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Camp Haunted Hills #1
How I Survived My Summer Vacation
“The Camp where ghost stories come alive.”
As soon as Stuart Glassman sees the ad for a summer movie camp, he knows that this is the place for him. What the ad doesn’t say is that Camp Haunted Hills is run by Gregory Stevens, the man who makes the world’s scariest movies—and that he plan to try out his special effects on the campers!
Expect the unexpected, Stevens says. So Stuart gets used tot he shark rising out of the lake and the witch flying around the campfire. But what about the ghost perched on top of the outhouse? And the giant footsteps leading into the woods? Can it be that the camp is haunted for real?
As soon as Stuart Glassman sees the ad for a summer movie camp, he knows that this is the place for him. What the ad doesn’t say is that Camp Haunted Hills is run by Gregory Stevens, the man who makes the world’s scariest movies—and that he plan to try out his special effects on the campers!
Expect the unexpected, Stevens says. So Stuart gets used tot he shark rising out of the lake and the witch flying around the campfire. But what about the ghost perched on top of the outhouse? And the giant footsteps leading into the woods? Can it be that the camp is haunted for real?
106 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 9, 2022
Alright, time to start my summer camp reading project. Every Thursday until the end of July, I'll be reading a camp book picked from a randomer. I have like over 20 in here, not all of which are horror. It'll be fun, we'll explore weird places and hopefully get some good stories out of it. I wanted to hand select at least one and of course I went with something by Bruce Coville. I finished his My Teacher is an Alien series earlier this year and really liked it. After listening to the Goosebueds ep on another of his work, I know I want to explore more of his work. He seems to get it.
So naturally I wanted to look at a short series he did that was summer based. Being earlier for him, coming out in 1988, and Running for only 3 books, this is Camp Haunted Hills. It revolves around Stuart Glassman, who is sent to the titular camp. It is run famed director Gregory Stevens, and it is used as a way to teach possible aspiring filmamkers about how movies are made and such. Things start off fun with fake scares, but soon Stuart deals with things like a real ghost and a whole squad of Sasquatch.
This isn't as good as the teacher alien stuff, but it's sitll fun. Bruce has this style that is easy to enjoy. It's not super detailed usually, but it is easy to read and charming. Stuart has some quips that are fun and he has this open mind-ness that I like. Well mostly. This book is mostly just chill and fun.
There are these side characters like the special effects guy Harry Housen (ha) and this makeup artist everyone goes horny for. Some are just there, like this rich asshole, while others like Harry have more to them. Stuart is mostly solid as a lead, not deep but mostly has a decent voice that works. His passion for film and special effects stuff is neat to see.
The setting is used well, I want to see more of this camp so I can explore more of it, especially with the movie angle. It has a few educational bits about movie making and this is a rare case where they note that movies are often shot out of order. And I guess I'll bring this up: Yeah, Goosebumps' Fright Camp totally ripped this off.
Jk, but you gotta wonder if influnce was taken. This is better as it's actually got real supernatural stuff in it, the fake scares are less annoying and it's just better as a story. There's this thing with a ghost named Robert who used to work here back in the day. He's kind of fun but kind of annoying too. He sorta helps out but doesn't really do a ton. We don't find out fully what his deal is. The second book came only two months later, so I assume this was planned as at least 2 and they left things like this open on purpose.
It doesn't have a strong focus for most of it, which works to make it just chill. Then in the latter half we get a conflict with the bigfoot people. That works fine and it even fits in a nice moment at the end. The ending is decent but a bit abrupt. It's quite short, meaning not a ton of room for deeper stuff but it's a good easy ready.
For other problems, there are a couple not well aged moments. There's this girl Brenda who is ni9ce enough but Stuart doesn't wanna deal with because she's "a girl for pete's sakes!" and pudgy. Yep. There's a thing where he grows to like her fine when she saves him but it's a very minor thing and there's nothing wrong with her at all, he's 11 he should have grown out of the icky girls thing. Oh and yeah Stne's not the only one who can fat shame back then.
But outside of that things like that, it's just fun. I did want a bit more but there are two others at least. It's a fun camp book with a cool gimmick that has a few solid supporting players and leaves things open for further adventures. It's not Bruce's best work but his charm does pull through. If you want a good easy read, this is fun. If you want something bigger/deeper, Bruce has other works more suited for that.
Still, it works and I hope to get to at least the 2nd one someday, even if its not part of this marathon. Speaking of, time to hit up the wheel. Next time. we bump up to YA for a misc book from old Jovial Bob himself.
See ya then.
So naturally I wanted to look at a short series he did that was summer based. Being earlier for him, coming out in 1988, and Running for only 3 books, this is Camp Haunted Hills. It revolves around Stuart Glassman, who is sent to the titular camp. It is run famed director Gregory Stevens, and it is used as a way to teach possible aspiring filmamkers about how movies are made and such. Things start off fun with fake scares, but soon Stuart deals with things like a real ghost and a whole squad of Sasquatch.
This isn't as good as the teacher alien stuff, but it's sitll fun. Bruce has this style that is easy to enjoy. It's not super detailed usually, but it is easy to read and charming. Stuart has some quips that are fun and he has this open mind-ness that I like. Well mostly. This book is mostly just chill and fun.
There are these side characters like the special effects guy Harry Housen (ha) and this makeup artist everyone goes horny for. Some are just there, like this rich asshole, while others like Harry have more to them. Stuart is mostly solid as a lead, not deep but mostly has a decent voice that works. His passion for film and special effects stuff is neat to see.
The setting is used well, I want to see more of this camp so I can explore more of it, especially with the movie angle. It has a few educational bits about movie making and this is a rare case where they note that movies are often shot out of order. And I guess I'll bring this up: Yeah, Goosebumps' Fright Camp totally ripped this off.
Jk, but you gotta wonder if influnce was taken. This is better as it's actually got real supernatural stuff in it, the fake scares are less annoying and it's just better as a story. There's this thing with a ghost named Robert who used to work here back in the day. He's kind of fun but kind of annoying too. He sorta helps out but doesn't really do a ton. We don't find out fully what his deal is. The second book came only two months later, so I assume this was planned as at least 2 and they left things like this open on purpose.
It doesn't have a strong focus for most of it, which works to make it just chill. Then in the latter half we get a conflict with the bigfoot people. That works fine and it even fits in a nice moment at the end. The ending is decent but a bit abrupt. It's quite short, meaning not a ton of room for deeper stuff but it's a good easy ready.
For other problems, there are a couple not well aged moments. There's this girl Brenda who is ni9ce enough but Stuart doesn't wanna deal with because she's "a girl for pete's sakes!" and pudgy. Yep. There's a thing where he grows to like her fine when she saves him but it's a very minor thing and there's nothing wrong with her at all, he's 11 he should have grown out of the icky girls thing. Oh and yeah Stne's not the only one who can fat shame back then.
But outside of that things like that, it's just fun. I did want a bit more but there are two others at least. It's a fun camp book with a cool gimmick that has a few solid supporting players and leaves things open for further adventures. It's not Bruce's best work but his charm does pull through. If you want a good easy read, this is fun. If you want something bigger/deeper, Bruce has other works more suited for that.
Still, it works and I hope to get to at least the 2nd one someday, even if its not part of this marathon. Speaking of, time to hit up the wheel. Next time. we bump up to YA for a misc book from old Jovial Bob himself.
See ya then.
June 11, 2022
How I Survived My Summer Vacation is a fun and witty book. This is the first book in the Camp Haunted Hills series and the second Coville book that I've read, the first being My Teacher Is An Alien.
The story is pretty straightforward; told through the perspective of our narrator, eleven-year-old Stuart, who goes to a movie-themed summer camp, only to find out some of the scary "special effects", aren't special effects at all.
I would say I enjoyed this one about equally as the first Coville book I read, although for different reasons. This one leans almost fully into comedy, and it works well for the most part.
This is a cute, quick, and amusing read great for all ages, and I look forward to reading more by Coville in the future.
3⭐
The story is pretty straightforward; told through the perspective of our narrator, eleven-year-old Stuart, who goes to a movie-themed summer camp, only to find out some of the scary "special effects", aren't special effects at all.
I would say I enjoyed this one about equally as the first Coville book I read, although for different reasons. This one leans almost fully into comedy, and it works well for the most part.
This is a cute, quick, and amusing read great for all ages, and I look forward to reading more by Coville in the future.
3⭐
July 23, 2025
It seems that Fright Camp drew a little inspiration from this book’s premise (unless I’m stupid): a kid attends a horror themed camp where practical jokes are pulled daily by a famous film director/counselors. Unlike that book, however, this one did it good—and it’s not even a gimmick. If you look closely at the cover (I only saw it about twenty pages before I finished the book), Bigfoot it hiding in the darkness, alluding to the actual plot behind this book. It’s a really good read for what it is, and Bruce Coville’s writing is solid. The story is laid out well and leans into comedy a lot more than horror, which I assume most of his kids horror books tend to do just from the premises. Robert is a cool character and breaks usual trends you’d see from kids horror books going forth, being a main character who is also (mild spoiler) a ghost. The climax is fun and wraps up very well, and the ending is quite good. I’m glad this differed from the initial plot into something of its own thing. The book isn’t a spectacle and it does have some grammatical issues, plus I think it could’ve favored better if it were shorter and had less filler, but no less, it’s supposed to be a quick, entertaining read. Overall, 8/10. Feels weird that this came out in 1988, ten years before Fright Camp and a few years before the kids horror craze lol.
April 21, 2021
Decent story about a boy who goes to a summer camp run by a horror movie director and encounters some real paranormal things. Really short, so not a ton in the way of plot or characterization, but that’s fine. Might check out the next book in the series, but I’m not in a rush about it.
June 14, 2020
Only Coville would think of adding ghosts to a hell-at-summer-camp book! This is perfect if you plan to send a rambunctious kid to summer camp--or any away residence program, or to the lucky kid who didn't have to go!
November 11, 2012
Nothing like going to a summer camp for future filmmakers and making friends with the camp ghost. A fun, easy read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews