After the original run of Goosebumps ended as sales were slowing down they continued immediately with Goosebumps Series 2000 to capitalize on the marketing for the year 2000 coming up. This series ended after 25 books, partly because kids had been outgrowing Goosebumps but mostly because of a several lawsuits between Scholastic and Parachute Press which lead to R.L. Stine’s contract not being renewed and everything Goosebumps related to be cancelled, including the Goosebumps Gold series that was due to launch at the end of the year 2000.
Ironically because of this only one Goosebumps Series 2000 book came out in the year 2000 as it had already been scheduled for January of that year. We know of the 26th book that would’ve been released in February of that year called “The Incredible Shrinking Fifth Grader”. Thanks to Tim Jacobus we got the cover art for that book that never came out. Or did it not?
A book called “The Adventures of Shrinkman” came out shortly after the cancellation of Goosebumps without any relation to Goosebumps. This book which emphasized that it was from R.L. Stine was not the only one as there were a total of six stand-alone novellas that were published that year and the following. The book mentions that it’s inspired by “The Incredible Shrinking Man” which was the play on the title the Goosebumps book had not to mention that one of the scenes of the book closely resembles what is pictured in the cover art of the Goosebumps 2000 book.
Here is the Synopsis:
When Danny Marin isn’t playing basketball, he spends hours drawing Shrinkman, his favorite comic-book superhero, or watching Shrinkman movies. His hero can shrink to the size of a bug. But, whoa—wait. Suddenly, Danny finds himself shrinking, too! His parents are horrified, his friend Megan thinks it’s funny, and his doctor is baffled. With each passing hour, Danny gets smaller and smaller—until he’s the size of a sparrow. Soon he’s fighting for his life against a grasshopper, a colony of ants, and even his own dog. He isn’t safe anywhere. He has to find a cure—before he shrinks away forever.
Funny and terrifying and filled with BIG surprises, The Adventures of Shrinkman proves that it takes more than size to overcome impossible hurdles.
As you can see the story seems right up Goosebumps alley making this the 26th Goosebumps 2000 book that was never released. But here’s the thing, the other 5 junior novels also feature stories that seem straight out of Goosebumps, featuring a young kid getting into a spooky or weird situation only for things to turn out fine until a twist ending comes. So It’s clear that all these other books that were released were originally intended to be Goosebumps Series 2000 books before it was abruptly cancelled and to not let those stories that were already drafted go to waste he published them with another publisher.
Goosebumps Gold was due to come out in October of that same year, marketing had already begun and there was no reason for Series 2000 to finish and leave a gap as one book was constantly published every month. Counting January’s book was released that left us with 8 series 2000 books that would’ve been published before moving on to Goosebumps Gold. While only 6 of these novels came out that likely meant the other 2 hadn’t even been drafted which made sense the Goosebumps Gold books had also not been written yet, only some ideas thrown around.
So let’s take a look at the other rare Goosebumps Series 2000 books that were published without the Goosebumps name and their synopsis not counting the one already mentioned. Thankfully they’re all easy to get through Amazon even though they are somewhat rare. It’s also worth noting that Goosebumps artist Tim Jacobus is credited as being the artist of these books as well, keeping the connection back to Goosebumps tighter even if it’s not exactly the same style.
The Creatures from Beyond Beyond
Randi and her twin brother, Tyler, didn’t think it was such a great idea for their family to spend the summer in a vacant house in a small town called Blairingville. Boringville seemed more like it. But as it turns out, the vacation was anything but boring!
There’s a surprise in every closet here—and not the good kind. Alien creatures are lurking, mysterious dolls are growing, and there’s a sinister twelve-year-old boy with a powerful hypnotic pendant who may hold the key to the entire mystery. Now if Randi can just escape a monster’s clutches, send some space visitors back to who knows where, and regain control of her free will, she might just get her family back home in one piece. It’s another scary good read from the master of shriek-out-loud horror, R.L. Stine.
Zombie Town
This used to be such a nice, quiet town. But that was before all the zombies. When twelve-year-old Mike and his friend, Karen, go to see a horror movie called Zombie Town, the last thing they expect is for the title characters to come down off the screen and chase them through the theater. And it’s not popcorn these hungry creatures want to chomp on—it’s human brains!
Now Mike and Karen frantically try to flee through the panicked streets of their hometown before shuffling bands of zombies turn every last citizen into a ravenous flesh-eater. But if Mike thinks he’ll be safe once he reaches his house and warns Mom and Dad, he’d better think again. When the zombies say it’s lunchtime, no home is safe! Zombie Town is R.L. Stine’s delightfully spooky take on the horror genre that’s infecting the world, bite by bite
My Alien Parents
Ten-year-old Rob thought he knew all there was to know about his parents, but suddenly things have changed. Why do Mom and Dad keep warning him not to ask too many questions? Could aliens from another world really have replaced his parents? And what’s happened to Snappy, the family dog? Soon Rob’s writing down all the latest weird developments in a notebook entitled REASONS WHY MY PARENTS ARE ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE. Can he figure it out before it’s too late? It’s another eerily fun thriller from the inventive mind of R.L. Stine.
Three Faces of Me
When Ira Fishman wins a prize in the machine outside a candy store, he’s disappointed it’s not the squirt gun he had his eye on. The little black plastic box looks like a camera, but when Ira presses the green button on top, nothing happens.
After dinner that night, Ira can’t believe what he sees in his room: a boy with the same clothes—and face—as Ira! He tries to get this second Ira to leave, but it’s no use. Deciding to have a little fun, Ira makes the boy go to school in his place—but it’s a disaster. The new Ira isn’t good at math like the real Ira, and he’s horrible at softball. Worst of all, he plays with the girls during recess! Ira’s clone is ruining his rep—fast. And when a third Ira shows up, Ira number one has to find a way to make the others disappear for good before his whole world is turned upside down. But how do you get rid of yourself?
The 13th Warning
Joseph has always had such good luck that his nickname is Lucky. Tomorrow, he is going to turn thirteen on the thirteenth of the month. He’s the thirteenth child in a family with thirteen kids…and both of his parents are also thirteenth children. With so many thirteens, his luck is bound to run out!
An old man and a woman with a black cat visit Lucky to warn him that he has too many thirteens in his life. And if he collects thirteen thirteens by midnight on his birthday, he’ll unleash evil spirits. Almost as soon as the old man and the woman leave, the bad luck begins. And the thirteens just keep coming: the thirteen doughnuts his teacher gives him, the thirteen he scores on his pop math quiz, the thirteen barks from his normally quiet dog. Now Lucky is driving himself crazy adding up everything he comes across. Can he break the curse of thirteen in time? Clever and fun, The 13th Warning is certain to spook young readers.
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