IT CAME FROM OHIO!

The king of chapter-book chillers updates his 1997 autobiography.

With a metafictional movie starring Jack Black as a writer of horror books named R.L. Stine battling monsters of his own creation with kid sidekicks coming out in fall 2015, Stine revisits the story of his life: his childhood in Bexley, Ohio, getting in trouble for “being funny,” creating magazines full of pop-culture parodies to sell to his fellow students, college at Ohio State University and contributing to its magazine Sundial, and his move to New York City (always a dream of young Bob Stine). The early chapters are only slightly edited, with updated captions and additional, current information on Stine’s son, Matt; the chapter on the largely forgotten TV series Eureeka’s Castle is shortened. The five new chapters fit in seamlessly. They follow Stine on trips to China and to Russia (with first lady Laura Bush). He talks about the inspirations for his post-2000 book series, Mostly Ghostly and Rotten School (the 1950s TV show Topper and The Phil Silvers Show, respectively), and about the upcoming movie (but only briefly). The 20 most-asked questions in the aftermatter are also updated. He relates the whole tale in bright, conversational narration full of jokes and self-deprecation.

For Stine fans, this new edition is a must, especially with that movie on the horizon.