R.L. Stine is still to this day the leading author in children's horror fiction. He is the king of writing compelling and frightening stories for children. While his work may not be high class, literary fiction it stands a pure entertainment that has compelled millions of children to read over the years. It is thanks to Stine and his many books that I decided to become the full time professional writer, editor, and publisher I am today. To this day I often return to Stine's work for inspiration.
While Stine's most famous series is Goosebumps and its many spin offs and iterations (closely followed by the Fear Street novels) he has many books that are in no way attached to any specific series and are stand alone titles. The Creatures from Beyond Beyond is one of his many books that stands on its own.
In The Creatures from Beyond Beyond Randi, her twin brother, Tyler, and their parents are on vacation. Every summer their family rents a different summer home in a different town. This year they are staying in an old house in Blairingville. But the twins see the town more like "Boringville."
However, their trip turns into anything but boring when they are attacked by aliens, growing dolls, and a strange 12 year old boy who wants to control them. It becomes a fight for their sanity and their lives as the twins try to figure out the mystery and stop the strange supernatural events from happening.
While most of Stine's stories are pretty off the wall crazy it is always fun to see these stand alone titles. They often take all sorts of risks that you maybe wouldn't see in a normal Goosebumps books. It can be a fun filled adventure with all sorts of twists and turns. However, this freedom can also detract from the overall integral structure of the main story.
Younger children won't mind the logical jumps and strange twists in the story. They will probably also enjoy the smorgasbord of different types of supernatural creatures and events. Older kids on the other hand may want a story that has a little more structure.
One of the best elements of this particular book is it's brevity. While many of Stine's goosebumps books seem to be around 20,000 to 25,000 words (around 130 pages depending on the printing) The Creatures from Beyond Beyond seems to be about half that length. This makes it a good and fast paced horror story for younger children and kids with a shorter attention span.
I later found out, after reading the story, this book was part of a collection of stories that R.L. Stine was writing to be recorded in a similar style to the horror and sci-fi radio shows of the 1950s and 1960s. The story has strong elements of B-horror and science fiction that really add to this flavor. And in many ways the disjointed nature sounds better when listed to on the recording.
While Stine's most famous series is Goosebumps and its many spin offs and iterations (closely followed by the Fear Street novels) he has many books that are in no way attached to any specific series and are stand alone titles. The Creatures from Beyond Beyond is one of his many books that stands on its own.
In The Creatures from Beyond Beyond Randi, her twin brother, Tyler, and their parents are on vacation. Every summer their family rents a different summer home in a different town. This year they are staying in an old house in Blairingville. But the twins see the town more like "Boringville."
However, their trip turns into anything but boring when they are attacked by aliens, growing dolls, and a strange 12 year old boy who wants to control them. It becomes a fight for their sanity and their lives as the twins try to figure out the mystery and stop the strange supernatural events from happening.
While most of Stine's stories are pretty off the wall crazy it is always fun to see these stand alone titles. They often take all sorts of risks that you maybe wouldn't see in a normal Goosebumps books. It can be a fun filled adventure with all sorts of twists and turns. However, this freedom can also detract from the overall integral structure of the main story.
Younger children won't mind the logical jumps and strange twists in the story. They will probably also enjoy the smorgasbord of different types of supernatural creatures and events. Older kids on the other hand may want a story that has a little more structure.
One of the best elements of this particular book is it's brevity. While many of Stine's goosebumps books seem to be around 20,000 to 25,000 words (around 130 pages depending on the printing) The Creatures from Beyond Beyond seems to be about half that length. This makes it a good and fast paced horror story for younger children and kids with a shorter attention span.
I later found out, after reading the story, this book was part of a collection of stories that R.L. Stine was writing to be recorded in a similar style to the horror and sci-fi radio shows of the 1950s and 1960s. The story has strong elements of B-horror and science fiction that really add to this flavor. And in many ways the disjointed nature sounds better when listed to on the recording.
Summing it Up
The Creatures from Beyond Beyond is a fast paced and enjoyable children's story. Despite its scattered plot the story is quick and easy read, making it suitable for younger children. The science fiction elements are straight out of
B-horror movies from the the 1960s and add a real flavor of fun to the story. The story is even better when it is read allowed or if children listen to the audio recording which includes music and sound effects. Overall, most kids who enjoy horror or science fiction will enjoy this story.
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 1
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 1
Fun Factor: 5
Overall Rating: 3
B-horror movies from the the 1960s and add a real flavor of fun to the story. The story is even better when it is read allowed or if children listen to the audio recording which includes music and sound effects. Overall, most kids who enjoy horror or science fiction will enjoy this story.
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 1
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 1
Fun Factor: 5
Overall Rating: 3