Scan barcode
bhall237's review
2.0
“Marlon spent three weeks gathering all the information.
When he was done, he discovered that the map revealed a secret. They cover every single road in town, he thought. Each day, the joggers ran over every mile of roadway.”
The fourth book in the “Weenies” series from David Lubar I have read and this has been my least favorite by far. Overall, this collection was just more childish and a lot less creepy and dark than the others have been. I felt that this one was too focused on entertaining rather than scaring, which can be fine, I just went in with higher expectations based on what I have read in the series so far.
The Last Halloween
Very cute, very heartwarming in a dark way, and very atmospheric. I felt the air and the leaves and the smells and everything about the environment and the day from description alone.
Bed Tings
I always give a slight groan whenever one of these shorts ends with a pun. It was short, it was all right, nothing memorable, but nothing bad.
The Dead Won't Hurt You
Part of the reason I love David Lubar and his stories are due to the fact that he really doesn’t shy away from describing and depicting very graphic situation such as the one in this short. I was shocked by how this one was resolved, and very happy reading the ending, it was very heartwarming in a very dark way.
Copies
It’s in reading short stories like these where you realize the target audience for these books and have to remember that they are not for an older audience, not that an older audience can’t enjoy it, but these were not written to be analyzed or thought about much. Just as this one is, these are meant to be short entertaining stories for children, and if you’re not a child, they can come off as just a bit odd and uncomfortable. Not bad.
Shaping the Fog
If the one before this reminded me explicitly about how these stories are for children, this one explicitly reminds me of how existential and adults these books can get, as well. This one was very short, very disturbing, and very memorable. It’s a very unique story that is very simple but very brilliantly executed.
Willard's Oppositional Notebook
Another good, short, somewhat forgettable short that wasn’t great, but wasn’t bad either. Very middle of the road, really great set up with a mediocre pay off.
A Tiny Little Piece
That one was rather good. It had great set up and a great pay off that perfectly showed the karma of Julie, a girl just wanting to take a little piece of history for herself and history, in this case a mummy, wanting a piece back. Short but well executed.
The La Brea Toy Pits
A little goofy, a little more commentary based than fiction based, this one was okay but hit a little too much on the message of the story rather than the story itself. It was alright.
Mr. Lambini's Haunted House
That was pretty much as middle of the road as you could get with a story. It was very generic and went exactly how I expected it to go. I wish the ending had gone a little more creative as I know Lubar can do.
Numbskull
Honestly rather confusing one on where the horror comes from. I feel like this was the start to a really good story that kind of ended before it ever got good.
A Little Night Fishing
That was a really touching a little short story that was a lot deeper (no pun intended) than I would have expected from these books.
Precious Memories
That was an awesome Goosebumps story wrapped up in the three pages. This was so well executed and this short exemplifies just why I love reading these stories still to this day.
Baby Talk
That was half of a good idea that just didn’t really go anywhere. It was short, kind of cute, easily forgettable.
Unseen
Despite being written for children, I don’t think I understood the story. It was rather confusing as to what was happening. I don’t understand the ending.
Flyers
A fun little story about always wanting more with an either intentional or unintentional message about how the greed of the wealthy will eventually destroy our planet.
Every Autumn
A rather dark and disturbing story that conjured up images of Stephen King’s “It” and child abduction.
Goose Eggs
A rather dark short that was just as much about karma as it was about the circle of life and nature. Overall, really good and rather clever.
Fresh from the Garden
That one was rather disappointing and not fully fleshed out like I would want it to be. It had an interesting turn halfway through, but there’s nothing really came about it and the story just ended. Not great, but not the worst.
The Covered Bridge
That was an interesting one. It had an interesting set up and a unique payoff that really had nothing to do with the set up. This felt like two stories combined into one, and so it wasn’t fully focused or realized. I feel like if this was broken up into two separate shorts focusing on the different elements set up, it would’ve been a lot better.
Buzz Off
A decent short that didn’t really have anything interesting to say or convey in it. Completely middle of the road and completely forgettable.
Just Desserts
Well that was a rather fucked up story. It was a lot of buildup and a surprisingly dark pay off that I was not expecting. Pretty great little story.
The Whole Nine Yards
Well that kid is a horrible friend. This was rather dull, and while it had an interesting ending, it just didn’t do much or say anything in the end.
The Green Man
That was rather deep and bordered on existential horror versus anything that has come before in this series. Almost to retelling of the bogeyman in a way, this was a very effective short.
Dizzy Spells
That was rather dark with a great twist of karma. You get what you wish for, and this was really great on executing on a simple premise.
The Tank
So that story was pretty great, but one thing I’m realizing with these stories is that the ones that have really good set ups usually have a payoff that makes sense, but because they end at the peak of the moment, there’s no after thoughts to what comes next. It gets a bit frustrating when you want to know what comes after the end of a story, but there’s nothing even hinted at with this one.
Anything You Want
That was a rather interesting premise that had a pretty bad ending. That was really close to being really good, but just missed the mark.
Lines
I haven’t finished the story yet, but I’m two sentences in and recognize two references to The Beatles, so I feel very pleased. After reading the story, it’s interesting that this one has references to The Beatles, as it has nothing to do with music or anything like it. This one was really good and rather dark, but follows in the same steps of so many where the ending is pretty good, but there is more that needs to be said. There’s so much more that is made by my imagination and reading these that you can’t help but want to know what happens after.
Wandering Stu
Another pretty great story that I was really interested in, but as soon as the end came, I shouted once again “what happens next?”
Tarnation
That was a really good story that had a really simple premise but just executed on it so well. I think this one just scratches enough of the surface to be considered a complete short, but I would love to know what would come that next night, and then the other night after that should the monster return.
Ten Pounds of Chocolate
That one was pretty fine. It was very middle of the road in standard, but I liked that it had a definite end for our characters and an overall great atmosphere. I think it was just not enough of what it wanted to be or tell.
The Boy Who Wouldn't Talk
That was a pretty interesting story that finally did have a fantastic ending. Where most of the stories would’ve finished where our main character couldn’t move, it continues after that into their inner monologue and gives a very satisfying resolution to a pretty well done story.
Invasion of the Road Weenies
That was probably the best story in the book so far. I’m not sure if it’s coincidental that it’s the titular short story of the book, but this one was just very solid. It had a very intriguing concept and a really great set up and pay off for everything.
We Interrupt This Program
That was an interesting short. I’m always confused on the way death is handled in the shorts, because there have been shorts were people have died, including main characters whose POV we follow, but I never know the real world implications of these characters deaths. Especially with this one, where the younger brother just passes the death of his older brother in a episode of Star Trek as nothing but now needed a new remote. Are the parents going to say the same thing, are they going to wonder where their other son went, I am not sure.
The Smell of Death
That was a pretty good karma story that had a very unique message done in a way that resonates with most people. I think it was a bit meh overall, but still solid all around.
The Shortcut
This one story kind of made up for the lack luster of 90% of this collection. This one was actually dark both metaphorically and literally, and I loved it. I wish the other stories had had this level of dark to them.
When he was done, he discovered that the map revealed a secret. They cover every single road in town, he thought. Each day, the joggers ran over every mile of roadway.”
The fourth book in the “Weenies” series from David Lubar I have read and this has been my least favorite by far. Overall, this collection was just more childish and a lot less creepy and dark than the others have been. I felt that this one was too focused on entertaining rather than scaring, which can be fine, I just went in with higher expectations based on what I have read in the series so far.
The Last Halloween
Very cute, very heartwarming in a dark way, and very atmospheric. I felt the air and the leaves and the smells and everything about the environment and the day from description alone.
Bed Tings
I always give a slight groan whenever one of these shorts ends with a pun. It was short, it was all right, nothing memorable, but nothing bad.
The Dead Won't Hurt You
Part of the reason I love David Lubar and his stories are due to the fact that he really doesn’t shy away from describing and depicting very graphic situation such as the one in this short. I was shocked by how this one was resolved, and very happy reading the ending, it was very heartwarming in a very dark way.
Copies
It’s in reading short stories like these where you realize the target audience for these books and have to remember that they are not for an older audience, not that an older audience can’t enjoy it, but these were not written to be analyzed or thought about much. Just as this one is, these are meant to be short entertaining stories for children, and if you’re not a child, they can come off as just a bit odd and uncomfortable. Not bad.
Shaping the Fog
If the one before this reminded me explicitly about how these stories are for children, this one explicitly reminds me of how existential and adults these books can get, as well. This one was very short, very disturbing, and very memorable. It’s a very unique story that is very simple but very brilliantly executed.
Willard's Oppositional Notebook
Another good, short, somewhat forgettable short that wasn’t great, but wasn’t bad either. Very middle of the road, really great set up with a mediocre pay off.
A Tiny Little Piece
That one was rather good. It had great set up and a great pay off that perfectly showed the karma of Julie, a girl just wanting to take a little piece of history for herself and history, in this case a mummy, wanting a piece back. Short but well executed.
The La Brea Toy Pits
A little goofy, a little more commentary based than fiction based, this one was okay but hit a little too much on the message of the story rather than the story itself. It was alright.
Mr. Lambini's Haunted House
That was pretty much as middle of the road as you could get with a story. It was very generic and went exactly how I expected it to go. I wish the ending had gone a little more creative as I know Lubar can do.
Numbskull
Honestly rather confusing one on where the horror comes from. I feel like this was the start to a really good story that kind of ended before it ever got good.
A Little Night Fishing
That was a really touching a little short story that was a lot deeper (no pun intended) than I would have expected from these books.
Precious Memories
That was an awesome Goosebumps story wrapped up in the three pages. This was so well executed and this short exemplifies just why I love reading these stories still to this day.
Baby Talk
That was half of a good idea that just didn’t really go anywhere. It was short, kind of cute, easily forgettable.
Unseen
Despite being written for children, I don’t think I understood the story. It was rather confusing as to what was happening. I don’t understand the ending.
Flyers
A fun little story about always wanting more with an either intentional or unintentional message about how the greed of the wealthy will eventually destroy our planet.
Every Autumn
A rather dark and disturbing story that conjured up images of Stephen King’s “It” and child abduction.
Goose Eggs
A rather dark short that was just as much about karma as it was about the circle of life and nature. Overall, really good and rather clever.
Fresh from the Garden
That one was rather disappointing and not fully fleshed out like I would want it to be. It had an interesting turn halfway through, but there’s nothing really came about it and the story just ended. Not great, but not the worst.
The Covered Bridge
That was an interesting one. It had an interesting set up and a unique payoff that really had nothing to do with the set up. This felt like two stories combined into one, and so it wasn’t fully focused or realized. I feel like if this was broken up into two separate shorts focusing on the different elements set up, it would’ve been a lot better.
Buzz Off
A decent short that didn’t really have anything interesting to say or convey in it. Completely middle of the road and completely forgettable.
Just Desserts
Well that was a rather fucked up story. It was a lot of buildup and a surprisingly dark pay off that I was not expecting. Pretty great little story.
The Whole Nine Yards
Well that kid is a horrible friend. This was rather dull, and while it had an interesting ending, it just didn’t do much or say anything in the end.
The Green Man
That was rather deep and bordered on existential horror versus anything that has come before in this series. Almost to retelling of the bogeyman in a way, this was a very effective short.
Dizzy Spells
That was rather dark with a great twist of karma. You get what you wish for, and this was really great on executing on a simple premise.
The Tank
So that story was pretty great, but one thing I’m realizing with these stories is that the ones that have really good set ups usually have a payoff that makes sense, but because they end at the peak of the moment, there’s no after thoughts to what comes next. It gets a bit frustrating when you want to know what comes after the end of a story, but there’s nothing even hinted at with this one.
Anything You Want
That was a rather interesting premise that had a pretty bad ending. That was really close to being really good, but just missed the mark.
Lines
I haven’t finished the story yet, but I’m two sentences in and recognize two references to The Beatles, so I feel very pleased. After reading the story, it’s interesting that this one has references to The Beatles, as it has nothing to do with music or anything like it. This one was really good and rather dark, but follows in the same steps of so many where the ending is pretty good, but there is more that needs to be said. There’s so much more that is made by my imagination and reading these that you can’t help but want to know what happens after.
Wandering Stu
Another pretty great story that I was really interested in, but as soon as the end came, I shouted once again “what happens next?”
Tarnation
That was a really good story that had a really simple premise but just executed on it so well. I think this one just scratches enough of the surface to be considered a complete short, but I would love to know what would come that next night, and then the other night after that should the monster return.
Ten Pounds of Chocolate
That one was pretty fine. It was very middle of the road in standard, but I liked that it had a definite end for our characters and an overall great atmosphere. I think it was just not enough of what it wanted to be or tell.
The Boy Who Wouldn't Talk
That was a pretty interesting story that finally did have a fantastic ending. Where most of the stories would’ve finished where our main character couldn’t move, it continues after that into their inner monologue and gives a very satisfying resolution to a pretty well done story.
Invasion of the Road Weenies
That was probably the best story in the book so far. I’m not sure if it’s coincidental that it’s the titular short story of the book, but this one was just very solid. It had a very intriguing concept and a really great set up and pay off for everything.
We Interrupt This Program
That was an interesting short. I’m always confused on the way death is handled in the shorts, because there have been shorts were people have died, including main characters whose POV we follow, but I never know the real world implications of these characters deaths. Especially with this one, where the younger brother just passes the death of his older brother in a episode of Star Trek as nothing but now needed a new remote. Are the parents going to say the same thing, are they going to wonder where their other son went, I am not sure.
The Smell of Death
That was a pretty good karma story that had a very unique message done in a way that resonates with most people. I think it was a bit meh overall, but still solid all around.
The Shortcut
This one story kind of made up for the lack luster of 90% of this collection. This one was actually dark both metaphorically and literally, and I loved it. I wish the other stories had had this level of dark to them.
kristenremenar's review against another edition
4.0
This is a good source of creepy short stories for the upper elementary crowd. A handful of them are really skin-crawling, like the kid being chased through the cemetary by a bad guy who says, "Run, run, run! It makes it more fun!" *shudder* But there are many I can read aloud to a class, like the big sister complaining about how her three-year old brother found the genie bottle before she could, and now he's wishing for weird things like peas when she would've been smart and wished for a gazillion dollars. Lubar gets the kid-sensibility, and each story is short enough to be read aloud to a big group without losing anyone.
mrsbond's review
4.0
Excellent collection of short stores that are very suitable for class read-aloud. Stories range from silly to creepy. Especially enjoyed:
'Shaping the Fog' - children sneak out to play in the fog, making playthings and creatures. All is fun until the littlest one attempts to make one like himself.
'Wandering Stu' - deals with selfishness and introduces futility of bureaucracy.
'Lines' - On the way to a school assembly a girl decides to walk next to her friend instead of a single file line. Great jumping point for discussion on acting outside the norm, breaking rules, etc.
'Shaping the Fog' - children sneak out to play in the fog, making playthings and creatures. All is fun until the littlest one attempts to make one like himself.
'Wandering Stu' - deals with selfishness and introduces futility of bureaucracy.
'Lines' - On the way to a school assembly a girl decides to walk next to her friend instead of a single file line. Great jumping point for discussion on acting outside the norm, breaking rules, etc.
kslhersam's review against another edition
3.0
This is a collection of short, scary stories for elementary aged kids. My older boys have read this whole series over and over. Isaac just started reading one at school and loved it, so he wanted me to read him one. Some of the stories seemed a little too scary, but I think he liked those the best.
I don't love reading short stories, but I'm glad we found a book Isaac enjoyed.
I don't love reading short stories, but I'm glad we found a book Isaac enjoyed.
jrandazzo's review
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
More...