Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Monsters Go for the Mold | 1997 | Andrew Clements | Buy |
| 2 | Things That Go Eek on Halloween | 1997 | Andrew Clements | Buy |
| 3 | Real Monsters Stage Fright! | 1997 | Andrew Clements | Buy |
| 4 | Gromble’s Haunted Halloween | 1998 | Andrew Clements | Buy |
The Aaahh!!! Real Monsters cartoon ran on Nickelodeon from 1994 to 1997 and followed three young monsters, Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm, as they trained at a school for monsters underground beneath a city dump. The show was dark and funny in the way a lot of Nickelodeon animation from that era was, and it built a solid following among kids who liked their humor a little weird.
Andrew Clements wrote several chapter books tied to the series during its run and in the years just after, including titles like Go for the Mold and Stage Fright. The books followed the format of the show, putting the monster trio into new situations that let them use their scaring abilities in comic and occasionally chaotic ways. Clements adapted well to the franchise’s tone, keeping the humor and the characters’ distinct personalities intact.
These books were produced as part of the broader merchandise push around the cartoon and were aimed at fans of the show who were ready for longer reads. They are now out of print and primarily found in used book markets, but they represent an interesting side project in Clements’ catalog during a period when he was still building his reputation as an independent author.