Goosebumps #3 'Monster Blood' by R. L. Stine: A Summary

Book Specification Info:  128 Pages; ISBN #0-590-45367-X

Summary:  A family, consisting of Mother, Father and son, have to move to Atlanta.  While the parents are in Atlanta looking for a new home, the son (Evan) has to stay with his weird great-aunt Kathryn.  During his two-week stay, he meets a friend (Andy) and they begin hanging out.  One day, they venture into an old toy store where Evan buys a can of monster blood.  Once the can is open, the "fun" begins ... do you dare to read the tale of a lonely boy, his pony-sized cocker spaniel and a witch?

Banned Reason: Excessive Violence

There was some violence in this book, but again ... nothing excessive.  I know I'm only three books into this series, but I have yet to find a passage of text that depicts an episode of excessive violence.  In my opinion, the cartoons of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner depicted more violence than the Goosebumps series, thus far, and look how much children (and adults) love those cartoons!

I am beginning to form the opinion that whoever began this crusade against R. L. Stine's series was afraid of change.  To my knowledge, this series was the first of its kind that was geared specifically toward the younger crowd.  Oh, if only parents would sit back and remember what it was like to be young.  They, too, enjoyed being scared ... if they'd only admit it.

Overall:  This book was definitely enjoyable.  I appreciated the fact that R. L. Stine wrote about a different family dynamic other than the mother, father, older sister and annoying younger brother.  I think if Evan would've had a sibling in this book, the story wouldn't have transpired as well as it did.

Creepy great-aunt Kathryn was a hoot!  I liked her =)  She was quirky and eccentric ... she was a little mean in the book, but not so much so that I didn't enjoy her.

Andy was a pistol.  She was a wonderful tomboy who still had her girlie side and a no-nonsense attitude.  Evan and Andy together in the story worked out wonderfully.

I don't agree with the banned reasons for this book.  While violence was depicted, it wasn't anything more than what a child would see in a schoolyard tussle.

I press onward ... Happy Reading! =)