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Goosebumps Most Wanted #7
A Nightmare on Clown Street
The infamous, Most Wanted Goosebumps characters are out on the loose and they're coming after you! Catch them all, undead or alive!
Ray Gordon really likes the circus. His uncle, Theo, is a performer in Koko's Klown Academy and he invites Ray to come join him for the summer. At first, Ray's parents are reluctant-they know their son has a habit of getting himself into strange situations. But Ray manages to convince them that he'll be on his best behavior.
The circus itself is very cool. The clowns stay in their makeup all day and only go by their clown names. Ray becomes a clown-in-training named Mr. Belly-Bounce. But the longer he's there, the scarier things become. There are whisperings about a place called Clown Street and nobody, including Murder the Clown, wants to go there. Will Ray be able to survive the dark secrets of the circus?
Ray Gordon really likes the circus. His uncle, Theo, is a performer in Koko's Klown Academy and he invites Ray to come join him for the summer. At first, Ray's parents are reluctant-they know their son has a habit of getting himself into strange situations. But Ray manages to convince them that he'll be on his best behavior.
The circus itself is very cool. The clowns stay in their makeup all day and only go by their clown names. Ray becomes a clown-in-training named Mr. Belly-Bounce. But the longer he's there, the scarier things become. There are whisperings about a place called Clown Street and nobody, including Murder the Clown, wants to go there. Will Ray be able to survive the dark secrets of the circus?
148 pages, Paperback
First published February 24, 2015
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,729 books19.3k followersRobert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
December 14, 2022
In A Nightmare on Clown Street, a better-than-average Goosebumps book from the Most Wanted series, young Ray Gordon goes to spend the summer at Koko's Klown Academy, an all-clown circus where his uncle Theo works. Ray thinks it will be fun, getting to be a clown for the summer and soaking in the circus atmosphere he enjoys so much. But over time, Ray realizes something is wrong at this circus.
The clowns keep referring ominously to a place called "Clown Street", where you'll get sent if you screw up or anger the circus' ringmaster, Mr. HahaFace (I'm not kidding, that is actually his name). In addition to this, all the clowns are terrified of Mr. HahaFace for some reason, and some clowns seem to be disappearing. What is going on? Can Ray uncover the truth? Or will he disappear without a trace, just like the others?
This one wasn't bad, compared to most other Goosebumps books. In a reversal of most such books, which usually have atrocious, garbage endings that ruin the entire book, I actually liked the ending of this one, mostly. It was genuinely creepy at times, and waded a bit into horror/sci-fi/monster B-movie territory. For the most part, though, the story is really bland, and I feel like this book, more than any other Goosebumps book I've ever read, was written for five-year-olds.
For example, the characters have such ridiculously childish names, it takes anyone older than five out of the story. Names like: Mr. Belly Bounce, Mrs. Giggle-Wiggle, Bingo-Bongo, and of course the aforementioned Mr. HahaFace. The character dialogue is also painfully childish, and left me rolling my eyes. I get that these books are for kids, but many can be read and enjoyed by adults, and some involve mature themes. This one, however, was clearly written for very, very young kids, which I found a little off-putting, reading it as an adult.
Overall, this isn't bad, for a Goosebumps book. I wouldn't go as far as recommending it, but it was okay. If you have really young kids, they'll probably enjoy it.
CAWPILE rating:
Characters: 6.0
Atmosphere / Setting: 6.5
Writing Style: 7.0
Plot: 7.0
Intrigue: 7.5
Logic / Relationships: 6.5
Enjoyment: 6.5
= 47 total
÷ 7 categories = 6.71 out of 10
= 3 stars
The clowns keep referring ominously to a place called "Clown Street", where you'll get sent if you screw up or anger the circus' ringmaster, Mr. HahaFace (I'm not kidding, that is actually his name). In addition to this, all the clowns are terrified of Mr. HahaFace for some reason, and some clowns seem to be disappearing. What is going on? Can Ray uncover the truth? Or will he disappear without a trace, just like the others?
This one wasn't bad, compared to most other Goosebumps books. In a reversal of most such books, which usually have atrocious, garbage endings that ruin the entire book, I actually liked the ending of this one, mostly. It was genuinely creepy at times, and waded a bit into horror/sci-fi/monster B-movie territory. For the most part, though, the story is really bland, and I feel like this book, more than any other Goosebumps book I've ever read, was written for five-year-olds.
For example, the characters have such ridiculously childish names, it takes anyone older than five out of the story. Names like: Mr. Belly Bounce, Mrs. Giggle-Wiggle, Bingo-Bongo, and of course the aforementioned Mr. HahaFace. The character dialogue is also painfully childish, and left me rolling my eyes. I get that these books are for kids, but many can be read and enjoyed by adults, and some involve mature themes. This one, however, was clearly written for very, very young kids, which I found a little off-putting, reading it as an adult.
Overall, this isn't bad, for a Goosebumps book. I wouldn't go as far as recommending it, but it was okay. If you have really young kids, they'll probably enjoy it.
CAWPILE rating:
Characters: 6.0
Atmosphere / Setting: 6.5
Writing Style: 7.0
Plot: 7.0
Intrigue: 7.5
Logic / Relationships: 6.5
Enjoyment: 6.5
= 47 total
÷ 7 categories = 6.71 out of 10
= 3 stars
June 24, 2019
I've read a few of the newer Goosebumps books and haven't been too impressed. I always end up feeling like Mr. Stine has just lost his touch. But I decided to pick this book up because 1. the cover is actually pretty scary and 2. I needed to read it for research... which I shouldn't talk about yet. Anyway, for being a newer Goosebumps book, this one wasn't too bad.
It follows a boy named Ray whose uncle works as a clown by the name of Murder, the Clown (pictured on the cover). When the boy goes to visit his uncle at Koko's Klown Academy for the summer, he finds out that misbehaving clowns are being banished to a place called Clown Street.
While I wish Murder, the Clown had been the antagonist of the story and that the Clown Street angle had been thought out more, I still found this book to be very fun and fairly interesting. It also satisfied my love of circuses and carnivals.
It follows a boy named Ray whose uncle works as a clown by the name of Murder, the Clown (pictured on the cover). When the boy goes to visit his uncle at Koko's Klown Academy for the summer, he finds out that misbehaving clowns are being banished to a place called Clown Street.
While I wish Murder, the Clown had been the antagonist of the story and that the Clown Street angle had been thought out more, I still found this book to be very fun and fairly interesting. It also satisfied my love of circuses and carnivals.
October 16, 2017
Of the 80+ Goosebumps I’ve read this may be the best! Seriously. I was actually gasping out loud as each twist was revealed. And it was creepy! If you thought Goosebumps died with the 90s, think again! Yes I know I shouldn’t be this excited about a cheesy kids book but omg it was fun lol
May 15, 2023
This is where the Goosebumps Most Wanted series gets interesting. Up to now the novels were only loosely linked to past adventures, bringing back villains for one-off stories with new protagonists, but A Nightmare on Clown Street changes up the formula. When twelve-year-old Ray Gordon (nicknamed "Ray Gun" by friends and family for his extreme energy) travels to visit his Uncle Theo, who works as Murder the Clown in a circus, we get an early taste of Uncle Theo's comedy, and it's familiar to Goosebumps fans. His insult humor is stylistically identical to Slappy the ventriloquist dummy's, and that can't be coincidence. But there's more to intrigue observant fans. The second Slappy book of the Goosebumps Horrorland series, Slappy New Year!, also featured a main character named Ray Gordon. He doesn't seem to be the same kid as in this book (no brother is mentioned in A Nightmare on Clown Street, and no friend named Elena), but there has to be some connection. Maybe I'm just not seeing it yet...
Ray is a fun-loving kid who's up for anything, so he fits in well at Koko's Klown Academy, the all-clown big top where Uncle Theo performs. The clowns are always joking around and they affably welcome Ray into the fold, except for Mr. HahaFace, the boss. All joviality wilts whenever Mr. HahaFace walks into the tent, and Ray can't figure out why. Does it have something to do with whispers of a place called Clown Street, where the circus's performers are terrified of being exiled to? Ray loves the one-on-one clowning instruction he receives from his uncle and soon is regularly performing with the troupe as Mr. Belly-Bounce, but the unexplained disappearances of several clowns bother him. Where did they go, and why did they look so frightened when he last saw them?
Teaming up with Deanna Banana, the only clown his age at Koko's Klown Academy, Ray uncovers the disturbing secret behind the circus and Clown Street. Most kids would cower from the danger he finds, but fear isn't enough to prevent Ray from doing what no one else will: mounting a rescue mission in search of the missing clowns. Can he and Deanna eliminate the menace lurking around his uncle's circus and restore the good times that used to be enjoyed by its performers?
A Nightmare on Clown Street may be the best Goosebumps Most Wanted book to this point in the series, surpassing even How I Met My Monster. The mystery builds nicely, the carnival ambience is effective, the story is mostly logical, and there are twists the reader won't see coming. Brandon Dorman's cover art is excellent, simultaneously creepy and pleasing to the eye. But it's the echoes of Slappy's presence that I'll remember about this book, as well as the unsettling ending reminiscent of The Haunted Mask, and I would almost consider giving A Nightmare on Clown Street two and a half stars. It's a return to form for R.L. Stine, one might say, and I'm all for that.
Ray is a fun-loving kid who's up for anything, so he fits in well at Koko's Klown Academy, the all-clown big top where Uncle Theo performs. The clowns are always joking around and they affably welcome Ray into the fold, except for Mr. HahaFace, the boss. All joviality wilts whenever Mr. HahaFace walks into the tent, and Ray can't figure out why. Does it have something to do with whispers of a place called Clown Street, where the circus's performers are terrified of being exiled to? Ray loves the one-on-one clowning instruction he receives from his uncle and soon is regularly performing with the troupe as Mr. Belly-Bounce, but the unexplained disappearances of several clowns bother him. Where did they go, and why did they look so frightened when he last saw them?
Teaming up with Deanna Banana, the only clown his age at Koko's Klown Academy, Ray uncovers the disturbing secret behind the circus and Clown Street. Most kids would cower from the danger he finds, but fear isn't enough to prevent Ray from doing what no one else will: mounting a rescue mission in search of the missing clowns. Can he and Deanna eliminate the menace lurking around his uncle's circus and restore the good times that used to be enjoyed by its performers?
A Nightmare on Clown Street may be the best Goosebumps Most Wanted book to this point in the series, surpassing even How I Met My Monster. The mystery builds nicely, the carnival ambience is effective, the story is mostly logical, and there are twists the reader won't see coming. Brandon Dorman's cover art is excellent, simultaneously creepy and pleasing to the eye. But it's the echoes of Slappy's presence that I'll remember about this book, as well as the unsettling ending reminiscent of The Haunted Mask, and I would almost consider giving A Nightmare on Clown Street two and a half stars. It's a return to form for R.L. Stine, one might say, and I'm all for that.
May 14, 2023
One of my goals as a reader is to pick up as many Goosebumps books as I can. I adored these books as a kid, and I just really want to keep enjoying them. I also love a good horror book or movie, so it's a natural fit! What can I say? I'm a Halloween kind of girl.
I had never heard of A Nightmare on Clown Street, but I do enjoy the reference to Elm Street...if you know, you know. From my understanding, this series brings the Most Wanted Goosebumps characters back into the limelight. Murder the Clown is the star here, but he's not the reason we are scared...
Ray Gordon is a kid who just wants to run off to the circus. Lucky for him, his Uncle Theo, who plays Murder the Clown, invites him to come join the clown circus he works at. As odd as it sounds, Ray is thrilled and off he goes to Clown Wonderland. The circus seems cool and fun, but there's a darkness lingering... and everyone wants to avoid "Clown Street."
The ending was super creepy and weird and also not at all what I would expect from this book. It was definitely a surprise that moved into a science fiction ending rather than a psychopathic clown ending. It was okay but not exactly my favourite Goosebumps book to date. It just didn't feel like the clown horror book I was hoping for.
Two out of five stars.
I had never heard of A Nightmare on Clown Street, but I do enjoy the reference to Elm Street...if you know, you know. From my understanding, this series brings the Most Wanted Goosebumps characters back into the limelight. Murder the Clown is the star here, but he's not the reason we are scared...
Ray Gordon is a kid who just wants to run off to the circus. Lucky for him, his Uncle Theo, who plays Murder the Clown, invites him to come join the clown circus he works at. As odd as it sounds, Ray is thrilled and off he goes to Clown Wonderland. The circus seems cool and fun, but there's a darkness lingering... and everyone wants to avoid "Clown Street."
The ending was super creepy and weird and also not at all what I would expect from this book. It was definitely a surprise that moved into a science fiction ending rather than a psychopathic clown ending. It was okay but not exactly my favourite Goosebumps book to date. It just didn't feel like the clown horror book I was hoping for.
Two out of five stars.
November 23, 2015
I Think A Nightmare On Clown Street was great.It had twists and turns.R.L.Stine is a great author and does not only Goosebumps but a lot more(ex:Mostly Ghostly). I like R.L.Stine's books because they have horror.Ive read a lot of Goosebumps and there all great.Some horror story authors just do a plain.old ending.But R.L. Stine doesn't he always makes the twist.
The Book is about a kid that joins the circus,weird things happen to him there.After he realizes his uncle was actually on Clown Street he had to save him.So he figured out that the portal to Clown Street is the Dunk-A-Klown booth he tries to go there,Deanna tries to stop him,but he goes anyway.After there there they have to avoid opsticals,defend themselves,and think of a way out.He finds his uncle in the Clown Street Jail.They were sent to a birthday party.When they got there they had to do there plan.
The Book is about a kid that joins the circus,weird things happen to him there.After he realizes his uncle was actually on Clown Street he had to save him.So he figured out that the portal to Clown Street is the Dunk-A-Klown booth he tries to go there,Deanna tries to stop him,but he goes anyway.After there there they have to avoid opsticals,defend themselves,and think of a way out.He finds his uncle in the Clown Street Jail.They were sent to a birthday party.When they got there they had to do there plan.
May 30, 2017
this was a good book a little scary because of the clowns but other than that it was a good book
June 5, 2023
This book seems to be the most diversed in terms of the people I know in the community that loved and kinda disliked this for being nonsensical and goofy towards the end. fortunately I liked it.
A Nightmare On Clown Street isn't necessary a scary story for Goosebumps standards, It mostly played slapstick route. It played a little bit like The Horror at Camp Jellyjam, from start to finish although not as creepy. It follows our main character Ray who enters this carnival to do some clown gigs along with his uncle, Murder and other clown with goofy names and some weird stuff happens.
It also feels like a murder mystery or a Fear Street book even (but no one really dies).
Then we get through that climax. It was stupid, but a fun kind of stupid but to be fair, it's fitting for this book's theme of slapstick. although I find it rushed. I wanna atleast see the book go on that earlier route. but the way they managed to get out of that situation is little on the creepy side, especially if you're outside the clown's perspective,
A Nightmare On Clown Street isn't necessary a scary story for Goosebumps standards, It mostly played slapstick route. It played a little bit like The Horror at Camp Jellyjam, from start to finish although not as creepy. It follows our main character Ray who enters this carnival to do some clown gigs along with his uncle, Murder and other clown with goofy names and some weird stuff happens.
It also feels like a murder mystery or a Fear Street book even (but no one really dies).
Then we get through that climax. It was stupid, but a fun kind of stupid but to be fair, it's fitting for this book's theme of slapstick. although I find it rushed. I wanna atleast see the book go on that earlier route. but the way they managed to get out of that situation is little on the creepy side, especially if you're outside the clown's perspective,
February 26, 2015
Not a bad story, over all. My only issue, is that we end up getting a COMPLETELY different Murder the Clown from the one we meet in the beginning of When the Ghost Dog Howls. I don't know, personally, I'd have liked to have read a book with him as the primary antagonist. Otherwise, not bad.
July 22, 2021
I honestly should not have probably liked this book as much as I did ,but this was really fun, really engaging and kinda different .I really wanted to know more about Clown Street and what was it's purpose. This book is hands down my favorite from the Most Wanted series so far. I recommend!
October 1, 2023
The Goosebumps series passed me by, and my own kids never took much interest. My first experience with the written material, and I’m not sure what I think.
The storyline was quite basic, events fly by with little attempt to justify them and there is an over-reliance on dialogue. However, there’s a clear pacing, the story flies by and you root for the key character in his battle against evil.
While Ray’s trip to Clown Street, and his efforts to learn the art of clowning, didn’t quite go to plan the story keeps you reading. The final twist at the end relies on you recalling the punishment referred to earlier, but I could see it being a safe scare for younger readers.
The storyline was quite basic, events fly by with little attempt to justify them and there is an over-reliance on dialogue. However, there’s a clear pacing, the story flies by and you root for the key character in his battle against evil.
While Ray’s trip to Clown Street, and his efforts to learn the art of clowning, didn’t quite go to plan the story keeps you reading. The final twist at the end relies on you recalling the punishment referred to earlier, but I could see it being a safe scare for younger readers.
February 28, 2024
I like it👍 but I feel like the book went off track later with the giant squid water parts. One of my favorites!❤👏✨😊💩
September 18, 2015
The book I am reading is called Nightmare on Clown Street by R.L Stine. I loved this book it was a really good book. This book is about this kid named Ray and his friend Heather. Ray loves clowns going to the circus. His uncle Theo want him to come see him for the summer at KoKo's Klown Academy. So he goes for the summer and figures out something is wrong and creepy with this place.
I loved this book because it was funny and kind of scary. I love scary books because I like being scared. The part I liked the best is the part when Ray gets to the academy.
I think that a lot of people will like this book if you like scary books and movies then you should read this book. I think ages 12-14 will like to read this book for pleasure and if you love to read.
I loved this book because it was funny and kind of scary. I love scary books because I like being scared. The part I liked the best is the part when Ray gets to the academy.
I think that a lot of people will like this book if you like scary books and movies then you should read this book. I think ages 12-14 will like to read this book for pleasure and if you love to read.
March 15, 2015
In reality this book was a 2.75 stars. I had high exceptions due to the other amazing books but this one was a bit of a flop. For one the ending was predictable and not satisfying. Also nothing much happened and 75% of the book was spent building. We only had about 2 or 3 short chapters of action if that..
However I enjoyed the concept and think the writing was done quite well. I did like this book but I wouldn't re read it. Ill still be carrying on with Goosebumps though as I do love that series but this book just wasn't for me.
However I enjoyed the concept and think the writing was done quite well. I did like this book but I wouldn't re read it. Ill still be carrying on with Goosebumps though as I do love that series but this book just wasn't for me.
November 30, 2015
My (almost 7 year old) daughter's taken a shine to the Goosebumps books so we've been working through a few recently. The latest we've finished was A Nightmare on Clown Street. While all of them we've read so far have been over the top, none have been nearly as surreal and bizarro as A Nightmare on Clown Street. She enjoyed it for it was but despite it's zaniness, it wasn't nearly as coherent or tight as the others we've read so far.
January 28, 2020
Goosebumps a Nightmare on Clown Street by R.L. Stine was a very scary book. It shock me about how a circus can hide a terrible secret. It really evolved my fear of clowns which is why I love it. I like to get scared and this book really took it up a notch. I recommend this book to all people who love to get scared.
July 28, 2020
Brady liked the end when Ray got home safely then realized his clown makeup was permanent!
January 18, 2016
Usually I like these cheesy stories but this one just didn't interest me too much. I like the classic books better.
February 1, 2018
The book Goosebumps most wanted nightmare on clown street have a lots of minor characters but the main character, Ray is a boy who wants to become a clown lucky for him his uncle, Theo is a clown and invites him to visit him at Koko's Klown Academy for the summer. Ray’s new clown name has made him become Mr. Belly bounce. The longer Ray is a clown the scary things become
The thing I hated about the book is how the ending happens that scared me and made he so angry. The part when they injected Ray to take his blood out I literally felt that. When Ray befriends a girl that looks like the same age as him he says mean thing about the boss not knowing that girl is the bosses daughter.
I recommend this book to people who like scary books and intense because this book gets so intense at what's going to happen and if someone or something is going to do something to Ray and lots of scary parts that even i feel it.
The thing I hated about the book is how the ending happens that scared me and made he so angry. The part when they injected Ray to take his blood out I literally felt that. When Ray befriends a girl that looks like the same age as him he says mean thing about the boss not knowing that girl is the bosses daughter.
I recommend this book to people who like scary books and intense because this book gets so intense at what's going to happen and if someone or something is going to do something to Ray and lots of scary parts that even i feel it.
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May 8, 2024This was a gift from a bestie as an inside joke, and I decided to read it because I needed a cozy little kids book.
At first this is pretty much what you’d expect, but then the second half is pretty surprising. (Spoilers) With any Goosebumps book, you’re usually just waiting for the moment at the end when they explain that everything was a big joke and none of the horrific stuff was real. But that doesn’t happen in this book, so it’s kind of a wild story, and it even has that final scare on the last page. I don’t like the circus sub genre at all, but this kind of worked for me by the end.
Plus, it’s all kind of subversive, commenting on how clowns are construed as scary in popular culture, but how it ironically can make some kids love them more, albeit in a different way.
At first this is pretty much what you’d expect, but then the second half is pretty surprising. (Spoilers) With any Goosebumps book, you’re usually just waiting for the moment at the end when they explain that everything was a big joke and none of the horrific stuff was real. But that doesn’t happen in this book, so it’s kind of a wild story, and it even has that final scare on the last page. I don’t like the circus sub genre at all, but this kind of worked for me by the end.
Plus, it’s all kind of subversive, commenting on how clowns are construed as scary in popular culture, but how it ironically can make some kids love them more, albeit in a different way.
Read
September 17, 2018Goodreads Review
The book called A Clown on Clown Street by R.L. Stone is an amazing book and will be loved by who likes to read horror books. Some people think that 100 to 200 pages is a lot for a book. But when I first saw this book I knew I wouldn't read it because it was long but it is what you like to read. It was about a boy named ray who was invited by his uncle to go join the circus with him but when he got there he noticed that it was a little mysterious of how everyone was acting. Ray was a confident kid that knew that he could do anything he said. This book is good for all ages to read. It is a fun horror book that most people love.
The book called A Clown on Clown Street by R.L. Stone is an amazing book and will be loved by who likes to read horror books. Some people think that 100 to 200 pages is a lot for a book. But when I first saw this book I knew I wouldn't read it because it was long but it is what you like to read. It was about a boy named ray who was invited by his uncle to go join the circus with him but when he got there he noticed that it was a little mysterious of how everyone was acting. Ray was a confident kid that knew that he could do anything he said. This book is good for all ages to read. It is a fun horror book that most people love.
Read
February 18, 2018Goosebumps: Nightmare on Clown Street
Nightmare on Clown Street is about a boy named Ray Gordon who goes on a “clowny” adventure when he is invited by his Uncle to visit the circus he works at, but on the first day something seems off. He is welcomed by a group of clowns who work with his Uncle, but are keeping secrets from him, such as Clown Street.
Nightmare on Clown Street is about a boy named Ray Gordon who goes on a “clowny” adventure when he is invited by his Uncle to visit the circus he works at, but on the first day something seems off. He is welcomed by a group of clowns who work with his Uncle, but are keeping secrets from him, such as Clown Street.
June 8, 2018
I don't know if it's so silly or I'm just too old for this 🙄
April 11, 2019
I think the theme of this book is go with you think is right. Ray Gordon is having a fun time at the clown park but he realizes that some of the clowns are disappearing. Then he finds out how they are disappearing and he's deciding if he wants to check it or just stay back.
November 14, 2024
Better than the original series.
And it has a good ending.😉
4.75 ⭐️
And it has a good ending.😉
4.75 ⭐️
November 23, 2024
My daughter has gotten into creepy stuff so read her first Goosebumps book. She liked it and ate it up. Just meh for me. Read a LOT of R L Stine back in the day but more Fear Street stuff. Never got into Goosebumps much. But she enjoys it so more we will read!
August 7, 2025
10/10. Most Wanted video coming later this year.
March 10, 2022
Was really disappointed with this book. It wasn't scary or funny, it was just sad and a little pathetic. Nothing like his other books. They say every author has one book that just flops. I think this it for this author.
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August 6, 2026A Nightmare on Clown Street
Ray Gordon convinces his friend Heather to sneak out to a small circus. They try to get in by making it look like they’re a part of a crowd, but the guards catch them instantly. Ray has the idea to try to sneak in around the back and under the tent. Only at the back of the tent is a gaint clown whose name is “Tiny”. Tiny says he was looking for his fpartner “Biggie”. Ray says he has a uncle that works for Kokoa’s Clown’s Academy and that his uncle keeps promising to let him work there. “Tiny” says being a clown is a good life as long as you stay away from clown’s street. Then Ray’s father finds them and drags them away. Ray calls out to “Tiny” and asks what’s clown street. “Tiny” answer you don’t want to know.
Ray gets an invitation from his uncle (known as Muder the Clown) to spend the summer with Koko’s Klown Academy. His parents allow him to go. Theo picks him up at the station in full clown costume (with an axe in his head and makeup). Uncle Theo seems to have a twisted sense of humor. He’s also wearing a snake around his neck. He says the circus makes them stay in costume when they’re in public. Some people laugh. Some don’t approve.
He says it’s all in good fun. You don’t want to end up on Clown Street. Ray asks what “Clown Street” is, but gets interrupted by a kid wanting an autograph. After this, they walk through the circus and get something to eat. After they eat, they look around. He’s introduced to “Funny” (another one of the clowns). Theo tries to distract Ray from looking at the Dunk-A-Clown tank, but he waches as a clown is flushed down a tank and vanishes. When Ray asks where he went, his uncles says its “just a gag”. Somehow Ray doesn’t think so.
Ray meets some of the other clowns. (They toss him onto the trampoline). Ray loves it! Theo says it’s “The Welcoming Ceremony”. The clows are “Tommy Teardrops.” “Mrs. Giggle-Wiggle” and “Billy Laughs”. He also meets the Ringmaster “Mr. Ha Ha Face.” All the other clowns become silent in his presence. He calls him “Jack”. The other clowns warn him not to correct him. He takes out a foot-long needle and tells him he needs to see if he has clown genes in his blood.
But it’s all a joke that he says he plays on the new people. Something about him terrifies Ray. He asks why everyone’s scared of him. Theo advises him to just keep clear of him. Ray asks where the other clown is from the dunking game. The other clown says he doesn’t know. That’s when Ray knows that something strange is going on there that Uncle Theo isn’t telling him. Theo shows him where the other clowns live and his mobile home. He gives him his costume and gives him his new name “Mr. Belly Bounce” (and that’s all his act consists of). It comes with a big pillow.
On the way to his trailer, a knife comes flying at his head. Uncle Theo demands to know who threw it. When there’s no response, he says maybe it was an “accident”. He’s taken to his trailer, “Top Cat” and introduced to his roommate “Bingo Bongo”. His act is playing ping pong by himself. Bingo Bongo says they don’t use their real names there. Ray asks why everyone’s afraid of Ha HA Face and all of a sudden he’s behind them, and tells Bingo Bongo to tell Ray why. He stammers that they aren’t. They respect him. He leaves with the advise to be funny. When he leaves, Bingo says he’s the boss. Other than that he doesn’t want to talk about it.
He meets Deanna Banana. She does a knife-throwing act. He acts if one of her knives got away. She says no. She’s been inside, but one of her knives are missing. He tells her something is going on. His uncle won’t answer his questions about the dunking booth, and he thinks Mr. Ha Ha Face is a freak. Bingo Bongo interrupts their conversation and they go inside their trailer. He finds out that the girl is Ha Ha Face’s daughter.
That night, Ray hears someone whispering his name, but when he looks out, there’s no one there. He goes outside. There’s no one in sight. Ray trips over something and falls into something rotten. It’s a pile of fish bones and guts. There’s a cord there. So it was intentional. Ray hears his name being called again. The next morning, Uncle Theo says don’t take it personally. Circus clowns like to play tricks. Then Mr, HaHaFace comes in, and once again everyone goes silent.
After that, Ray and Uncle Theo rehearse. Denna comes in and does her knife-throwing act. Ray is impressed, That night they have their first show. Ray discovers his clown shoes are sliced down the middle. He accuses Bingo Bongo. He says it wasn’t him. During the show, Ray bumps into Mr. HaHaFace and falls on top of him. The crowd loves it. Mr.HaHaFace not so much. He calls him to have a word after the show. (He slips and comes out of his shoes).
He tries to explain, but it comes out sounding like an accusation that Bingo-Bongo was the cause of him knocking him over. After this, Ray runs into Deanna and they have hot dogs. Denna like Theo tries to make him walk past the dunking booth without looking. It’s Bingo Bongo. Down the tank he goes. His mouth forms the word “Help Me” as he goes down the drain. Deanna says he’s being punished and quickly takes her leave. Ray realizes Bingo Bongo might be in this situation because of him.
When he gets back to his trailer, all Bingo Bongo’s stuff is gone. In his place is a new clown. He says he heard Bingo Bongo went to Clown Street. When he goes to question his uncle, he finds out it isn’t his uncle. The clown tells him his uncle wrote the letter, but afterward he got in trouble with Mr. HaHaFace, and he got sent to Clown Street. He says his name is “Monkey Face”. HahaFace told him to take over as “Murder the Clown”. He ordered him to keep on his makeup around him so Ray would think he was his uncle.
Ray suddenly knows how he can get to Clown Street. He’ll take a pie and smash it in Mr. HaHaFace’s face. The house is dark. The door is locked. So, Ray slips in through the window. He finds Mr.HaHaFace sleeping and smashes the pie into his face. But it’s not Mr. HaHaFace. It’s Tommy Tearface. He’s out of town with some friends. Tommy Tearface is sleeping there because his trailer is broken. “Tearface” says that could have gotten him sent to Clown Street. Ray said exactly. He has to find his uncle. Tearface warns him against it. He’ll never come back. But then Ray figures out what he has to do.
He runs to the dunking booth. When he gets there, Deanna tries to stop him. She says she’s on his side. She was the one who threw the knives, sliced his shoes, and made him fall in the fish guts (and whispered his name) as a warning so he’d go home. She pleads with him not to go to Clown Street, but he says he has to save his uncle. He gets her to throw the baseballs to send him into the water.
Ray finds himself on a steep water slide underwater. Then he surfaces. He eventually finds himself inside another water tank. Then he discovers Denna has followed him. Then they see there’s a giant mutant squid in the water with them. It grabs Ray. Deanna tries to get it loose. Ray’s strength starts to drain. With his last breath, he apologizes to his uncle for never getting to Clown Street. Denna takes her knife and stabs it in the back. The creature retreats with the knife in its back.
Then there is applause. It’s an audience that was watching them the whole time. Clowns pull them out of the water. They’re in an outdoor theature. A man tells them they put on a good show. He says the squid almost won, but he’ll get another chance.
Two clowns “escort” them into a golf cart. They advise them not to ask him questions. If they do, they’ll get sent to the bear cage. “He” is “The Frighner” and he asks the questions. They’re taken to “The Clown Street Hotel” (in other words, a prison). They see a man get dragged down the hall to the bear cage. Then there were cheers. A man says, “Poor guy. He’s bear meat”. When he moves out of shadow they see it’s Uncle Theo.
Uncle Theo tells them that when the Frighter was a child, he was terrified of clowns. As an adult, this didn’t get any better. So, he built a prison and locked up as many clowns as he could. He works with Mr. HaHaFace, who sends him clows. Mr.HaHaFace only does it because he’s terrified of him. The prisoners have to fight off squids or beats for the enjoyment of the Frightner's friends. When they arem’t doing that, they’re sent to preform at kids' birthday parties. The Fightner takes all the money to keep the prisons up. When you enter the prison you go through a machine that makes your clown makeup permanent.
Ray and Deanna are then tossed clown costumes by the guards, and told the bear doesn’t like to be kept waiting. They see Bingo Bongo in one of the cells. The Frightner comes through on the loudspeaker with an annoucment. His nephew Freddy is having a birthday party. He says he’d better make Freedie laugh, and give him the best party ever. If not, they’ll all go into the bear cage at the same time. He’ll be there. This gives Ray an idea for an escape.
Ray’s idea is too scare the kids. Then the Frightener will come into the room. Then they’ll all surround him, and he’ll go into shock. Then they can make a run for it. The Frightner makes another announcement that his nephew doesn’t want clowns after all. Then he says he’s just kidding. He says the big will be coming to take them to his nephews house. He advises they’d better be funny. The bears are hungry.
They all do their makeup as terrifying as humanly possible. Murder antagonizes the kids. The clowns start to fight. Murder wildly swings his ax. The kids think it’s hilarious! They aren’t scared at all. The Frightner comes in, and the Clowns jump him and attack him. The Frightner turns into a lil b and starts to cry for his mommy. Then someone shows the bear is loose. (The bear is tied up in the backyard). The bear starts to chase the Frightner. The Frighter dives into a bush and disappears. The Clowns cheer.
Ray returns home shortly after. He tells them it was exciting. He doesn’t mention how much. His parents tell him to take off his clown makeup. They’ve made mac and cheese. Ray tries to take off the makeup. It con’t come off.
Rating: 7 This one wasn’t so bad. At first, I was going to say I liked the first half of the story better than the end. It was a good mystery to find out who was behind all the “accidents” and why. Clown Street when I first read it left me with the thought is that all. But on a second read, being faced with a killer squid and a bear wasn’t *that* bad. But I still questioned what was so horrifying about “The Frighner”. He sounded like a little punk to me. But I guess, I would actually have to *see* an illustration to see what all the fuss was.
Ray Gordon convinces his friend Heather to sneak out to a small circus. They try to get in by making it look like they’re a part of a crowd, but the guards catch them instantly. Ray has the idea to try to sneak in around the back and under the tent. Only at the back of the tent is a gaint clown whose name is “Tiny”. Tiny says he was looking for his fpartner “Biggie”. Ray says he has a uncle that works for Kokoa’s Clown’s Academy and that his uncle keeps promising to let him work there. “Tiny” says being a clown is a good life as long as you stay away from clown’s street. Then Ray’s father finds them and drags them away. Ray calls out to “Tiny” and asks what’s clown street. “Tiny” answer you don’t want to know.
Ray gets an invitation from his uncle (known as Muder the Clown) to spend the summer with Koko’s Klown Academy. His parents allow him to go. Theo picks him up at the station in full clown costume (with an axe in his head and makeup). Uncle Theo seems to have a twisted sense of humor. He’s also wearing a snake around his neck. He says the circus makes them stay in costume when they’re in public. Some people laugh. Some don’t approve.
He says it’s all in good fun. You don’t want to end up on Clown Street. Ray asks what “Clown Street” is, but gets interrupted by a kid wanting an autograph. After this, they walk through the circus and get something to eat. After they eat, they look around. He’s introduced to “Funny” (another one of the clowns). Theo tries to distract Ray from looking at the Dunk-A-Clown tank, but he waches as a clown is flushed down a tank and vanishes. When Ray asks where he went, his uncles says its “just a gag”. Somehow Ray doesn’t think so.
Ray meets some of the other clowns. (They toss him onto the trampoline). Ray loves it! Theo says it’s “The Welcoming Ceremony”. The clows are “Tommy Teardrops.” “Mrs. Giggle-Wiggle” and “Billy Laughs”. He also meets the Ringmaster “Mr. Ha Ha Face.” All the other clowns become silent in his presence. He calls him “Jack”. The other clowns warn him not to correct him. He takes out a foot-long needle and tells him he needs to see if he has clown genes in his blood.
But it’s all a joke that he says he plays on the new people. Something about him terrifies Ray. He asks why everyone’s scared of him. Theo advises him to just keep clear of him. Ray asks where the other clown is from the dunking game. The other clown says he doesn’t know. That’s when Ray knows that something strange is going on there that Uncle Theo isn’t telling him. Theo shows him where the other clowns live and his mobile home. He gives him his costume and gives him his new name “Mr. Belly Bounce” (and that’s all his act consists of). It comes with a big pillow.
On the way to his trailer, a knife comes flying at his head. Uncle Theo demands to know who threw it. When there’s no response, he says maybe it was an “accident”. He’s taken to his trailer, “Top Cat” and introduced to his roommate “Bingo Bongo”. His act is playing ping pong by himself. Bingo Bongo says they don’t use their real names there. Ray asks why everyone’s afraid of Ha HA Face and all of a sudden he’s behind them, and tells Bingo Bongo to tell Ray why. He stammers that they aren’t. They respect him. He leaves with the advise to be funny. When he leaves, Bingo says he’s the boss. Other than that he doesn’t want to talk about it.
He meets Deanna Banana. She does a knife-throwing act. He acts if one of her knives got away. She says no. She’s been inside, but one of her knives are missing. He tells her something is going on. His uncle won’t answer his questions about the dunking booth, and he thinks Mr. Ha Ha Face is a freak. Bingo Bongo interrupts their conversation and they go inside their trailer. He finds out that the girl is Ha Ha Face’s daughter.
That night, Ray hears someone whispering his name, but when he looks out, there’s no one there. He goes outside. There’s no one in sight. Ray trips over something and falls into something rotten. It’s a pile of fish bones and guts. There’s a cord there. So it was intentional. Ray hears his name being called again. The next morning, Uncle Theo says don’t take it personally. Circus clowns like to play tricks. Then Mr, HaHaFace comes in, and once again everyone goes silent.
After that, Ray and Uncle Theo rehearse. Denna comes in and does her knife-throwing act. Ray is impressed, That night they have their first show. Ray discovers his clown shoes are sliced down the middle. He accuses Bingo Bongo. He says it wasn’t him. During the show, Ray bumps into Mr. HaHaFace and falls on top of him. The crowd loves it. Mr.HaHaFace not so much. He calls him to have a word after the show. (He slips and comes out of his shoes).
He tries to explain, but it comes out sounding like an accusation that Bingo-Bongo was the cause of him knocking him over. After this, Ray runs into Deanna and they have hot dogs. Denna like Theo tries to make him walk past the dunking booth without looking. It’s Bingo Bongo. Down the tank he goes. His mouth forms the word “Help Me” as he goes down the drain. Deanna says he’s being punished and quickly takes her leave. Ray realizes Bingo Bongo might be in this situation because of him.
When he gets back to his trailer, all Bingo Bongo’s stuff is gone. In his place is a new clown. He says he heard Bingo Bongo went to Clown Street. When he goes to question his uncle, he finds out it isn’t his uncle. The clown tells him his uncle wrote the letter, but afterward he got in trouble with Mr. HaHaFace, and he got sent to Clown Street. He says his name is “Monkey Face”. HahaFace told him to take over as “Murder the Clown”. He ordered him to keep on his makeup around him so Ray would think he was his uncle.
Ray suddenly knows how he can get to Clown Street. He’ll take a pie and smash it in Mr. HaHaFace’s face. The house is dark. The door is locked. So, Ray slips in through the window. He finds Mr.HaHaFace sleeping and smashes the pie into his face. But it’s not Mr. HaHaFace. It’s Tommy Tearface. He’s out of town with some friends. Tommy Tearface is sleeping there because his trailer is broken. “Tearface” says that could have gotten him sent to Clown Street. Ray said exactly. He has to find his uncle. Tearface warns him against it. He’ll never come back. But then Ray figures out what he has to do.
He runs to the dunking booth. When he gets there, Deanna tries to stop him. She says she’s on his side. She was the one who threw the knives, sliced his shoes, and made him fall in the fish guts (and whispered his name) as a warning so he’d go home. She pleads with him not to go to Clown Street, but he says he has to save his uncle. He gets her to throw the baseballs to send him into the water.
Ray finds himself on a steep water slide underwater. Then he surfaces. He eventually finds himself inside another water tank. Then he discovers Denna has followed him. Then they see there’s a giant mutant squid in the water with them. It grabs Ray. Deanna tries to get it loose. Ray’s strength starts to drain. With his last breath, he apologizes to his uncle for never getting to Clown Street. Denna takes her knife and stabs it in the back. The creature retreats with the knife in its back.
Then there is applause. It’s an audience that was watching them the whole time. Clowns pull them out of the water. They’re in an outdoor theature. A man tells them they put on a good show. He says the squid almost won, but he’ll get another chance.
Two clowns “escort” them into a golf cart. They advise them not to ask him questions. If they do, they’ll get sent to the bear cage. “He” is “The Frighner” and he asks the questions. They’re taken to “The Clown Street Hotel” (in other words, a prison). They see a man get dragged down the hall to the bear cage. Then there were cheers. A man says, “Poor guy. He’s bear meat”. When he moves out of shadow they see it’s Uncle Theo.
Uncle Theo tells them that when the Frighter was a child, he was terrified of clowns. As an adult, this didn’t get any better. So, he built a prison and locked up as many clowns as he could. He works with Mr. HaHaFace, who sends him clows. Mr.HaHaFace only does it because he’s terrified of him. The prisoners have to fight off squids or beats for the enjoyment of the Frightner's friends. When they arem’t doing that, they’re sent to preform at kids' birthday parties. The Fightner takes all the money to keep the prisons up. When you enter the prison you go through a machine that makes your clown makeup permanent.
Ray and Deanna are then tossed clown costumes by the guards, and told the bear doesn’t like to be kept waiting. They see Bingo Bongo in one of the cells. The Frightner comes through on the loudspeaker with an annoucment. His nephew Freddy is having a birthday party. He says he’d better make Freedie laugh, and give him the best party ever. If not, they’ll all go into the bear cage at the same time. He’ll be there. This gives Ray an idea for an escape.
Ray’s idea is too scare the kids. Then the Frightener will come into the room. Then they’ll all surround him, and he’ll go into shock. Then they can make a run for it. The Frightner makes another announcement that his nephew doesn’t want clowns after all. Then he says he’s just kidding. He says the big will be coming to take them to his nephews house. He advises they’d better be funny. The bears are hungry.
They all do their makeup as terrifying as humanly possible. Murder antagonizes the kids. The clowns start to fight. Murder wildly swings his ax. The kids think it’s hilarious! They aren’t scared at all. The Frightner comes in, and the Clowns jump him and attack him. The Frightner turns into a lil b and starts to cry for his mommy. Then someone shows the bear is loose. (The bear is tied up in the backyard). The bear starts to chase the Frightner. The Frighter dives into a bush and disappears. The Clowns cheer.
Ray returns home shortly after. He tells them it was exciting. He doesn’t mention how much. His parents tell him to take off his clown makeup. They’ve made mac and cheese. Ray tries to take off the makeup. It con’t come off.
Rating: 7 This one wasn’t so bad. At first, I was going to say I liked the first half of the story better than the end. It was a good mystery to find out who was behind all the “accidents” and why. Clown Street when I first read it left me with the thought is that all. But on a second read, being faced with a killer squid and a bear wasn’t *that* bad. But I still questioned what was so horrifying about “The Frighner”. He sounded like a little punk to me. But I guess, I would actually have to *see* an illustration to see what all the fuss was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2022
For a kid fair enough~ that's all I would like to say..lol
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