The Best 20 R. L. Stine Books for Christmas Chills!
Here is a list of books written by R. L. Stine that suit the Christmas season perfectly (with no spoilers). Whilst there are some books here that reference the holidays directly, others made this list purely because they feature snowy or arctic backdrops while also not being inherently Christmasy.
If you are stuck for your next Stine book to read this festive season, or are looking for a Christmas gift for that special Goosebumps fan in your life, then this is the list for you!
Fear Street Super Chillers: Silent Night 1
Reva is the personification of the incel Stacy meme. She is the protagonist you will love to hate. She is a snobby, self-absorbed and mean-spirited cow, and the daughter of Robert Dalby, the owner of Dalby Department stores. There are many people in town that Reva has made enemies with, but who is sending suspicious packages? Who is stalking her? Who is out to murder her?
Fear Street Super Chillers: Silent Night 2
In this sequel, Reva Dalby, still rich and spoiled, believes the world is hers for the taking—that is until a stalker dressed as Santa Claus plans to kidnap her. She believes she can have anyone or anything she wants, without having to pay. But this festive season, it’s payback time!
Fear Street Super Chillers: Silent Night 3
Reva wants to be famous this Christmas, except this year, Reva goes overboard. Someone is now keeping an eye on her. Even when she is asleep, even when she is awake, and even when she’s dead. All the books in this series follow the same premise…
Goosebumps: Beware, The Snowman!
Our main character Jaclyn lived in Chicago with her aunt Greta and then had to move to a village known as Sherpia, which is close to the Arctic Circle.
There is unsurprisingly little to do here for a kid. She soon meets friends, who warn her not to climb the mountains.
There are strange howling noises in the dead of night, and a near-identical snowman built in front of every house. Talk of an evil snowman…
Sherpia is a weird place, full of unfamiliar customs. But are the warnings just based on superstition? Or is there something really horrible that the townspeople are trying to avoid?
Goosebumps: Legend of the Lost Legend
Justin’s dad is a well-known story collector and writer. It is because of this that Justin and his sister, Marissa, have arrived in Brovania – in search of a manuscript known as “The Lost Legend”.
Travelling across the arctic Tundra, they happen upon a cabin, where a large woman called Ivanna lives. For the children to complete their quest, Ivanna tells them there will be a survival test they must take in the morning, in which they must face the Fantasy Forest.
The Fantasy Forest is a strange place, filled with strange creatures, and even terrifying Vikings! Will they survive the test? And will they find the Lost Legend, without becoming lost themselves?!
Ghosts of Fear Street: Fright Christmas
As the tagline of this book suggests, “This Christmas Carol will Scare the Dickins out of You!”, this is one of Stine’s takes on the classic Christmas story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Kenny Frobisher is a complete brat. In escaping the consequences of a prank he pulled at Dalby’s Department Store (which is also featured in the Silent Night Trilogy), he gets locked in a closet.
Inexplicably when he gets out, the mall is completely deserted, though not much time has passed. Like in the original Christmas Carol, Kenny is hounded by 3 terrifying ghosts. Trapped and terrified of these ghostly visitations, Kenny desperately tries to escape. Will Kenny escape? And what will Stine’s twist be on this crimbo classic?
More & More & More Tales To Give You Goosebumps
In this Tales to Give You Goosebumps, all the stories are Christmas-themed! Below is the list of stories and brief summary of each:
- Don’t Sit on the Gronk – A young boy gets a Kooshball-shaped creature as a Christmas gift.
- Nutcracker Nightmare – A girl’s teacher extends an invitation to her and her parents to attend The Nutcracker, and then weird things ensue.
- The Ice Vampire – Two kids meet an ice vampire that wants their warmth, and whose only weakness is being exposed to high levels of heat.
- A Holly Jolly Holiday – The holiday special film that makes her family act strangely, irritating the main character.
- Why I Hate Jack Frost – A ghost-written story (Kathryn Lance) about a child who is spending Christmas in Arizona and has recurring Jack Frost dreams.
- Marshmallow Surprise – When three kids smash a bitter old woman’s mailbox, she unexpectedly welcomes them inside her home for a cup of hot chocolate.
- Monster on the Ice – A kid is given “Monster Skates,” which causes him to become faster and more violent. It reminds me of the Haunted Mask!
- The Double-Dip Horror – When twin sisters arrive at the Ice Cream Cone Ski Lodge, they have difficulties with one of the skiing pupils.
- Santa’s Helpers – Due to the way a boy and his sister are dressed, people think they are Santa Claus’ missing Christmas Elves. Trouble follows!
- Attack of the Christmas Present – One of the two brothers receives a “Robot Tag” that begins to chase him after receiving gifts from their uncle.
Goosebumps Most Wanted: The 12 Screams of Christmas
Kate Welles only desires to play the lead in her school’s holiday production. Courtney, her obnoxious “friend,” frequently gets in the way of it. But if Kate and her don’t get along, neither of them will be able to perform in The 12 Screams of Christmas.
Even worse, Kate and Courtney’s teacher determines that they require a dedicated location for practising. a particular building having a long history. Kate would typically be somewhat afraid to enter such type of place. The type of setting that redefines the term “Christmas Spirit.”
Ghosts of Fear Street; Parents From The 13th Dimension
Sarah’s family is absolutely out of the ordinary. So Sarah wishes her family was different – and better. Then, as if by magic, Sarah receives her ideal family. And realises that she should be very careful what she wishes for from now on! This book also describes a Christmas-like celebration called ‘Winterfeast’, and takes place in the current dimension’s Christmastime!
Young Scrooge: A Very Scary Christmas Story
Another Stine retelling of A Christmas Carol! Rick Scroogeman despises the holiday season. He despises the carols and pageants. He despises the lights and the mistletoe. But what he despises the most is having to see the old movie A Christmas Carol at school every year. All of his classmates start calling him Scrooge because his name is Scroogeman. And he despises the moniker “Scrooge.”
But all changes when three spirits appear to him. He initially believes it is a dream. But then he realises it could all be a nightmare. A nightmare that might come true!
The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena
Jordan Blake and his sister Nicole live in sweltering Pasadena and yearn for a true winter. When their father takes them to Alaska, they get their chance. The only hitch is that he wants to picture the infamous Abominable Snowman, who isn’t exactly nice.
The Snowman
Heather is constantly cold. Alone. Her guardian despises her. He wants her dead! He wants all of her money! But for the time being, he is content with controlling it and making Heather’s life miserable.
Then one day a handsome, ice-blonde-haired guy shows up at Heather’s after-school job at a run-down diner. He is aware of Heather’s situation. He is Prince Charming to her Cinderella. Then Heather’s guardian meets his end. This new man says he has killed for her…
The New Year’s Party
P.J. was not expected to perish. It was nothing more than a practical joke. But P.J. had a cardiac condition… The kids at Reenie’s Christmas party were unable to tell the cops what they had done, so they hid the body…and then it vanished.
Someone is now killing them one by one. Someone is exacting P.J.’s vengeance…But who is it? They’ll find out by midnight!
The Best Friend
Who exactly is Honey Perkins? She’s been claiming to be Becka Norwood’s best friend to everyone in Shadyside. Becka, on the other hand, is certain she’s never met Honey before.
Honey gradually infiltrates Becka’s life, mimicking her in every way. However, when Becka assumes she has more than one “best friend,” the horrifying catastrophes occur.
Is Honey just looking for a friend? Becka is perplexed. Or does she crave more—a lot more?! From the cover at least, it can be inferred that this all-goings on happens during Christmastime!
Truth or Dare
What else can they do while they’re all trapped at Dara Harker’s luxurious ski condo? There are three men and four women confined, some of whom are friends and others who are complete strangers. A blinding blizzard has grounded the lifts, clogged the roads, and rendered the phones useless.
They believe that playing a game will help them break the ice. Who is going to tell the truth? Who will accept a dare? And how far will they each go? But then the game becomes lethal. One of them appears to prefer killing over telling the truth.
Ski Weekend
Another Fear Street book based on the premise of being snowed in! ‘Red’ Porter was a stranger they’d met on their ski trip. But Ariel Munroe, Doug Mahr, and Shannon Harper, his girlfriend, were thankful he was there as they drove home on the treacherous roads. Thank God for Red!
When they were stranded by the blizzard, he spotted the high lodge. When they strayed into new circumstances, afraid, fatigued, and desperate for refuge, he took command. But will he be able to help them when their safe haven turns into a trap? Their hosts are suddenly acting quite sinisterly. Doug’s car has vanished. Phones are dead. And there are a lot of guns in the house. They might be able to escape if they steal one! Until a shot is fired, at which point the true fear begins…
The New Evil
Corky and the Shadyside cheerleaders are certain that the evil spirit has been extinguished. The dread has passed. Hannah is then unexpectedly flung out the car window. Naomi is almost burned to death. One heinous accident after another. Corky can no longer keep her biggest fear hidden—the evil has returned!
But where exactly is it? Corky, Kimmy, and Debra aren’t holding their breath. They have devised a strategy to bring the evil out and eliminate it for good. Unless, of course, the bad first destroys them…
Oh yeah, looks like from this cover there will be another killer Santa on the loose!
Toy Terror: Batteries Included
Whilst not a Christmas-themed story, and also lacking snow, the link here is toys! Getting toys for Christmas is an experience most kids will experience, so I decided on that logic to add this book to the list.
In this game book, you have won a competition! You can select one of two fantastic prizes: a toy robot or a visit to the Hasley Toy Factory!
If you choose the tour, you will need to keep an eye out for Nasty Kathy. She’s a living doll with a nasty attitude, and she hates curious youngsters like you! Perhaps you’d rather have the Annihilator 3000 toy robot (which was featured in the Goosebumps Dead of Night game). If you pick this choice, the Annihilator 3000 will start destroying your home with its laser beam! How are you going to stop it before it comes after you?
Like most Give Yourself Goosebumps books, you will have to navigate through a story with 20 possible endings.
The Perfect Date
Brady is finally ready to move on after his girlfriend’s tragic death a year ago from a toboggan accident. He meets Rosha, and has fallen hard for her!
But he’s also gotten himself into trouble. When Rosha is around, terrible accidents seem to happen. And a strange creature with a disfigured face is following Brady around.
Is Rosha truly Brady’s ideal girl? Or has she resurrected his biggest nightmare?
Goosebumps Live on Stage: Screams in the Night
Perhaps this is as tenuous as adding Toy Terror to this list. Pantomimes have been a big part of the festive season, at least in the UK.
Jessie, Josh, Jamie, and their friend “Skate” are trapped in the dark after a basketball game, waiting for a ride. They are unable to reach anyone and come across the mysterious Doomsday Bookstore during a storm.
Mr. Gander, the scary store owner, lets them use the phone but then shocks them with a strange slideshow from a special edition of Goosebumps. The tales take a terrifying turn, blurring the line between fiction and truth. The youngsters are in a nightmare as they wait for their ride, not knowing if they will make it home safely or become characters in a twisted story with potentially terrible consequences.
Want to know more about this book? Read the Goosebumps Live on Stage: Screams in the Night review!
