R.L. Stine’s Trick or Trap Delivers Classic Thrills and Chills

Trick or Trap, his third novel in the new series, tells the story of Scott Harmon, the most frightened kid at school, and his desperate need to become brave. With bullies tormenting him every chance they get, a little sister who loves to prank him, and a dad who is always away, poor Scott feels like he’s living in the middle of his own nightmare.
When he gathers the courage to enter an abandoned house in the local graveyard, Scott swipes a box and takes it home to discover a death mask inside. From there, creepiness ensues as Scott learns of the evil inside the mask, while trying to seek revenge on those who love to terrify him.

Like its inspiration, The Haunted Mask, every chapter of Trick or Trap is filled with twists and turns, making it a quick and satisfying read. If you haven’t yet, you’ll love introducing your kids to the world of R.L. Stine (and returning to it yourself!). Trick or Trap made me nostalgic for my own twelve year old self in a way I’ve never been before. As each page turned, I felt more like that kid spread across her bed on a rainy Saturday, gobbling up classic Goosebumps stories faster than my parents could buy them.
The Most Wanted series has also been updated to reflect current technology, the influence of social media, and the 2015 preteen vocabulary. (I was thoroughly impressed with the characters’ use of YouTube and Instagram!) I also appreciated that while Scott was bullied, rather than letting that diminish him, it made him want to be braver; larger than life, and to prove everybody wrong not for their sake, but for himself.

One of the best things about Stine’s Goosebumps series has always been that the main characters don’t find themselves in situations that are too serious or real. Being scared of a creepy mask is one thing, but Stine never takes things too far. Instead, he has you doggedly sure that the heroes are going to make it and that the tale is far from over, no matter how bad things look. In classic Stine form, Trick or Trap ends on a cliffhanger, which will inspire your kids to imagine all sorts of new outcomes for the characters.
As wonderfully fun as their predecessors, the newest Goosebumps books will make you incredibly excited for your own middle school child to discover the scary world of Stine—and if you’re looking for a way to get your kid excited about reading, and want to give them a novel that speaks to them as a 2015 preteen, R.L. Stine’s Trick or Trap is the perfect choice. It’s a quick read even for reluctant readers, and the chapters are short and punchy, which can encourage reading if the promise of one chapter a night works for your kid. It is also delightfully creepy; full of the gross descriptions that only Stine can write, making it one book that you’ll enjoy having on the shelf just as much as your kid does.
As the original Goosebumps series stated: Readers beware, you’re in for a scare.