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Ghoul Scouts: Welcome to Camp Croak!

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'Fans of Isadora Moon, Amelia Fang, Skeleton Keys are going to LOVE the adventures of this gang of Ghouls' – Lily and the Fae'An irresistible and very funny adventure… [that] demands to be read aloud' – Books for Keeps_______________When Lexie Wilde is dropped off at Scout Camp, little does she expect it to be full of zombies, werewolves and three-headed witches, who all become the best of friends. But Camp Croak is under threat from the charmingly foul Euphemia Vile, and they must all come together in order to succeed ... the first in a new series, GHOUL SCOUTS.Lexie Wilde was pretty sure she was supposed to be joining the Happy Hollow Camp for Joyful Boys and Girls for the summer. So why did her Grams just drop her off under a big ol' sign saying WELCOME TO CAMP CROAK? And is she really sharing a cabin with a werewolf, a skeleton, a fancy schmancy zombie and a baseball-hat-wearing ghost? Yep, looks like she is! After earning some rather unusual Ghoul Scout badges, Lexie becomes the best of friends with her new pals, and before long is one of the team. However, danger lurks as the dastardly Euphemia Vile has plans of her own. And when their beloved camp counsellors succumb to an odd sleeping sickness, Lexie and her new friends become suspicious ... can they overcome the saccharine sweetness of their new Scoutmaster and save Camp Croak? The first in a laugh-out-loud series for young readers, with hilarious integrated two-colour illustrations throughout.

30 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2020

4 people are currently reading
62 people want to read

About the author

Taylor Dolan

15 books9 followers

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5 stars
35 (41%)
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25 (29%)
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20 (23%)
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4 (4%)
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1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Laura.
1,285 reviews42 followers
April 23, 2022
L'idée de base est sympa, les dessins super chouettes (notamment Mimi Bouh), mais c'est beaucoup trop décousu ! On a vraiment la sensation parfois de sauter du coq à l'âne, sans aucune transition dans la narration. Dommage donc.
Profile Image for Lilyfae.
93 reviews4 followers
January 9, 2021
Ghoul Scouts is just WONDERFULLY kooky, spooky and sweet. I would have flipped for this book when I was a child and my 6 year old thinks this book is absolutely amazing!

The creepy gothic vibe that just celebrates the dark and kooky is wonderful, and each activity is chosen by and embraces the girls individuality and interests.
Taylor Dolan has put so much care into making the Ghouls a tale with the most wonderful disability representation from selective non-verbal to Double amputee and anxiety alongside the supernatural guises.
The nurturing and acceptance of their differences just with a spooky twist and these girls getting to be the heroes for once is actually a gorgeous affirming and empowering experience.
Fans of Isadora Moon, Amelia Fang, Skeleton Keys are going to LOVE the adventures of this gang of girls in the summer camp Wednesday Addams should’ve gone to in Addams Family Values.
Profile Image for Ⓢ Ⓨ.
168 reviews24 followers
March 15, 2024
Ghoul Scouts books are my 11 year old’s favourites at the moment, so I agreed to read one so we could chat about it.

Lexie is headed on summer camp and it isn’t what she’s expecting! This book follows her time at Camp Munster, earning badges, making friends and good conquering evil.

“This is not the Happy Hollow Camp for Joyful Boys and Girls. And I think my new Troop Leaders just might be… WITCHES”

This book is light hearted and fun with a lot of energy. The illustrations on each page are wonderfully done and are one of the reasons my daughter loves these books so much. It’s easy to read, with short chapters and is engaging enough to keep you turning the pages.

“My grams always says if you cover dog poo in glitter, it’s still just dog poo. And Queen Euphemia was a GIANT stinking hot pile of glittering poo”

I’m looking forward to reading more from the “very best number one storyteller in Shreveport”
Profile Image for Shivam.
88 reviews16 followers
December 31, 2020
Witty writing with characters full of heart topped with beautiful spooky artwork and you have a wonderful first book here. A thoroughly enjoyable and breezy read with some huge chuckles, puns and laugh out loud moments. Thoroughly recommended for kids of all ages, including the ones like me who refuse to grow up. Taylor Dolan is a writer-artist to look out for.
Profile Image for Alex.
16 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2020
This is a lovely book that is beautifully illustrated. Great for all ages and will make you laugh out loud. Go! Get this book! You won’t regret it.
Profile Image for Mag.
499 reviews26 followers
April 23, 2022
Trop loufoque pour la tranche d'âge à qui ce roman est destiné.
Profile Image for The Reading Ghost .
395 reviews13 followers
August 19, 2023
3,75

Une histoire toute mignonne pour les plus petits. Certes, le récit peut paraitre décousu et passant plusieurs fois du coq à l'âne mais vu l'âge auquel s'adresse ce livre c'est même plutôt normal (5+). L'essentiel d'une histoire y est. Les personnages sont attachants, l'intrigue est fun et les morales également. Et pour finir parlons des dessins qui sont juste magnifiques ! J'en ai eu plein les yeux !

De plus je trouve que c'est une bonne entrée dans la découverte du fantastique et du macabre.
Profile Image for Lex.
490 reviews11 followers
May 14, 2022
Literally gorgeous

Her name is Lexie... where was this when I was a v strange child at 7 hmmm???

Just the sweetest little tale about a girl who loves storytelling dropped into the middle of a spooky one; accidentally left at a summer camp for monsters in Louisiana, she learns that true evil comes from within (and achieves many excellent girl scout badges). The illustrations are adorable and the whole thing gives off Addam's Family kooky fun.

Brb buying this series
Profile Image for Sonia Donelli.
2,513 reviews114 followers
December 24, 2020
http://www.esmeraldaviaggielibri.it/l...

Ma la bellezza e le risate che mi ha fatto fare questo libro? Voi non potete nemmeno immaginare. È stato amore a prima vista, peccato non averlo potuto leggere nel periodo giusto visto che grida Halloween da ogni pagina. Pazienza ormai il momento è andato ma il libro resta ed è talmente bello da vedere che i vostri bimbi ne resteranno incantati e ne vorranno ancora.

Il messaggio che sta alla base di questa lettura è la forza della diversità. Già perché le piccole protagoniste non sono propriamente umane, ma questo non significa che non abbiano pregi e non sappiano cosa significhi essere amichevoli. Già perché l’unione fa la forza e solo unite riusciranno ad avere la meglio sul vero mostro che vuole impossessarsi di “Campo Ranocchia”.

Lexie è una bimba davvero speciale che ha un dono pazzesco nel raccontare storie, un giorno la nonna la porta a un campo scuola molto particolare. Non vi sono ragazzini come lei, ma piccoli mostri e le proprietarie sono delle streghe. Lexie inizialmente ha un pochino paura in fondo non conosce nessuno e trovarsi in stanza con una lupetta mannara, uno scheletro, una fantasmina e una zombie non è cosa da tutti i giorni. Nonostante la reticenza di Bebè (lo scheletro) Lexie mostra fin da subito che se c’è una cosa in cui eccelle questo è lo spirito di squadra. Uno spirito di squadra che trasmetterà anche alle altre piccole protagoniste che insieme riusciranno a sistemare una situazione parecchio annosa che potrebbe mettere a repentaglio la loro estate di divertimento con le signorine Prezzemolo, Salvia e Rosmarino e trasformarla in un incubo sotto la guida della signorina Eufemia Vile una donna che sotto quel trucco curato, quei capelli perfetti e quei vestiti così femminili nasconde un animo oscuro e tantissima crudeltà.

Lexie è pronta a tutto per riportare indietro le sue amiche e far tornare la gioia nel campo. Servirà l’aiuto di tutte quante se vogliono riuscire a cacciare la signorina Eufemia Vile, colei che vuole renderle tutte uguali e che non accetta la diversità e l’intraprendenza.

Insomma c’è parecchio lavoro da fare, prima bisogna farle credere di stare al gioco, i suoi metodi sono molto poco ortodossi e se capisce che non sei propensa a collaborare ti spedisce nel mondo dei sogni in un attimo. Lexie però è molto intelligente e escogita un piano infallibile sfruttando proprio le diversità delle piccole protagoniste. Perché la diversità è un punto di forza e non bisogna mai cercare di nasconderla.

Se avete nipotine intorno ai sei anni dovete far loro questo regalo, sono certa che ameranno Le bambine della palude. Una vacanza da paura!
Profile Image for Meagan.
241 reviews6 followers
March 3, 2020
FANTASTIC! I read this book in two sittings with my 5 year old niece and she loved it and so did I! It's GORGEOUSLY illustrated and my niece would flip back and forth to look at the illustrations when asking questions about the plot. She got the main points and loved the lessons in the book and I can tell she'll keep coming back to this book as she grows up and can appreciate even more of the story and lessons. As the adult in the situation I LOVED the lessons about confidence, team work, and even mental health! It sets such a great example for little girls and boys alike! I can't recommend it enough!
Profile Image for Rachael Miller.
42 reviews1 follower
May 14, 2020
What a fun read! I loved slipping back into young adult lit with this page turner. Creative, funny, and a great message. Loved it all around.
Profile Image for Helen.
1,456 reviews38 followers
February 10, 2021
I was lucky enough to have been at school during a visit from the author.
She was amazing, funny and a genuine nice person.
The book was good as you could imagine Taylor telling the story
Profile Image for Vivienne.
Author 2 books112 followers
August 4, 2023
‘Ghosts are Real. Same as vampires, chupacabras, radish monsters, sea beasties, swamp ghouls and Bigfoot. I swear on the life of my Grams and her five fat cats, I am telling you the whole truth. After all, I should know - my best friend is a Werewolf.”

My thanks to Guppy Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Ghost Scouts: Welcome to Camp Croak’ written and illustrated by Taylor Dolan. I will note that in some editions the series title is ‘Ghoul Scouts’, which I feel plays better as a take on ‘Girl Scouts’.

Every now and then I enjoy reading children’s fantasy fiction, especially when accompanied by quirky illustrations. Taylor Dolan’s opening book in her ‘Ghost/Ghoul Scouts’ series certainly fitted this criteria.

Lexie Wilde is a little wary of spending her summer at the Happy Hollow Camp for Joyful Boys and Girls. Then her Grams drops her off in the middle of the Louisiana swamp under a sign reading ‘WELCOME TO CAMP CROAK’. It turns out that her fellow campers include a werewolf, a skeleton, a fancy schmancy zombie and a baseball-hat-wearing ghost.

She is soon having fun gaining Ghoul Scout badges. Yet when their camp counsellors succumb to a mysterious sleeping sickness, they are replaced by the glamorous Euphemia Vile, who has plans of her own for Camp Croak. Oh dear!

Along with the adventures this is a story about friendship and the acceptance of difference.

The book is intended for readers aged 5-10 though age was no barrier to my enjoyment. Having grown up loving the cartoons of Charles Addams, ‘Welcome to Camp Croak’ certainly appealed to my inner younger Goth self, raising lots of smiles. I especially adored Dolan’s illustrations throughout.

I am certain that the book will appeal to young readers, especially those who enjoy all things spooky. I definitely plan to continue with this fun series.

Profile Image for Joey Susan.
1,254 reviews45 followers
August 24, 2023
Thank you so much to Guppy Books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Lexie is sent to an unusual summer camp with ghosts, witches, zombies, werewolves and skeletons. Learning skills that become useful as her councillors fall asleep and an a vile woman takes over, Lexie comes up with a plan to get rid of her.

This was very whimsical and odd, it was a fun read though and I really liked the setting at this really strange camp with just a few others there all of which were strange and unusual. It was an interesting addition adding in the new councillor who wanted everything to be the type of camp Lexie never wanted to attend. Then seeing what the girls will do whilst she is taking over and how they can get the camp back to what they enjoyed.

The characters were really fascinating and the fact they were all so different made it work better as each one could offer a different skill. I liked that Lexie wasn’t revealed to be anything supernatural but became best friends with everyone really quickly, even though she knew nothing really about them, she just fitted in and became friends and had a great summer with them.

It’s a very dark humour, but is a really easy and fun read. The characters are all very fascinating and the book is filled to the brim of illustrations that you have to stop and look at whilst reading they are really great and match the characters and story perfectly.
Profile Image for Mandy.
1,768 reviews29 followers
November 6, 2024
Children's fiction, first in a series. Lexie is excited to go to summer camp, but somehow she seems to have ended up at the wrong one. All of the other campers are not human-- ghosts, skeletons, zombies, etc. Lexie tries to make the best of it and gets to put her storytelling talents on display during a camp game. But when the camp leaders get a mysterious sleeping sickness and a suspicious scout master tries to take over, Lexie steps up to help her newfound friends reclaim camp as their own.

I had a hard time keeping up with the different characters- which name went with which image and which creature. The storyline was also a bit dark for my taste, though to be fair readers can tell the mood of the book from the cover. There were some funny moments, and while I am slightly curious as to the overall storyline I don't see myself continuing with this series.
Profile Image for Shelly LeBlanc.
99 reviews21 followers
March 16, 2020
With illustrations as beguiling as the storylines, this book has it all - creepy crawlies, unusual friendships and the best number one storyteller. The detail of the illustrations is amazing on every page and the story will leave you anxious for more adventures to be had. This beginning chapter book is the rarity that is entertaining for both parent and young reader. Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Iraa ☘️.
120 reviews
November 25, 2025
one of such cases where I'm not really into it, usually I'm a big fan of this type of children stories, the spooky vibes, the unique illustration, but iono abt this one, took me three days to finish despite being so short, and the writing style also not my taste, too spontaneous, shorts and fast paced but doesn't really fun to read..

3.25
Profile Image for Kayz.
69 reviews1 follower
August 20, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for a review.

I loved this cute little book! Drawing style was fab and the story was just adorable! I like the idea of a spooky camp! 😝 haha my only downer is I wish it was longer 🤣
Profile Image for Michelle.
430 reviews7 followers
January 3, 2024
Very funny and not particularly spooky despite having ghosts, werewolves and zombies in it. Love the illustrations. Favourite sentence - "Sweet Boo giggled, and continued to bounce like a happy dead marshmallow."
Profile Image for Farah G.
2,043 reviews39 followers
July 30, 2023
If she was being honest, although she loved Grams, Lexie Wilde was NOT looking forward to being packed off to the Happy Hollow Camp for Joyful Boys and Girls. But the place where her grandmother delivers her has a sign for Camp Croak instead - what's that about?

And the dodgy drop-off was just the beginning! All too soon, Lexie finds herself amidst werewolves, ghosts, zombies and all manner of scary creatures. Yet oddly enough, as she starts finding her feet in this strange company, she does not feel in the least scared...

This is a darkly humorous adventure with excellent illustrations. Recommended for those who enjoy a bit of spooky fun in their storytelling!

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
342 reviews1 follower
August 5, 2023
It is a fun read, packed with word plays and lovely illustrations. It is about a girl being sent to camp with a lot of strange creatures.
565 reviews18 followers
July 30, 2023
This went down very well with the children. After reading the book together they took it away to read amongst themselves which is always a good sign, (not complaining, I had a quiet coffee). Illustrations are lovely, the book is funny but unfair to old people ! Kids loved it, although Grandma was the but of some jokes.
Profile Image for Steph.
1,449 reviews87 followers
July 29, 2023
I saw this on Netgalley and was intrigued! This was fun, gorgeously gorgeously illustrated and had a wonderful bunch of characters! What happens when you end up going to the wrong camp… and then have to save your ghoulish camp mates and leaders?! Loved the colour scheme of this and I’d like to think there’s more too?! Perfect for fans of Amelia Fang!
Profile Image for Lilyfae.
93 reviews4 followers
January 9, 2021
Ghost Scouts is just WONDERFULLY kooky, spooky and sweet. I would have flipped for this book when I was a child and both my 4 and 7 year olds think this book is absolutely amazing!

The creepy gothic vibe that just celebrates the dark and kooky is wonderful, and each activity is chosen by and embraces the girls individuality and interests.
Taylor Dolan has put so much care into making the Ghouls a tale with the most wonderful disability representation from selective non-verbal to Double amputee and anxiety alongside the supernatural guises.
The nurturing and acceptance of their differences just with a spooky twist and these girls getting to be the heroes for once is actually a gorgeous affirming and empowering experience.
Fans of Isadora Moon, Amelia Fang, Skeleton Keys are going to LOVE the adventures of this gang of girls in the summer camp Wednesday Addams should’ve gone to in Addams Family Values.
Profile Image for clara✨.
292 reviews7 followers
January 23, 2023
« Inutile d'être courageux•se, il suffit de vouloir l'être et c'est déjà à moitié gagné. »

une petite histoire rigolote avec une héroïne qui n'a pas froid aux yeux.

malgré des illustrations vraiment superbes et des blagues plutôt drôles, j'ai trouvé que le tout était très décousu et pas toujours très clair, on ne sait trop où on va, ni ce que veux nous dire l'autrice.

je suis très septique face à cette histoire et encore plus lorsque je pense à la tranche d'âge pour lequel ce livre est destiné.

je suis plutôt mitigée donc.

🦇
Profile Image for Katey Flowers.
400 reviews116 followers
January 8, 2022
Quirky, spooky, silly, with expressive illustrations throughout. This wasn’t a personal favourite, but I can see the right kid really enjoying this.
14 reviews
May 3, 2022
Drôle mais il manque de l'aventure et de l'action
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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