Goosebumps Book 2

Here's the plot of the book: Margaret and Casey Brewer are playing frisbee outside. Their dad, Dr Brewer, declines their invite to play, cause Dr Brewer has work to do in the basement. Dr Brewer was a former botanist; Dr Brewer got fired, and now Dr Brewer does experiments in the basement. When Margaret and Casey try to go to the basement, Dr Brewer, whose hand is bleeding, yells the book title at the top of voice.

1 day, Mrs Brewer is going to Tucson Arizona to visit sister Eleanor, who was hospitalized. Dr Brewer takes wife to the airport, giving Margaret, Casey, and friend Diane an opportunity to see the basement to investigate Dr Brewer's experiments. Upon entering, the trio notice giant plants bearing fruit due to humidity. Casey removes his shirt and sets it down. The trio hear a breathing sound coming from several plants. The plants seem to be beckoning the children with its tendrils. The kids decide they have seen plenty, so they leave right as Dr Brewer arrives. Casey realizes something.

Casey left his shirt behind, so Casey goes to find it. Casey hears the plants groaning and moaning. Casey is grabbed at the waist by 2 tendrils, so Margaret comes to save Casey, but they are both caught exiting the basement because of Dr Brewer, who was at the top of the stairs.

Calmly, Dr Brewer sits the kids at the kitchen and tells them 1 day he’ll tell them about the experiments, but till then the kids will have to book title. Later, Margaret notices Dr Brewer put a lock over the basement door. On Saturday afternoon, Mrs Brewer calls Margaret on phone. Dr Brewer's wife has to stay in Arizona for a few more days, cause Eleanor’s operation didn't go quite well. Taking advantage of the moment, Margaret tells her mother about Dr Brewers experiments. Margaret also tells mom Dr Brewer has started wearing a cap for some reason.

After hanging the phone up, Margaret sees Dr Brewer eating something inside the kitchen. Apparently, Dr Brewer was eating fertilizer, aka plant food. Margaret tells Casey. Casey refuses to believe Margaret. A few days later, the kids play frisbee. Dr Brewer is also outside as well; the frisbee knocks Dr Brewers cap off, revealing leaves. Dr Brewer says its side effects of experiments before leaving to the basement again quickly.

That night, Margaret spies on Dr Brewer. Margaret watches as Dr Brewer removes the bandages from hand, revealing bright green blood instead of red blood. Margaret panics for her life and runs back to her room. Eventually, Margaret goes to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Margaret finds Casey, who couldn't sleep. Both kids listen to the noises of the plants in the basement. Also, Margaret finds moist dirt and insects in Dr Brewers bed.

Next morning, Margaret tells Casey what happened. Dr Brewer appears and tells Margaret and Casey he has prepared lunch, which is a weird green sludge. Dr Brewer insists they eat it; fortunately, Mr Martinez, aka Dr Brewers boss, visits to discuss the experiments. While Dr Brewer is distracted, Margaret and Casey throw away the green goop into the trash and lie that they already ate it.

Next morning, Dr Brewer leaves to help a neighbor install a sink. Margaret and Casey decide it's a perfect opportunity to enter the basement, so they remove the lock and enter inside the basement. Margaret and Casey find Mr Martinez’s suit near a table. They realize Mr Martinez didn't leave after his visit. After a few minutes, footsteps are heard. Margaret and Casey realize Dr Brewer got home, so the pair climb through a window that faces the backyard, but Dr Brewer catches the pair. Dr Brewer says Mr Martinez took off suit due to the tropical climate of the basement before leaving to install the sink.

The following morning, Mrs Brewer is returning from Arizona, so Dr Brewer leaves to the airport to pick her up. Margaret and Diane go on a bike ride. When Margaret and Diana return, Casey wants to, in the words of Mary Poppins, go fly a kite, but the kites are inside the basement. So Margaret and Casey return to the basement to find the kites.

Shockingly, the two find the rest of Mr Martinez’s suit, realizing Dr Brewer lied. Margaret and Casey hear noises from a supply closet. They open it to reveal a 2nd Dr Brewer!? The other Dr Brewer reveals the Dr Brewer off at the airport is a plant clone that he accidentally created. The other Dr Brewer grabs an axe and waits for the clone to return.

The clone appears at the top of the stairs and does the spot the imposter trope by trying to trick Margaret and Casey the other Dr Brewer is the clone. But then the other Dr Brewer does something the clone didn’t before: the other Dr Brewer calls Margaret a nickname Princess, a nickname the clone didn’t call Margaret at all. Margaret cuts the other Dr Brewer with a knife, revealing red blood, unlike the clones green blood. The real Dr Brewer gives the plant clone a long overdue pruning by hacking the clone in half with the axe, revealing green blood and a stem like interior.

The kids hear more noises from supply closet. They open it to reveal Mr Martinez gagged, so they release the guy. 1 week later, Dr Brewer burns all of the mutant plants and plants a few in the garden. Dr Brewer tells Margaret and Casey he'll stop doing experiments permanently. The kids are going back inside when a small flower brushes against Margaret's ankle. When Margaret bends down to look at it, the flower whispers, Margaret help me I’m your real father!

I rate Stay Out of the Basement 5 green thumbs out of 5 rose thorns.

Next time on Mavericks book reviews, it's gonna get gooey as I create a review of book 3 of goosebumps called monster blood see ya till then.