Over the years it seems like Charles Dickens‘ A Christmas Carol has been adapted by thousands of different authors and filmmakers, so it wasn’t that much of a surprise when R.L. Stine released Ghosts of Fear Street: Fright Christmas in December 1996. What was surprising was how well the author executed the retelling for middle grade readers.
He’d better watch out… Santa is watching Kenny Frobisher this year. Watching him do rotten, nasty things. Kenny’s the biggest bully in Shadyside. And he’s out to ruin everyone’s holiday. Until he gets himself trapped in a closet in Dalby’s Department Store on Christmas Eve. When Kenny finally gets out, the store is locked. Deserted. And Kenny is alone. Until the three most frightening ghosts of Fear Street arrive– to wish Kenny a Scary Christmas.
I have read a few Stine Christmas tales and Fright Christmas is by far the best so far. The author really grabs the spirit of the season and the heart of the A Christmas Carol story and brings them to Fear Street in a way that utterly surprised me. Stine’s ability to evoke fear while also telling a redemption story was fantastic, all wrapped up in a middle grade bow.
The main protagonist Kenny is an unlikable character, which is not surprising given the source material, but comes around at the end. Again, not surprising. What was special about Fright Christmas was the use of different ghost names and styles, while still keeping the core theme intact. This allows middle grade readers to relate, while still getting the point of the original ghost story. I still would’ve loved for Kenny’s name to be a more relatable version of Ebenezer, like Evan. This would’ve made the character closer to Scrooge without using an outdated name, but Kenny works all the same.
Stine’s inclusion, and callback, to Dalby’s Department Store from stories such as 1991’s Fear Street Superchillers: Silent Night was great for those who have read multiple Stine Christmas horror tales. This brings the whole Fear Street universe together.
Fright Christmas by R.L. Stine is a fantastic adaptation of the classic A Christmas Carol, but with just enough thrills and chills for the middle grade reader. However, it still gave this 40-year-old reader some frights. While not all Stine’s Christmas tales are top-notch, Fright Christmas is the gift we all wanted.
Ghosts of Fear Street: Fright Christmas is available at bookstores everywhere from Aladdin Paperbacks.
