R. L. Stine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
R. L. Stine
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Stine in October 2022
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| Born | Robert Lawrence Stine October 8, 1943 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Pen name | Jovial Bob Stine Eric Affabee |
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| Education | Ohio State University (BA) |
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| Spouse |
Jane Waldhorn
(m. 1969) |
| Children | 1 |
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Robert Lawrence Stine (born October 8, 1943), known as R.L. Stine, is an American author. He is famous for writing scary books for kids and teens. His most well-known series is Goosebumps.
Goosebumps is a horror series that has sold over 400 million copies. It has been translated into 35 languages around the world. This makes it one of the best-selling book series ever. The Goosebumps books have also led to TV shows, video games, comics, and two movies. Many people call Stine the "Stephen King of children's literature" because he writes so many popular scary stories.
Stine also wrote the Fear Street series for teenagers. This series has sold over 80 million copies. It was even made into a trilogy of films. Other scary book series by Stine include Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, Nightmare Hour, and The Nightmare Room. Before writing horror, he wrote many funny books for kids. He used the pen name Jovial Bob Stine for these books.
Contents
Early Life and First Stories
R.L. Stine was born on October 8, 1943, in Columbus, Ohio. His father, Lewis Stine, was a shipping clerk, and his mother was Anne Feinstein. He grew up in Bexley, Ohio.
Stine started writing when he was only nine years old. He found a typewriter in his attic and began typing stories and joke books. He remembers reading scary comic books like Tales from the Crypt when he was young. These comics helped inspire his later work.
He went to Ohio State University and graduated in 1965. He earned a degree in English. While at college, he was the editor of a humor magazine called The Sundial for three years. After college, he moved to New York City to become a writer.
Stine's Writing Career
Before becoming famous for horror, Stine wrote many funny books for kids. He used the name Jovial Bob Stine. He also created a humor magazine for teenagers called Bananas. This magazine was published by Scholastic Press from 1975 to 1984. Stine was the editor and wrote most of the content for Bananas.
In 1986, Stine wrote his first horror novel, Blind Date. After that, he wrote many more scary books. Some of these include The Babysitter, Beach House, and The Girlfriend. He also helped create and write for the Nickelodeon TV show Eureeka's Castle. This show aired from 1989 to 1995.
Stine started writing the Fear Street books in 1989. These books were for older teens. Then, in 1992, he launched the Goosebumps series with Parachute Press. The Goosebumps TV series ran from 1995 to 1998. There were also three Goosebumps video games.
In 1995, Stine wrote his first horror novel for adults, called Superstitious. He has written a few other adult novels since then. In the early 2000s, Stine continued to write for many of his popular series. These included Mostly Ghostly, Rotten School, Fear Street, and The Nightmare Room. He also wrote stand-alone novels like Dangerous Girls.
A movie called The Haunting Hour Volume One: Don't Think About It was released in 2007. It was based on Stine's stories. This movie was so popular that it led to a TV series called R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour.
In 2014, Stine brought back the Fear Street books with a new novel, Party Games. In 2015, actor Jack Black played a fictional version of R.L. Stine in the Goosebumps movie. Stine himself made a small appearance in the film as a teacher. He also had a cameo in the sequel, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018). In 2021, a trilogy of Fear Street films was released on Netflix.
In 2019, Stine was a guest voice on the children's TV show Arthur. He voiced a character named Bob Baxter, who was a scary story writer. This was a fun nod to Stine's real-life career.
Awards and Recognition
R.L. Stine's books have been incredibly successful. By 2008, they had sold over 400 million copies worldwide. His books have appeared on many bestseller lists. In the 1990s, USA Today named Stine America's number one best-selling author for three years in a row.
He has received many awards for his writing. These include the Champion of Reading Award in 2002 and the Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Award. He also won the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards three times. In 2003, the Guinness Book of World Records named Stine the best-selling children's book series author of all time.
Stine also won the Thriller Writers of America Silver Bullet Award in 2007. In 2014, he received the Horror Writers Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. His stories have even inspired 4D movies at theme parks like SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. In 2013, Stine won the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement, a major award for horror writers. He also received the Inkpot Award in 2017.
Personal Life
On June 22, 1969, R.L. Stine married Jane Waldhorn. She was an editor and writer who later helped start Parachute Press in 1983. They have one son, Matthew, who was born in 1980. Matthew works in the music industry. Stine and his wife also have one grandson, born in 2014.
Works
Original Series
Goosebumps
Stine's most famous series, known for its spooky and often funny stories.
Goosebumps (original series)
- Welcome to Dead House (1992)
- Stay Out of the Basement (1992)
- Monster Blood (1992)
- Say Cheese and Die! (1992)
- The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1993)
- Let's Get Invisible! (1993)
- Night of the Living Dummy (1993)
- The Girl Who Cried Monster (1993)
- Welcome to Camp Nightmare (1993)
- The Ghost Next Door (1993)
- The Haunted Mask (1993)
- Be Careful What You Wish For (1993)
- Piano Lessons Can Be Murder (1993)
- The Werewolf of Fever Swamp (1993)
- You Can't Scare Me! (1994)
- One Day at HorrorLand (1994)
- Why I'm Afraid of Bees (1994)
- Monster Blood II (1994)
- Deep Trouble (1994)
- The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight (1994)
- Go Eat Worms! (1994)
- Ghost Beach (1994)
- Return of the Mummy (1994)
- Phantom of the Auditorium (1994)
- Attack of the Mutant (1994)
- My Hairiest Adventure (1994)
- A Night in Terror Tower (1995)
- The Cuckoo Clock of Doom (1995)
- Monster Blood III (1995)
- It Came from Beneath the Sink! (1995)
- Night of the Living Dummy II (1995)
- The Barking Ghost (1995)
- The Horror at Camp Jellyjam (1995)
- Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes (1995)
- A Shocker on Shock Street (1995)
- The Haunted Mask II (1995)
- The Headless Ghost (1995)
- The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena (1995)
- How I Got My Shrunken Head (1996)
- Night of the Living Dummy III (1996)
- Bad Hare Day (1996)
- Egg Monsters from Mars (1996)
- The Beast from the East (1996)
- Say Cheese and Die - Again! (1996)
- Ghost Camp (1996)
- How to Kill a Monster (1996)
- Legend of the Lost Legend (1996)
- Attack of the Jack-O'-Lanterns (1996)
- Vampire Breath (1996)
- Calling All Creeps! (1996)
- Beware, the Snowman (1997)
- How I Learned to Fly (1997)
- Chicken, Chicken (1997)
- Don't Go to Sleep! (1997)
- The Blob That Ate Everyone! (1997)
- The Curses of Camp Cold Lake (1997)
- My Best Friend is Invisible (1997)
- Deep Trouble II (1997)
- The Haunted School (1997)
- Werewolf Skin (1997)
- I Live in Your Basement! (1997)
- Monster Blood IV (1997)
Give Yourself Goosebumps
These are "choose your own adventure" style books where your choices change the story.
- Escape from the Carnival of Horrors (1995)
- Tick Tock, You're Dead! (1995)
- Trapped in Bat Wing Hall (1995)
- The Deadly Experiments of Dr. Eeek (1996)
- Night in Werewolf Woods (1996)
- Beware of the Purple Peanut Butter (1996)
- Under the Magician's Spell (1996)
- The Curse of the Creeping Coffin (1996)
- The Knight in Screaming Armor (1996)
- Diary of a Mad Mummy (1996)
- Deep in the Jungle of Doom (1996)
- Welcome to the Wicked Wax Museum (1996)
- Scream of the Evil Genie (1997)
- The Creepy Creatures of Professor Shock (1997)
- Please Don't Feed the Vampire! (1997)
- Secret Agent Grandma (1997)
- Little Comic Shop of Horrors (1997)
- Attack of the Beastly Babysitter (1997)
- Escape from Camp Run-For-Your-Life (1997)
- Toy Terror: Batteries Included (1997)
- The Twisted Tale of Tiki Island (1997)
- Return to the Carnival of Horrors (1997)
- Zapped in Space (1997)
- Lost in Stinkeye Swamp (1997)
- Shop Til You Drop...Dead! (1998)
- Alone in Snakebite Canyon (1998)
- Checkout Time at the Dead-End Hotel (1998)
- Night of a Thousand Claws (1998)
- Invaders from the Big Screen (1998)
- You're Plant Food! (1998)
- The Werewolf of Twisted Tree Lodge (1998)
- It's Only a Nightmare (1998)
- It Came from the Internet! (1999)
- Elevator to Nowhere (1999)
- Hocus-Pocus Horror (1999)
- Ship of Ghouls (1999)
- Escape from Horror House (1999)
- Into the Twister of Terror (1999)
- Scary Birthday to You (1999)
- Zombie School (1999)
- Danger Time (2000)
- All-Day Nightmare (2000)
Goosebumps Series 2000
A continuation of the original series with new spooky tales.
- Cry of the Cat (1998)
- Bride of the Living Dummy (1998)
- Creature Teacher (1998)
- Invasion of the Body Squeezers, Part I (1998)
- Invasion of the Body Squeezers, Part II (1998)
- I Am Your Evil Twin (1998)
- Revenge R Us (1998)
- Fright Camp (1998)
- Are You Terrified Yet? (1998)
- Headless Halloween (1998)
- Attack of the Graveyard Ghouls (1998)
- Brain Juice (1998)
- Return to HorrorLand (1999)
- Jekyll and Heidi (1999)
- Scream School (1999)
- The Mummy Walks (1999)
- The Werewolf in the Living Room (1999)
- Horrors of the Black Ring (1999)
- Return to Ghost Camp (1999)
- Be Afraid – Be Very Afraid! (1999)
- The Haunted Car (1999)
- Full Moon Fever (1999)
- Slappy's Nightmare (1999)
- Earth Geeks Must Go! (1999)
- Ghost in the Mirror (2000)
Goosebumps HorrorLand
This series brings back characters from previous Goosebumps books and has them visit a scary theme park.
- Welcome to HorrorLand: A Survival Guide (2009)
- Revenge of the Living Dummy (2008)
- Creep from the Deep (2008)
- Monster Blood for Breakfast! (2008)
- The Scream of the Haunted Mask (2008)
- Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz (2008)
- Who's Your Mummy? (2009)
- My Friends Call Me Monster (2009)
- Say Cheese – And Die Screaming! (2009)
- Welcome to Camp Slither (2009)
- Help! We Have Strange Powers! (2009)
- Escape from HorrorLand (2009)
- The Streets of Panic Park (2009)
- When the Ghost Dog Howls (2010)
- Little Shop of Hamsters (2010)
- Heads, You Lose! (2010)
- Weirdo Halloween (2010)
- The Wizard Of Ooze (2010)
- Slappy's New Year! (2010)
- The Horror at Chiller House (2011)
Goosebumps SlappyWorld
This series focuses on Slappy the Dummy, one of the most popular Goosebumps villains.
- Slappy Birthday to You (2017)
- Attack of the Jack! (2017)
- I Am Slappy's Evil Twin (2017)
- Please Do Not Feed The Weirdo (2018)
- Escape From Shudder Mansion (2018)
- The Ghost of Slappy (2018)
- It's Alive! It's Alive! (2019)
- The Dummy Meets The Mummy! (2019)
- Revenge of the Invisible Boy (2019)
- Diary of a Dummy (2020)
- They Call Me the Night Howler (2020)
- My Friend Slappy (2020)
- Monster Blood Is Back (2021)
- Fifth Grade Zombies (2021)
- Judy and the Beast (2021)
- Slappy in Dreamland (2022)
- Haunting with the Stars (2022)
- Slappy Beware! (2022)
- Night of the Squawker (2023)
Fear Street
This series is for older teens and features more intense horror stories.
- The New Girl (1989)
- The Surprise Party (1989)
- The Overnight (1989)
- Missing (1990)
- The Wrong Number (1990)
- The Sleepwalker (1990)
- Haunted (1990)
- Halloween Party (1990)
- The Stepsister (1990)
- Ski Weekend (1991)
- The Fire Game (1991)
- Lights Out (1991)
- The Secret Bedroom (1991)
- The Knife (1991)
- The Prom Queen (1992)
- First Date (1992)
- The Best Friend (1992)
- The Cheater (1993)
- Sunburn (1993)
- The New Boy (1994)
- The Dare (1994)
- Bad Dreams (1994)
- Double Date (1994)
- The Thrill Club (1994)
- One Evil Summer (1994)
- The Mind Reader (1994)
- Wrong Number 2 (1995)
- Truth or Dare (1995)
- Dead End (1995)
- Final Grade (1995)
- Switched (1995)
- College Weekend (1995)
- The Stepsister 2 (1995)
- What Holly Heard (1996)
- The Face (1996)
- Secret Admirer (1996)
- The Perfect Date (1996)
- The Confession (1996)
- The Boy Next Door (1996)
- Night Games (1996)
- Runaway (1997)
- Killer's Kiss (1997)
- All-Night Party (1997)
- The Rich Girl (1997)
- Cat (1997)
- Fear Hall: The Beginning (1997)
- Fear Hall: The Conclusion (1997)
- Who Killed The Homecoming Queen? (1997)
- Into The Dark (1997)
- Best Friend 2 (1997)
- Trapped (1997)
Mostly Ghostly
This series is about a boy who finds two ghosts living in his house.
- Who Let the Ghosts Out? (2004) (Made into a film in 2008)
- Have You Met My Ghoulfriend? (2004) (Made into a film in 2014)
- One Night in Doom House (2005) (Made into a film in 2016)
- Little Camp of Horrors (2005)
- Ghouls Gone Wild! (2005)
- Let's Get This Party Haunted! (2005)
- Freaks and Shrieks (2005)
- Don't Close Your Eyes! (2006)
Rotten School (2005–2008)
A humor series about kids at a very strange boarding school.
- The Big Blueberry Barf-Off!
- The Great Smelling Bee
- The Good, the Bad and the Very Slimy
- Lose, Team, Lose!
- Shake, Rattle and Hurl!
- The Heinie Prize
- Dudes, the School is Haunted!
- The Teacher from Heck
- Party Poopers
- The Rottenest Angel
- Punk'd and Skunked
- Battle of the Dum Diddys
- Got Cake?
- Night of the Creepy Things
- Calling All Birdbrains
- Dumb Clucks
The Nightmare Room
A series of scary stories, each with a different plot.
- Don't Forget Me!
- Locker 13
- My Name is Evil
- Liar Liar
- Dear Diary, I'm Dead
- They Call Me Creature
- The Howler
- Shadow Girl
- Camp Nowhere
- Full Moon Halloween
- Scare School
- Visitors
Space Cadets
A humorous science fiction series.
- Jerks-in-Training (1991)
- Losers in Space (1991)
- Bozos on Patrol (1992)
Dangerous Girls
A two-book horror series for young adults.
- Dangerous Girls (2003)
- The Taste of Night (2003)
Just Beyond (graphic novel series)
A series of graphic novels with spooky themes.
- The Scare School (2019)
- The Horror At Happy Landings (2020)
- Welcome To Beast Island (2020)
- Monstrosity (2021)
Stand-alone Novels
- Phone Calls (1990)
- Curtains (1990)
- The Beast (1994)
- The Beast 2 (1995)
- Superstitious (1996) (Stine's first hardcover horror novel for adults)
- It Came From Ohio!: My Life As A Writer (1997)
- Three Faces of Me (2000)
- Zombie Town (2000)
- The Adventures of Shrinkman (2000)
- The 13th Warning (2000)
- My Alien Parents (2000)
- The Sitter (2003)
- Haunted Lighthouse (2003) (based on a 4D movie experience at Sea World)
- Eye Candy (2004) (made into a 2015 TV series)
- It's the First Day of School...Forever! (2011)
- Red Rain (2013) (Stine's second hardcover horror novel for adults)
- A Midsummer Night's Scream (2014)
- Little Shop Of Monsters (2015) (children's picture book)
- Young Scrooge (2016)
- Mary McScary (2017) (children's picturebook)
Anthologies
Collections of short scary stories.
- The Nightmare Hour (2000)
- The Haunting Hour (2002) (made into a direct-to-DVD movie and a TV series)
- Beware! (2004) (editor)
- Temptation (2012)
- Scream and Scream Again (2018) (editor)
- Stinetinglers (2022)
Books Written as Jovial Bob Stine
These are humorous books Stine wrote early in his career.
- How to Be Funny (1978)
- The Absurdly Silly Encyclopaedia and Fly Swatter (1978)
- Going Out! Going Steady! Going Bananas! (1979)
- Dynamite's Funny Book of the Sad Facts of Life (1980)
- The Sick of Being Sick Book (1980)
- Pigs' Book of World Records (1980)
- Complete Book Of Nerds (1980)
- Gnasty Gnomes (1981)
- Cool Kids' Guide to Summer Camp (1981)
- Don't Stand in the Soup (1982)
- The Great Superman Movie Book (1982)
- Bored Of Being Bored: How To Beat The Boredom Blahs (1982)
- Blips: The First Book of Videogame Funnies (1983)
- Everything You Need To Survive Money Problems (1983)
- Jovial Bob's Computer Joke Book (1985)
- Masters of the Universe: Demons of the Deep (1985)
- The Madballs Handbook (1986)
- 101 Silly Monster Jokes (1986)
- Miami Mice (1986)
- Doggone Dog Joke Book (1987)
- Spaceballs: The Book (1987)
- 101 Wacky Kid Jokes (1988)
- You Know It's Going to Be A Long School Year When... (1988)
- Big Top Pee-wee Movie Storybook (1988)
- Look out! Here Comes The Raisin-Busters (1988)
- Pork and Beans: Play Date (1989)
- My Secret Identity (1989)
- Ghostbusters II Storybook (1989)
- Amazing Adventure of Me, Myself and I (1990)
- The Good News, Bad News Joke Book (1990)
- 101 School Cafeteria Jokes
- 101 Creepy Creatures Jokes
- 101 Vacation Jokes (1990)
- Exploring Humorous Fiction (1992)
Contributions to Other Series
Stine also wrote books for other popular series.
Point Horror
A series of young adult horror novels.
- Blind Date (1986)
- Twisted (1987)
- The Babysitter (1989)
- Beach Party (1990)
- The Boyfriend (1990)
- The Babysitter II (1991)
- The Girlfriend (1991)
- The Snowman (1991)
- Beach House (1992)
- Hit and Run (1992)
- The Hitchhiker (1992)
- Halloween Night (1993)
- The Babysitter III (1993)
- The Dead Girlfriend (1993)
- Call Waiting (1994)
- Halloween Night II (1994)
- I Saw You That Night! (1994)
- The Babysitter IV (1995)
Garbage Pail Kids
- Welcome To Smellville (2020)
- Thrills and Chills (2021)
- Camp Daze (2021)
Images for kids
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Stine in October 2022
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R. L. Stine's signature
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Stine in November 2008
See also
In Spanish: Robert Lawrence Stine para niños
- Dynamite (magazine)
- Weird fiction
