Welcome to Camp Croak! (Ghost Scouts #1)

In the spirit of Lemony Snicket, Lexie—“the very best number one storyteller in Shreveport”—warns readers that they might be scared to learn that paranormal entities are real. She then chronicles the harrowing tale of how Grams signed her up for Happy Hollow Camp for Joyful Boys and Girls. Yet “somehow, something went very wrong”: rather than dropping her off at Happy Hollow Camp, Lexie’s gram leaves her at Camp Croak, a summer program for supernatural creatures run by a three-headed witch. At first, Lexie is scared she’ll be eaten for dinner. Much to the mortal human’s relief, Lexie instead befriends her cabinmates: a werewolf named Emmy LouLou, a skeleton named Bébé, a small ghost named Sweet Boo, and a zombie named Mary Shelley. Together, they earn Camp Croak badges, play games, and learn about their innate skills and powers both supernatural and mundane. Dolan’s quick-witted first-person narration highlights Lexie’s vigilance, creativity, and deepening love for her new friends. Intermittent lists of rules, ingredients, and more are rendered via scratchy black, white, and yellow illustrations throughout, adding to the creepy atmosphere. Character skin colors match the white of the page. Ages 6–10. (July)