Camp Zero (Fatal Glitch #1)

Kelly (The First State of Being) and Schrefer (The Brightness Between Us) craft a brisk, unnerving tale that blends technological horror with a cautionary fable. After accidentally injuring her younger sister, 11-year-old Sofia Mendoza, who reads as Latinx, is sent by her father to Forestjaw, an isolated wilderness camp, hoping the experience will encourage her to “reflect on what you did.” There, she encounters unsettling figures, including severe and enigmatic camp director Monarch, who’s often accompanied by a mechanical vulture. Sofia’s expectations of solemn self-improvement give way to something more sinister when Monarch reveals that Forestjaw is backed by the wildly popular video game Sandbox. The campers are soon thrust into a high-stakes, elimination-style competition, with the promise of a million in-game credits for the winner. Challenges inspired by Sandbox, shifting rankings, and the ever-present threat of removal by robotic vultures create a cutthroat environment. Sofia embraces the rules with chilling resolve, determined to win at any cost. Her willingness to lie, manipulate, and betray sets her apart as a deliberately unlikable protagonist, and the novel’s central tension lies in just how far she will go. Stark b&w illustrations from Arroyo (I Am Sally) heighten the suspenseful atmosphere. Ages 8–12. Authors’ agents: (for Kelly) Sara Crowe, Sara Crowe Literary; (for Schrefer) Richard Pine, InkWell Management. (July)