Really like it, really had me in the book. ( )

The book "Stay out of the Basement," is a good book for young children. It explain why one should listen to your parents no matter what. ( )

good ( )

Stay Out of the Basement is the second in the Goosebumps Series and we are becoming quite familiar with R.L. Stein's writing at this point, and without hesitation, I think he's about the equivalent to Stephen King and/or Twilight Zone/or The Outer Limits for kids...his stories are always slightly creepy, seem to have slightly campy leanings, almost too outlandish to be believable and always with a twist at the end that leaves you wondering.

Stay Out of the Basement is no exception...in this volume we meet Margaret and Casey Brewer (and their parents, naturally), as we join them we discover that Dr. Brewer has lost his job at the University and is continuing his work in the basement. At this point the mother conveniently has to go out of town to care for a sick relative, leaving the two kids alone with the good Dr. and his strange behavior as he becomes increasingly distant and obsessed with his work. It's only after Casey and Margaret and their neighbor disobey Dr. Brewer's strict orders not to go in the basement that they discover just how strange his work is and just how obsessed with it he is.

For me, Stay Out of the Basement isn't as creepy as the first book in the series, or even as creepy as some of his other work that I have read, but as part of a series designed to give the reader goosebumps, I think it's a fine addition. The ending as always takes a slight twist from what you think it should, and I rather like this about Stein's writing style. I give it a B-, it's entertaining, but fairly predictable. We're looking forward to reading more in the series! ( )

Margaret and Casey's dad has been conducting his botony experiments in the basement ever since being fired from his job, but the plants just keep getting weirder and weirder. The weirdest thing of all is their father, who has gotten weird beyond just growing leaves on his head. The kids finally do go to the basement- and find their real father in a closet. Suddenly there are two guys claiming to be their father, but Margaret figures out who the real dad is. ( )