Monster Blood
| File:Goosebumps -3 monster blood.jpg | |
| Author | R. L. Stine |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Tim Jacobus |
| Language | English |
| Series | Goosebumps |
| Genre | Horror fiction Children's literature |
| Publisher | Scholastic, Inc. |
Publication date | September 1992 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 0-590-45367-X |
| Preceded by | Stay Out Of The Basement |
| Followed by | Say Cheese and Die! |
Monster Blood is the third book in R. L. Stine's children's horror series, Goosebumps. It was the first in the series to have a sequel, and later multiple sequels. The series features Evan Ross and his best friend Andrea (who prefers the nickname Andy) as they encounter the substance known as "Monster Blood".
Plot
While his parents have to go house-shopping in Atlanta, Evan Ross is sent to stay with his weird great-aunt Kathryn. He buys a dusty can of "Monster Blood" from an old toy store, and meets Andrea, a.k.a. Andy. The two are at first optimistic about the slimy green liquid, but after Evan's great-aunt visits and asks to "look at the can", strange things start to happen. The Monster Blood becomes stickier and slimier than ever, and begins to grow rapidly upon exposure to air. It then starts to absorb anything it can. Those who eat the Monster Blood will also grow –-- namely, Evan's dog Trigger. Until the final confrontation, Evan believes that his great-aunt is a witch.
The real villain is Kathryn's cat Sarabeth, a mean cat with sharp claws who turns out to be a witch disguised as a cat. In the final confrontation, Sarabeth attempts to use the Monster Blood against them, but can't control it and is absorbed into it. The Blood then shrinks into nothing, releasing all those trapped within it... except Sarabeth herself. Trigger also returns to his normal size.
Monster Blood IV (Goosebumps #62)
This book introduces a brand new type of Monster Blood that is more dangerous than ever - a blue slime instead of green. Instead of growing, the Monster Blood is actually a living creature. These Monster Blood creatures are semi-sentient organisms that multiply themselves by drinking water, becoming increasingly aggressive each time they drink until they can live off any liquid, including blood. However, they eventually become so aggressive and cruel that all of the Monster Blood creatures kill each other. It is revealed that the liquid is in fact a failed military weapon designed to multiply underwater and get more and more aggressive. It seems all of the creatures died, but then Evan's bully eats a small speck of it, mistaking it for candy. The next day there are four bullies, and they feel a lot meaner than usual... (Monster Blood IV was the last of the series, and the final Goosebumps book).
TV adaptation
Monster Blood was adapted into an episode of the Goosebumps television series. In this version, Sarabeth created the Monster Blood and was accidentally stuck in cat form due to a botched spell in trying to control the Blood. Kathryn then took the Blood and stored it in a jar kept in a spare room until Evan and Andy discovered it. Then, an original reprint, "More Monster Blood", featured the return of the Blood on an airplane as Evan was travelling to Atlanta. Also on the plane is Julia, a girl similar to Andy, Curtis (who is based on Evan's cousin Kermit) and Conan. They find that the Monster Blood hates airline food, and by forcing a great deal of such food into its body, they were able to defeat the Blood.
See also