Goosebumps: Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns by R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book 48 in the original series order. This book is really weird and quite scary. One of the top five scariest stories so far. The horror is throughout this book, there’s a home invasion scare (they make kids do push-ups so the scare does not last that long but at first it is scary) and a creepy old couple that wants to kidnap the kids and judge their costumes forever, and then the final horror the Jack O’ Lanterns who force the kids to trick or treat forever. The ending is really bizarre and weird, which is a little bit of a cop-out, but Stine saves it by having a sinister ending that is left to you the reader to determine if the character was joking or not. The final twist I would put in the top five of memorable final twists in the Goosebumps series so far. You would think with it having a memorable final twist and the book being scary it would be in my top ten best Goosebumps books, but sadly it is not, the pacing is good for the first 40% but, when the story gets to the Jack O’ Lanterns the story starts to repeat its self making it a bit boring, at the end it starts adding something new which was great. I think Stine did write his first non-binary character in Drew who thumbs her nose at Tabby who wears a princess outfit and would rather wear a Star Trek Klingon costume and another time when her parents ask, “Are you dressed a Wonder Woman?” She replies, “I’m just dressed as a superhero.” It only mentions gender once and never uses her pronouns I feel it is low key but it is there to read into. The Goosebumps series on Disney+ does feature a non-binary character. Goosebumps: Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns by R.L. Stine was published on October 1, 1996.

Plot Summary: Drew is super short and looks like an elf, which is why Halloween is special to them because they can dress up and be who they want to be. Drew hangs with 3 other friends who love Halloween Walker and twins Shane and Shana. They love Halloween but it keeps getting ruined by two of their frenemies Tabby and Lee who pranked them by staging a home invasion and having the crooks make them do push-ups ruining their costumes. Ever since that Halloween they have vowed to get them back last year didn’t work out but this year is the year. Will they get their revenge or will something go horribly wrong and the kids end up trick or treating forever?

What I Liked: The scare was there the last 2 they were not, so I was happy to be scared again. the final twist was a good one that will stick with you, were they joking or telling the truth? I liked the costumes and how they were described. Drew the character did not fit into any mold of being a girl that Stine usually writes it was refreshing. I thought the frenemies Lee and Tabby were easy to not like, there was a definite rich and poor dynamic between the kids. The old people holding the kids hostage to judge their costumes was terrifying the way it was written and a good message to kids just because they are old don’t go into that house. The cover art has captures a great scene in the book perfectly.

What I Disliked: When the gang meets the Jack O’ Lantern people the scenes get very repetitive it doesn’t last too long but long enough were I started to get tired by reading it.

Recommendations: I fully recommend Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns it is scary and fun. This is one of the better written towards the end. The horror worked for me and scared me a little. I think the character of Drew will appeal to a child who feels out of sorts and likes cosplaying or dressing up to imagine being someone other than themselves.

Rating: I rated Goosebumps: Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns by R. L. Stine 4 out of 5 stars.

Ranking: Here’s my full ranking of the 48 Goosebumps books that I have read in order from my favorite to least favorite: 1) A Night in Terror Tower, 2) Stay Out of the Basement, 3) The Headless Ghost, 4) Ghost Beach, 5) Piano Lessons Can Be Murder, 6) The Haunted Mask, 7) Ghost Camp, 8) The Horror at Camp Jellyjam, 9) One Day At Horrorland, 10) Night of the Living Dummy, 11) Welcome to Camp Nightmare, 12) A Shocker on Shock Street, 13)The Phantom of the Auditorium, 14) It Came From Beneath the Sink, 15)Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns, 16)The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, 17) Say Cheese and Die, 18) Let’s Get Invisible, 19) The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight, 20) Welcome to Dead House, 21) Monster Blood II, 22) The Beast From the East, 23) The Girl who Cried Monster, 24)Deep Trouble, 25) The Ghost Next Door, 26) Say Cheese and Die – Again! 27) Night of the Living Dummy 2, 28) My Hairiest Adventure, 29) Be Careful What You Wish For…, 30) Return of the Mummy, 31) Why I’m Afraid of Bees, 32) The Haunted Mask II, 33)How I Got My Shrunken Head, 34) How to Kill a Monster, 35) Attack of the Mutant, 36) Go Eat Worms!, 37) Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, 38) The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, 39) Bad Hare Day, 40) Cuckoo Clock of Doom, 41) Monster Blood, 42)Night of the Living Dummy III, 43) The Barking Ghost, 44) Egg Monsters from Mars, 45) The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena, 46) You Can’t Scare Me!, 47) Legend of the Lost Legend, and 48) Monster Blood III.