it up. I wasn't even aware Slappy had "official" origin stories. It feels like you could play mad libs with a dart board and anything would stick (as evidenced by this book).
It's funny that R.L. Stine can use the "parents never listen to their kids" bit after all these years and have it work. Slappy's arch-nemesis would be good parenting.
I know I've definitely aged out of the demographic, but this was a fun time for a quick read. A bit silly. No spooks or scares. Part Three's story was the most interesting because I love to see this little guy fumble the bag. Special edition didn't make it different from any other Goosebumps book. Thankfully, I got it on clearance!
3 "Oh no! He can't hear us because he has his airpods in!" out of 5 "These dang kids and their Minecraft!"
It's funny that R.L. Stine can use the "parents never listen to their kids" bit after all these years and have it work. Slappy's arch-nemesis would be good parenting.
I know I've definitely aged out of the demographic, but this was a fun time for a quick read. A bit silly. No spooks or scares. Part Three's story was the most interesting because I love to see this little guy fumble the bag. Special edition didn't make it different from any other Goosebumps book. Thankfully, I got it on clearance!
3 "Oh no! He can't hear us because he has his airpods in!" out of 5 "These dang kids and their Minecraft!"
August 20, 2024
Crazy thing is this is the first Goosebumps book I read 🤭 and I thought this Special Edition might be a good place to start.
.
It was a fun quirky read definitely would have enjoyed reading this as a kid. It's supposed to be an origin story for Slappy, but from the start its clear that there are many versions of his origin and its unclear which one is true. A creative way to keep on producing origin stories in the future.
.
In this story, there are moments where R.L. Stine is speaking directly to the reader. I'm not sure if that's the style for all his books but it worked well for this one.
.
Readers are able to look into Slappy's mind and see how he thinks and processes things that occur to him.
.
I really enjoyed how most chapters ended with a twist or a spooky moment. It really was a great way to carry you on over to the next chapter.
.
Slappy is a very clever and evil doll, such a fun character to follow.
.
It was a fun quirky read definitely would have enjoyed reading this as a kid. It's supposed to be an origin story for Slappy, but from the start its clear that there are many versions of his origin and its unclear which one is true. A creative way to keep on producing origin stories in the future.
.
In this story, there are moments where R.L. Stine is speaking directly to the reader. I'm not sure if that's the style for all his books but it worked well for this one.
.
Readers are able to look into Slappy's mind and see how he thinks and processes things that occur to him.
.
I really enjoyed how most chapters ended with a twist or a spooky moment. It really was a great way to carry you on over to the next chapter.
.
Slappy is a very clever and evil doll, such a fun character to follow.
October 7, 2022
Audiobook Review: Slappy Beware by R.L. Stine (@rl_stine1 )
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
No CW needed
Slappy's origin story and possible last day? Truly a great story with very fun narration. Loved hearing R.L. interject occasionally and Slappy's voice actor was very good. Super creepy laughs and a great job done by both narrators! I didnt find the story itself scary but I'm 27 so that might be why lol. I highly recommend if you're a big Slappy fan...it definitely explained my confusion with Mr.Wood from the first Night Of The Living Dummy book and why he didnt stick around. Loved the jokes/interview at the end.
#slappybeware #slappysworld #slappy #rlstine #rlstinebooks #bookreview #bookstagram #goosebumps #goosebumpsbooks #rlstinegoosebumps
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
No CW needed
Slappy's origin story and possible last day? Truly a great story with very fun narration. Loved hearing R.L. interject occasionally and Slappy's voice actor was very good. Super creepy laughs and a great job done by both narrators! I didnt find the story itself scary but I'm 27 so that might be why lol. I highly recommend if you're a big Slappy fan...it definitely explained my confusion with Mr.Wood from the first Night Of The Living Dummy book and why he didnt stick around. Loved the jokes/interview at the end.
#slappybeware #slappysworld #slappy #rlstine #rlstinebooks #bookreview #bookstagram #goosebumps #goosebumpsbooks #rlstinegoosebumps
January 30, 2025
The book was good for the first couple sections and I was really liking it. After the whole “have to do evil” part and how predictable the foils of his plans were and not continuing with the stories they didn’t finish. The story was unfinished and the audiobook was alright but I think it could’ve been tied up better and maybe even incorporate the 2nd and 3rd story. But this was also VERY tame for Slappy. He’s supposed to be so evil but he didn’t even do anything that bad. I’m sorry but I’m not a huge fan of Slappy just because of how much there has been written about him but I do still like him tho. But I miss the old Slappy, and the tv OG series Slappy. These new Slappy books aren’t that good sorry
January 19, 2023
R.L. Stine is celebrating 30 years of Goosebumps with his favorite creation, Slappy the evil dummy. This book brings you back 200 years when Slappy was created by a sorcerer. I loved to learn about the creation of this evil character that has made an appearance in many of the Goosebumps novels. The second part of the book is Slappy being his evil self. My favorite was the third part of the book, because I was surprise at how all his evil plans didn't work with the Carlton family. I was laughing everytime his evil plans didn't play out. Fantastic cover with a well planned plot to celebrate 30 years of creepy reads.
March 25, 2024
Read this because I was a huge Goosebumps fan growing up, and Slappy was one of my favorite characters. Throughout the years Slappy and his antics have stuck with me so an origin tale piqued my interest, although I’m no longer the target demographic for these books.
What a waste of time! And that’s really saying something because it took me just over an hour to read this! The “origin story” of Slappy is so brief, and the rest of the book is just a present-day Slappy tale. I really wanted to know more about this character I’ve loved for years.
But then again, this is a kids book, so maybe I expect too much?
What a waste of time! And that’s really saying something because it took me just over an hour to read this! The “origin story” of Slappy is so brief, and the rest of the book is just a present-day Slappy tale. I really wanted to know more about this character I’ve loved for years.
But then again, this is a kids book, so maybe I expect too much?
November 4, 2022
I read this for Elementary Library to see if the content matches what would be appropriate for the grade levels considered. Overall, I think it is four stars because, yes, it could be interesting for younger groups, but for me now, the story seems rather underdeveloped. It is just scary enough that it may interest children who like being in for a 'scare', but also silly enough and written young enough that it is still age appropriate for this group.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews