The Wax Museum (Eek! Stories to Make You Shriek)
Kindergarten-Grade 2?A new series of beginning readers aimed at the younger siblings of "Goosebumps" (Scholastic) fans. The plots are predictable; the only title that involves a bit of physical danger and may leave readers with some doubts is Creep Show, in which the main character becomes part of the screen action each time he visits the theater. A bicycle's former owner returns as a ghost for some rides in Haunted Bike, The Bad-Luck Penny causes problems for its finder by taking his wishes literally, and a statue comes to life in Wax Museum. The texts use repetitive vocabulary and all rely heavily on choppy phrases rather than complete sentences. Large, colorful illustrations give readers clues to the story lines but do not enhance the tales through their quality or special effects. The bold covers might attract children to the books, but the stories themselves are thin.?Maura Bresnahan, Topsfield Town Library, MACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.