Goosebumps Most Wanted: The Lizard of Oz by R.L. Stine by Marissa Posada

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Justification: I chose this title because these have been popular books since I was a child. I remember going to the library and all the boys would check these books out. These types of books were always being checked out and still are, I had a hard time finding a Goosebumps book that wasn’t lost or missing from the library.I have an overactive imagination, so I am a scardy cat and refused to ever check out a Goosebumps book in fear of having nightmares. I figured that now that I am an adult I shouldn’t be scared of whatever happens in this book.

Evaluation: There are a couple of examples of understatement used in this book. One example is when Kate is dampening the excitement of her parents. She says her mother flashes "her unhappy look." This tells the reader that this is not a one time event. Her mother has used this look multiple times before in front of Kate. Another example is when Kate gets angry at Adele and then all Kate sees is red. This is an understatement of how angry Kate is with Adele. It just says she sees red and then she wants to hurt Adele as well.

This book uses dialogue to help flesh out the characters in this book. An example is the Dad character, who wants to laugh at any expense. He tells a joke that his kids don't think is funny and says, "I don't care, it's funny." Another example is Kate's character, her father says "Kate you're such a worrier." She responds with, "Someone around here has to worry." So her dad is a carefree person, and Kate makes up for that by being a worrier for everyone. This dialogue really helps the reader understand what kind of situation the characters are in.

This book also makes use of figurative language. A good example is when the lizard hatches and the description used really paints a picture of what it looks like. "The lizard looked like a fat, hairy bee...eyes were tinier than poppy seeds..." This paints a perfect picture in the reader's mind. Another example is when the lizard is eating, "It sounded like someone chopping wood." It helps put in perspective how loud the lizard was chomping on the cricket. All of this figurative language helps the reader visualize the story being told.

Response: I have not personally had to deal with the problem Kate did, expect having a younger sibling. I know what is its like having to deal with an annoying younger sibling, thankfully she grew out of it. My opinions about Goosebumps has definitely changed thanks to this text. I was always scared to read these, but now as an adult, they are not as scary. I enjoyed this book a little. I can understand how it can be very engaging for students. Chapters end on cliff hangers encouraging students to keep reading until the end.

Conclusion: This book had examples of understatement, dialogue, and figurative language. It is an engaging story that encourages the reader to finish. I would recommend this for reluctant readers. I give this book one thumb up.

APA Citation: Stine, R.L. (2016). Goosebumps most wanted: The lizard of Oz. New York: Scholastic Inc.