Monster Blood IV (Goosebumps #62) by R.L. Stine

 Monster Blood IV (Goosebumps #62) by R.L. Stine-118 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Evan Ross can't forget about Monster Blood—the evil green slime that never stops growing. It can turn ordinary pets into ferocious animals and twelve-year-old kids into freakish giants.

But now there's a new kind of Monster Blood in town. It comes in a can just like the others. Only difference is this slime is blue instead of green. And instead of just growing, it's multiplying—into terrifying blue creatures with razor-sharp teeth...

Thoughts: I have now read all of the original Goosebumps series! This one is pretty good. This is a new, different kind of Monster Blood that grows and multiplies. Evan, Kermit, and Andy are in for a big surprise. This one has a fun ending like many of the others in the series.

The Case of the U.S. Space Camp Mission (The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen #4) by Carol Thompson and Bonnie Bader

The Case of the U.S. Space Camp Mission (The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen #4) by Carol Thompson and Bonnie Bader-80 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Mary-Kate and Ashley can solve any crime by dinner time. When NASA's space shuttle is held up because of mysterious holes in the fuel tank, the twins track down the clues and make a surprising discovery--this mission has gone to the birds!

Thoughts: This was a fun, short read. I thought I had the mystery solved, but it actually went in a different direction. 

Classic Star Wars: Luke's Fate (A Step Into Reading Level 3 book) by Jim K. Thomas , Isidre Monés

Classic Star Wars: Luke's Fate (A Step Into Reading Level 3 book) by Jim K. Thomas, Isidre Monés-48 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Illustrated in full color. Readers are introduced to young Luke Skywalker, who dreams of being a star pilot but has to stay planetbound, helping his uncle run the farm. Then the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO show up...and Luke's destiny beckons irresistibly. Based on the beginning sequences of the original Star Wars movie and radio plays.  

Thoughts: I enjoyed reading this children's novelization of the beginning of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It starts a bit before the movie and covers up until Obi-Wan and Luke agree to travel together to Alderaan after seeing Princess Leia's message. It was a fun little read.

I Live in Your Basement! (Goosebumps #61) by R.L. Stine

 I Live in Your Basement! (Goosebumps #61) by R.L. Stine-128 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Don't do this! Watch out for that!" Marco's mom thinks the whole world is a danger zone. She won't even let Marco play softball. But Marco just wants to have fun. So he sneaks off to a game. And that's when it happens. He gets hit in the head with a baseball bat. Now things are getting really fuzzy. Really scary. Because when Marco gets home he gets the strangest call. From someone who says he lives in Marco's basement...

Thoughts: It was interesting reading the British edition of this book. This one is a trippy story with a surprising twist at the end. Although, I should have expected the twist since it's similar to other books in this series. Overall, this was a pretty good read.

Werewolf Skin (Goosebumps #60) by R.L. Stine

 Werewolf Skin (Goosebumps #60) by R.L. Stine-125 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Picture this—Alex Hunter, photography freak, hanging out in Wolf Creek. Who lives in Wolf Creek? Alex's uncle Colin and aunt Marta. They're professional photographers.

Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta are pretty cool. They only have two requests. Don't go into the woods late at night. And stay away from the creepy house next door.

Poor Alex. He just wanted to take a couple of pictures. But now he's about to find out the secret of Wolf Creek. Late one night. When the moon is full...

Thoughts: This is a good read. The mystery of who are werewolves is somewhat shocking and so is the ending. This is one of my favorites that I've read so far in this series.

Don't Go To Sleep! (Goosebumps #54) by R.L. Stine

 Don't Go To Sleep! (Goosebumps #54) by R.L. Stine-118 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/2

Matt hates his tiny bedroom. It's so small it's practically a closet! Still, Matt's mom refuses to let him sleep in the guest room. After all, they might have guests. Some day. Or year.

Then Matt does it. Late one night. When everyone's in bed. He sneaks into the guest room and falls asleep.

Poor Matt. He should have listened to his mom. Because when Matt wakes up, his whole life has changed. For the worse. And every time he falls asleep, he wakes up in a new nightmare....

Thoughts: This one is pretty good. Matt Amsterdam ends up in a reality loop and wakes in a new reality each morning. Will he ever get out of the loop? I enjoyed reading this one. 

Chicken Chicken (Goosebumps #53) by R.L. Stine

 Chicken Chicken (Goosebumps #53) by R.L. Stine-113 pages

⭐⭐⭐

Everyone in Goshen Falls knows about weird Vanessa. She dresses all in black. Wears black lipstick. And puts spells on people. At least, that's what they say.

Crystal and her brother, Cole, know you can't believe everything you hear. But that was before they made Vanessa mad. Before she whispered that strange warning, "Chicken chicken."

Because now something really weird has happened. Crystal's lips have turned as hard as a bird's beak. And Cole has started growing ugly white feathers all over his body....

Thoughts: This one is a decent read. It's actually more funny than scary, although it would be kind of scary to be turned into a chicken for real. The reasoning behind the person turning Cole and Crystal into chickens is pretty thin, though. Overall, not a bad read, but not my favorite in the series by a long shot.

LEGO Animal Atlas: Discover the Animals of the World

 LEGO Animal Atlas: Discover the Animals of the World by Rona Skene - 80 pages

Goodreads:

An atlas of animals with 60 bricks to build four exclusive mini-models: panda, penguin, giraffe, and kangaroo.

Discover the planet's amazing animals with specially commissioned LEGO(R) models and maps. Which animal gobbles up 4,000 clams in one meal? Where can you find a snail as big as a baseball? The LEGO Animal Atlas has answers to these questions and a whole lot more. The book is packed with fascinating facts, images, and building ideas for more than 110 models of the world's most awesome animals.

A detailed LEGO map, dotted with charming micro-build creatures, introduces each of the continents. The maps are followed by colorful spreads featuring up to seven LEGO animals in their habitats. From a cute koala in the Australian outback to a mighty lion prowling the African savanna, this book showcases many of the world's favorite animals--plus some unusual sights, such as the bizarre blue-footed booby and the mysterious giant squid.

The models are built with mostly standard bricks, and tips and breakdowns will inspire children to create their own animal models. A combination of clear photos, authoritative text, fun facts, and classic LEGO humor helps children learn as they build and play their way around the animal world.

The LEGO Ideas Book New Edition: You Can Build Anything!

 The LEGO Ideas Book New Edition: You Can Build Anything! by Hannah Dolan - 200 pages

Goodreads:

A brand new edition of the best-selling LEGO(R) book of all time - with hundreds of all-new models!

Unlock your imagination with this colorful treasury of more than 200 new building ideas created by LEGO(R) fan builders. Learn tips and tricks to become a better builder. Find out how professional LEGO designers get their ideas and meet the fan builders. Get inspired to make your own LEGO creations with ideas to build your own dream home, create an alien sports center, grow your own brick-built rooftop garden, and much more. What will you build?

Packed with stacks of ideas, there's something for everyone!

- A daring pirate adventure.
-Perfect pets.
-Games and challenges for the whole family.
-Easy-to-build dinosaurs.
-Ancient and modern landmarks.
-Things-that-go from trains and monster trucks to planes and spacecraft.
-Animals, aliens, and all kinds of critters.
- Dragons, legends, myths, and movie-worthy scenes.

Includes ideas for all ages and abilities from kids to collectors. There's something for everyone to explore and love.

How I Learned to Fly! (Goosebumps #52) by R.L. Stine

 How I Learned to Fly! (Goosebumps #52) by R.L. Stine-123 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/2

Wilson Schlame loves to make Jack Johnson feel like a total loser. And Jack's had it. That's how he ended up down at the beach. In a creepy, old abandoned house. In the dark, Trying to hide from Wilson.

But everything is about to change. Because Jack just dug up the coolest book. It's called Flying Lessons. It tells how humans can learn to fly.

Poor Jack. He wanted to get back at Wilson. But now that Jack's learned how to fly, things down on earth are getting really scary....

Thoughts: This one is pretty good. I liked the dynamics between Jack and Wilson and them trying to one-up each other. Jack isn't normally competitive but Wilson just gets on his nerves. The ending is pretty good, also.

Calling All Creeps! (Goosebumps #50) by R.L. Stine

 Calling All Creeps! (Goosebumps #50) by R.L. Stine-116 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/4

Ricky Beamer is furious when he gets kicked off the school paper. So he decides to play a joke on Tasha, the bossy editor in chief. Just a little joke. Harmless, really.

After school one day he sticks a message in the paper. If you're a creep, call Tasha after midnight, it reads.

But somehow Ricky's message gets messed up. And now he's getting calls. Strange calls from kids who say they are creeps. Creeps with scaly purple skin. And long sharp fangs...

Thoughts: This one is decent. It's not one of my favorites in this series. I do like the ending, though. 

Vampire Breath (Classic Goosebumps #21, Goosebumps #49) by R.L. Stine

 Vampire Breath (Classic Goosebumps #21, Goosebumps #49) by R.L. Stine-114 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/2

Tough. That's Freddy Martinez and his friend, Cara. They're not afraid of anything. But that was before they went exploring in Freddy's basement. Before they found the secret room. Before they found the bottle of Vampire Breath.
Poor Freddy and Cara. They should have never opened that bottle of Vampire Breath. Because now there's a vampire in Freddy's basement. And he's very, very thirsty....

Thoughts: Freddy and Cara end up going back in time to a vampire's castle in the late 1800s. There are dozens of vampires living there and all of them are so thirsty. Will they escape back to the future and Freddy's basement? This one has a pretty good twist at the end that actually makes sense, too. I liked this one. 

Deep Trouble II (Goosebumps #58) by R.L. Stine

 Deep Trouble II (Goosebumps #58) by R.L. Stine-113 pages

⭐⭐⭐

Billy Deep and his sister, Sheena, are spending another summer in the Caribbean on their uncle's totally cool floating lab. The weather is beautiful. And there are lots of neat places to go swimming and snorkeling.

Billy and Sheena are great swimmers. But even great swimmers get into trouble — especially this year. This year there's something really scary going on under the sea. The fish all seem to be growing. Bigger and bigger. Into monster-size sea creatures. With monster-size appetites . . .

Thoughts: Sheena and Billy Deep are back along with Dr. D, their uncle, for another adventure. This time they discover giant fish and other giant marine animals. Why are they all so big? This one isn't quite as good as their first one, but it's still a decent read.

Deep Trouble (Goosebumps #19, Classic Goosebumps #2) by R.L. Stine

Deep Trouble (Goosebumps #19, Classic Goosebumps #2) by R.L. Stine-144 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Billy and his sister, Sheena, are visiting their uncle Dr. Deep on a tiny Caribbean island. It's the perfect place to go exploring underwater...and Billy's ready for an adventure. There's only one rule to Stay away from the coral reefs. Still, the reefs are so beautiful. So peaceful. Billy can't resist. But he's not alone in the water. Something's lurking deep below the surface. Something dark and scaly....Something that's half-human, half-fish...Now with all-new bonus materials including real-life shark tales and more.

Thoughts: This was a fun read. This one isn't a typical Goosebumps exactly. It's part fantasy, part horror, and just plain fun. I didn't expect mermaids when I began reading this book. 

Bad Hare Day (Goosebumps #41) by R.L. Stine

 Bad Hare Day (Goosebumps #41) by R.L. Stine-117 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/2

Trick cards, floating scarves, disappearing doves. Tim Swanson loves magic tricks. Someday he wants to be a real magician. Just like his all-time favorite hero, Amaz-O.

But then Tim goes to Amaz-O's show. And he finds out his idol is a total grump. That's when Tim decides to steal the bag of tricks. Amaz-O's bag of secret tricks. Scary tricks.

The one with the multiplying red balls.
And all those hissing snakes....

Thoughts: This one is pretty good. Tim Swanson is in for a rude awakening when he gets to "join" Amaz-O's magic show at 12 years old. I continue to enjoy the twists at the end of these books. They're not really that scary reading them as an adult, but they're still fun reads.

Night of the Living Dummy III (Goosebumps #40) by R.L. Stine

 Night of the Living Dummy III (Goosebumps #40) by R.L. Stine-125 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Trina O'Dell's dad used to have a ventriloquist act. That's why he has all those dummies in the attic. He calls it his Dummy Museum. There's a dummy with freckles. And one with a sneer just like Rocky. Trina and her brother, Dan, think the dummies are pretty cool.

But now there are voices in the attic. And dummies keep showing up in the strangest places.

No way those dummies could be alive! Right?

Thoughts: I liked the previous instalments in this series within a series. I liked this one, also. Slappy is an evil dummy and he just keeps coming back. I also like it because it's somewhat similar to Child's Play and Chucky and also other horror franchises where if you say the "magic" word(s) an inanimate object comes to life. 

Everything is Awesome: A Search-And-Find Celebration of Lego History

Everything is Awesome: A Search-And-Find Celebration of Lego History by Simon Beecroft - 32 pages

Goodreads:

A uniquely illustrated search-and-find format, perfect for LEGO® fans young and old!

Find hidden toys, pirates, ghosts and more in fantastic scenes based on classic LEGO® playsets. This full-color hardcover activity book will entertain LEGO® fans ages 6 to 8 as they pour over the highly detailed scenes! With its focus on the iconic toy’s history, this book will make a great gift for LEGO® fans and collectors of all ages.

Taylor Swift: Unofficial Search & Find Biographies

Taylor Swift: Unofficial Search & Find Biographies by Gus Morais - 40 pages

Goodreads:

Are you ready for it? This one-of-a-kind biography takes you on a visual exploration of Taylor Swift’s groundbreaking career, celebrating every album era, iconic outfit, and unforgettable moment. From singing “Tim McGraw” at the start of it all to her Midnights confessionals, this book is packed with Easter eggs that only her most loyal fans will uncover.

Dive into masterfully illustrated spreads, each inspired by a pivotal era in Taylor’s life. Seek her out in the snake-adorned chaos of Reputation, find hidden treasures among the glitter-dusted allure of 1989, and follow a trail of butterflies and rainbows through the dreamy world of Lover. Each page brims with secret details Swifties will instantly recognize—can you spot the “13”s or the infamous cardigan? Don’t forget to look for cameos from Meredith, Olivia, and Benjamin Button!

This isn’t just a game; it’s a love letter to Taylor’s evolution—from fearless teen to worldwide pop icon, through heartbreaks, triumphs, and re-recordings. Relive the defining moments that have shaped her narrative, from her first Grammy win to her iconic vault door teases and surprise album drops. Find your way through every glitter-drenched, heartbreak-tinged, revenge-laced era Taylor Swift has gifted us. Swipe on that red lipstick, put on your headphones, and start your scavenger hunt—because where Taylor goes, we follow.

Monster Blood III (Goosebumps #29) by R.L. Stine

 Monster Blood III (Goosebumps #29) by R.L. Stine-123 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Evan can't stand baby-sitting his genius cousin, Kermit. Kermit refuses to play video games. He won't even play Frisbee! All he likes to do is hang out in the basement doing strange experiments and playing mean practical jokes on Evan and his friend Andy.

But now Andy's found something that will teach Kermit a lesson once and for all.

It's green. It's slimy. And it comes in a can marked...Monster Blood!

Thoughts: I enjoyed the previous two entries in this series within a series. This one is good, too. I like the twist at the end. I would have been annoyed if I had a cousin (or other kid) I was babysitting that behaved like Kermit. 

Find It! Explore It! Ocean by National Geographic Kids

 Find It! Explore It! Ocean by National Geographic Kids - 48 pages

Goodreads:

This unique search-and-find adventure lets kids explore and learn about the objects and creatures they find and their habitats with fun facts and awesome photographs.

This fact-filled, search-and-find adventure activity book takes kids under the sea in search of more than 250 hidden pictures of narwhals, sharks, sea turtles, sunken treasures, and more.

Kids will dive into incredible ocean scenes, from tropical coral reefs to Antarctic penguin colonies to the deep, dark bottom of the sea. Each location is illustrated with lush, jam-packed art, with plenty of marine animals and fascinating objects to spot.

But that's not Turn the page, and find stunning, full-color photographs of the creatures and habitats just spotted, as well as awesome information and fun facts about them.

The perfect boredom-buster for curious kids and animal lovers, this interactive book will keep young readers entertained as they learn!