Slime Doesn’t Pay by R.L. Stine

What worked:

This book takes a bratty little brother to a whole new level. Young readers with annoying siblings will relate to the issues Arnie creates for his older sister Amy. Most of the book is full of mean-spirited pranks which begins when he ruins Amy’s sleepover with three of her friends. He torments kids at school and gets kicked off his soccer team. Amy spends most of the book fuming that Arnie is out of control and laughs when he doesn’t respond to stern talks from their parents. The opening pages of the book foreshadow when she’ll do something terrible to get revenge and Amy will remind readers throughout the chapters to develop anticipation.

Most authors provide clues about a monster before having it make an appearance, but interestingly enough, a creature is introduced very early in this plot. Amy is the only character who sees it, and another monster later, so most of them start to suspect she’s imagining things. They doubt her even though there is damage to her clothes, injuries on her body, and black spines atop a pizza. Another creature attacks her later but it doesn’t look anything like the first one. This brings up the possibility that there may be more than one.

The synopsis summarizes most of the book so I’m not giving away any spoilers. This book is definitely a family-friendly version of Stine’s spooky novels as the fright and scariness never go too far. Amy’s scratches are the worst physical harm readers will encounter and her family and friends are key participants in the plot. Amy confides in her friends for support as they’re well aware of the mental trauma her brother creates. Her parents are sympathetic but they don’t have any useful suggestions for handling Arnie. The title indicates slime will have a major role in the story although readers don’t know the details and consequences.

What didn’t work as well:

Arnie’s bratty behavior can wear on readers’ nerves as he relentlessly harasses his sister and classmates. It begins to feel like overkill as the author stresses Arnie’s horrible antics beyond what is necessary. His character is clearly evil. However, the story’s resolution reveals why the author overdoes the description and it will all make sense in the end. The synopsis shares way too much information!

The final verdict:

This book is actually an excellent introduction to Stine’s novels. It’s not too scary but still gives young readers a taste of his style. It’s an enjoyable tale of monsters and slime and I recommend you give it a shot.