A review by heysunbee
Say Cheese - And Die Screaming! (Goosebumps Horrorland #8) by R.L. Stine

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Okay story with a fairly predictable, if not bland, outcome.
 
I’m starting to see how R.L. Stine’s formula works in writing horror stories for kids. 

• First, take away all semblance of authority and make the main character feel physically or emotionally isolated from designated guardian figures. 
• Second, make side characters, whether siblings or friends, as annoying as possible by encroaching on the main characters’ personal and physical spaces through the use of jokes, gags, or conditions.
• Third, introduce the character’s main motivation and ensure that the horror element would continually interfere with their attempts to return to a normal way of life.
• Conclude with a supposed unexpected element to keep the reader guessing after the main conflict has been resolved.
  
  

The notable HorrorLand books in this series are those that have real-world consequences on the characters since the antagonist can cause them physical or emotional harm.

This one is just okay. Nothing too scary because the harm the character causes the other kids was easily reversed with little to no consequence and the story and pacing were much too fast for us to fully see the impact of the camera. The Horrorland segment was also quite unimaginative and felt more like a recounting of events rather than an addition to the story.

Might be good for beginner readers so they can dip their toe into the pool of horror and see whether they can deal with uncertainty in fiction well.