5 Goosebumps Stories From R.L. Stine That Are Still Scary Decades Later

Even decades after they first sent shivers down our spines, R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” books still have the power to make readers check under the bed and glance twice at the shadows in their rooms. These seemingly simple children’s horror tales blend creepy humor, unsettling imagery, and psychological tension in a way that never fully leaves you. Here are five “Goosebumps” classics that remain hauntingly effective, no matter how old you are.

Top 5 Scary ‘Goosebumps’ Stories

1.) “Night of the Living Dummy” (1993)

Few horror images are as timelessly terrifying as a ventriloquist dummy that refuses to stay still. In a preview from Goodreads:

“When twins Lindy and Kris find a ventriloquist’s dummy in a Dumpster, Lindy decides to ‘rescue’ it, and she names it Slappy. But Kris is green with envy. It’s not fair. Why does Lindy get to have all the fun and all the attention? Kris decides to get a dummy of her own. She’ll show Lindy. Then weird things begin to happen. Nasty things. Evil things. It can’t be the dummy causing all the trouble, Can it?”

The true terror lies in Stine’s ability to blur the line between inanimate and alive, between prank and possession. Even today, Slappy remains one of Stine’s most enduring villains—a smirking symbol of childhood fears coming to life.

2.) “The Haunted Mask” (1993)

There’s something profoundly disturbing about losing control of your own identity, and “The Haunted Mask” captures that fear perfectly. Carly Beth, a shy and easily frightened girl, buys a terrifying mask to get revenge on her tormentors. But when she puts it on, the mask fuses to her face, transforming her both inside and out. Stine’s vivid descriptions of Carly Beth’s suffocating panic make this one of the most viscerally frightening books in the series. Beneath the surface-level scares lies a deeper theme about self-acceptance and the dangers of letting rage consume you—a message that still resonates long after the mask is removed.

3.) “Say Cheese and Die!” (1992)

In “Say Cheese and Die!”, a group of friends discovers an old camera that appears to predict—and sometimes even cause—horrible events. In a preview from Scholastic, “Greg thinks there is something wrong with the old camera he found. The photos keep turning out…different. When Greg takes a picture of his father’s brand-new car, it’s wrecked in the photo. And then his dad crashes the car. It’s like the camera can tell the future – or worse. Maybe it makes the future!”

Each photograph captures a glimpse of something terrible before it happens: a car crash, a broken neck, a disappearance. The horror of this story doesn’t come from monsters or ghosts but from inevitability itself. The cursed camera is a brilliant metaphor for how knowledge of the future can be its own kind of nightmare. Even in the age of selfies and digital filters, the idea that a simple snapshot could seal your fate still sends chills down the spine.

4.) “Welcome to Camp Nightmare” (1993)

Summer camp horror stories are a genre all their own, and “Welcome to Camp Nightmare” stands out as one of Stine’s best. Billy is excited for his stay at Camp Nightmoon—until counselors begin disappearing, rules turn cruel, and campers seem to vanish without explanation. The story steadily builds from ordinary unease to full-blown dread, culminating in one of the most shocking twists in the entire “Goosebumps” series. What makes it linger isn’t just the mystery of the camp itself, but the slow, unsettling realization that adults may not be as trustworthy—or human—as they seem.

5.) “The Ghost Next Door” (1993)

Quietly eerie and surprisingly emotional, “The Ghost Next Door” explores loneliness, guilt, and the thin veil between life and death. Hannah Fairchild begins to suspect that her new neighbor, Danny, might be a ghost—but the truth turns out to be far more tragic. Unlike many “Goosebumps” stories that rely on jump scares, this one unfolds with melancholy suspense, leading to a haunting twist that’s more sad than shocking. It’s a story about unfinished business and the ache of being unseen—proof that even within the world of children’s horror, Stine could deliver real emotional depth.

Still Giving Us Goosebumps

These five stories endure not just because they’re creepy, but because they tap into timeless fears: loss of control, isolation, the unknown, and the things that hide beneath the ordinary. R.L. Stine’s brilliance lies in his ability to make those fears accessible—and fun—for young readers, while leaving enough unease to follow them into adulthood. Whether you first read them by flashlight under the covers or stumble upon them now as a nostalgic adult, these tales still have the power to raise the hairs on the back of your neck.