2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A word of advice, if you're headed on a camping trip, leave 'Nighty-Nightmare' at home, August 9, 2007
As much as Harold would love to put mystery, horror, and suspense behind him, and spend his days lounging about the kitchen waiting for his next chocolate treat; with Chester the neurotic, hare-brained, paranoid kitty quickly dashes those dreams, and does the unthinkable - drags Harold into his next crazy scheme. While Harold, Howie, and Chester are accompanying the Monroe family on an impromptu camping trip, Chester announces to his canine comrades that May 5 - Saint George's Day - is upon them; thus, spirits will be hovering about the moment the clock strikes midnight. Harold instantly knows that this is the worst possible time to be camping in the creepy woods, especially with such inexperienced campers such as Mr. and Mrs. Monroe, and their budding Boy Scouts, Toby and Pete. But when the Monroe's run into two bumbling men - Bud and Spud - along with their scruffy dog, Dawg, the Monroe pets know that something fishy is surrounding them. Howie is instantly mesmerized by Dawg, and becomes his bosom buddy; Harold is trying to accept the stubby-legged pooch simply as a new friend; but Chester is convinced that Dawg is nothing but trouble, set-up to lure them away from the Monroe's so that Bud and Spud can do all sorts of evil things to the unsuspecting humans. When Dawg suggests a trip through the woods to show the Monroe pets something interesting, Howie, Harold, and Chester are only too eager to go. But when they discover that they seem to be lost in the woods, they begin to wonder whether Dawg intentionally lured them away from their owners, or if there was simply a glitch in his tracking. When they're unable to find their way back to the campsite, Chester is the first to freak out, and finds himself worrying about leaving the Monroe's overnight, in the hands of spirits run amok, not to mention the bizarre Bud and Spud. But the boys find it difficult to lose Dawg, and make their way back to camp before it's too late, and they never see the Monroe's again. Chester is convinced that the only possible way to escape from Dawg's clutches is to tell him a bedtime story that will, hopefully, lull him to sleep, and create the perfect escape plan for the Monroe pets. But as soon as Chester begins the tale, it turns into a horrific, hare-raising story about the origins of their bunny brother, Bunnicula, and his life as a vampire amongst human vampires in both Transylvania and England. The trouble with Chester's story, is that, while it is a spooky tale that many would love to hear around the campfire; it poses many frightening thoughts, and serves to give each of the four-legged creatures nightmares, as opposed to a peaceful doze. Now Chester and Harold have no idea whether Dawg will be able to get some shut-eye, or find himself on edge all night, all thanks to Chester's creepy creation. And without Dawg falling asleep, the end could be quite near for the Monroe's.
While I never read anything by James Howe when I was younger; over the past couple of years, I have found myself drawn to his BUNNICULA series, making me incapable of resisting any of his stories about the Monroe family pets. NIGHTY-NIGHTMARE proves the same. As with the previous books, Chester seems to be the most neurotic character in the tale - which isn't that unusual for a feline. His constant musings about horror stories, and creepy legends set the reader on edge; while his ability to cause paranoia in his canine brothers is humorous, and really lends a laugh to the story. Harold is his usual self, thinking about nothing more than tasty S'mores, long naps, and dinner. His narration is enjoyable; while his easy-going, laid-back attitude provides a more relaxed edge to the story. Howie, on the other hand, is as rambunctious as ever. The little pup seems to go a mile a minute with his rapid thoughts; and his trusting nature can sometimes make the reader worry about his safety, as he manages to get himself into all sorts of trouble. Howie truly embodies the spirit of a puppy, and I have to give Howe credit for managing to get inside a pup's head, and giving him a unique, playful, voice of a youngster. While Bunnicula is not really present throughout NIGHTY-NIGHTMARE - except for the role he plays during Chester's scary story - he is replaced by Dawg, a country dog with an attitude. Dawg is a fun addition to the story. His oft-times clueless nature, and ability to bring out the panic in Chester is humorous; while his kind treatment of Howie makes you instantly like him. While Dawg often comes off as shady, or being up-to-something, he easily redeems himself many times, so that the reader has mixed feelings about his character. Howe has woven another delightful tale from THE HOUSE OF BUNNICULA that will keep readers occupied long into the night. A word of advice, if you're headed on a camping trip, leave NIGHTY-NIGHTMARE at home.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
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