Demon Scout

The Demonic Cosmic Series #1

by Charleigh Frederick

Go door-to-door selling cookies to avoid an eternity in Hell? What could go wrong?

It's 1969, the year of the global Space Race, and Fawhikwuff the demon has made a dangerous bet with the most powerful demon in the Pits of Despair: he must come up with a plan to conquer the moon in one human year or he'll be sent to a place even demons don’t want to go to—Hell.

Annie Mae, a twelve-year-old Girl Scout from Virginia, has also entered a bet of sorts, but the prize she's trying to win is the chance to meet astronaut Michael Collins. To do that, she has to sell the most cookies in the country.

Upon meeting Annie Mae, Fawhikwuff hatches a plan that is as simple as it is ridiculous: If he helps Annie Mae sell the most cookies, he can meet Michael Collins—who is going to the moon—possess him, take his place, and claim the moon as his own. What could go wrong? What he doesn’t bargain for is the high drama and turmoil of the inner-life of twelve-year-old girls. Or unexpectedly coming to care about them.

Charleigh Frederick’s comedic and heartfelt tale combines found family, middle school squabbles, and demon antics into a wholesome, unforgettable story beloved by adults and children alike.

250 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2023

About the author

Charleigh Frederick is an author from Minnesota, whose works blur the line between good and evil. She got her BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Reg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi! I'm Reggie, the author Charleigh's teenage sister, and I had the pleasure of reading this book pre-publication. It is super unique in all the turns the plot takes and very fun with an overall feeling of summer care-free-ness (which is something with all the possession and sometimes not-light-hearted demonic acts). I laughed so hard while reading this, but I was also super invested in the journeys of the characters, very anxious for them. Demon Scout is genre-bending, mysterious, intriguing, extremely heartfelt and a big party, and I highly recommend it.

[Chuck Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun and creative read! You definitely want to read this -- even if the demon does have an odd, unpronounceable name! I was fortunate enough to get an early look. Please share and spread the word.

[Krysta Hutchens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely intrigued by this book after meeting the author at a local book fair and hearing about the storyline! The creativity shines through, and the writing is great. The heartwarming relationship between the demon and the Girl Scout is both adorable and entertaining. Fawhikwuff's witty remarks to Chloe had me giggling!

[Bow's Bookshelf Inc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demon Scout follows twelve-year-old Annie Mae, a Girl Scout from Virginia, who accidentally finds herself aiding a down-on-his-luck demon, Fawhikwuff. Through their wacky, fast-paced adventure, they gain confidence, acceptance, and a family they never knew they needed.

Charleigh blends humor, heart, and middle school drama in this wholesome middle grade tale.

I absolutely ADORE this book!

[C.J. Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just a pure blast (pun intended) from start to finish!

I had read “Rule 25: Don’t Fall for the Target” by this author earlier, and I had my sights set this book too. It’s way too much fun. The premise is platinum, the dialogue delightful, and it can be read on multiple levels (vastly entertaining and humorous, but there’s depth here too). A book like this could be developed into a whole series.

[Brittney Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, that was a weird little book, but I had an absolute blast! I was looking for something fun and light-hearted, and this was exactly what I needed. The humor was spot-on, and I found myself giggling on multiple occasions. Thank you for this silly story, Charleigh--it was so charming!

[Charleigh Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to everyone who has read my debut novel, Demon Scout! This was a fun one to write, and I hope you enjoy :)

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wild ride from start to finish. From a drunken bet, right into possessing a girl scout to get to the moon, to the whole thing with the agents, and the pettiest demon to walk the hells. Enjoyable for any middle schoolers and fun for adults.

Honestly, my biggest problem with the prose was the pace. Everything happened so fast that nothing really had time to settle. This would've been a five star book if the timeline was either more concise or the plot condensed down a bit to focus more on important stuff. It does appear that there's a sequel on the way, so I'm curious to see how things turn out.

Bumped up an extra star because I realized halfway through that the main characters names were puns and frankly that was hilarious.

[Aliyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had such a fun time reading this book!!! demon humor is so hilarious, fawhikwuff's come backs against chloe are to die for. i'm so glad i got the time to read this novel. while i was reading i noticed that annie mae and fawhikwuff are almost the exact same person and the only difference between them is that one a demon and the other is human. their relationship was so cute, it was really touching how annie mae became fawhikwuff's daughter and how he would go above and beyond to protect her. in the end she did become someone special to him. they can both count on each other for better, protective future. who knew demons were amazing in the cookie industry 🤷‍♀️

[Emmi Haug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demon Scout was such a fun book to read!! It was so wholesome and had a great foundation of love, friendship, and community. After I read it, my grandpa read it, and now my mom is reading it. I'm also going to recommend it to a couple middle schoolers I know, who are always looking for more books to read. This is definitely one of those books that gets passed around! The descriptions were so colorful and the suspense to find out what was going to happen next made it hard to put down. 10/10 would recommend!

[Katherine Higgs-Coulthard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for anyone who has ever sold, bought, or eaten Girl Scout Cookies. As a former leader and parent, I found myself nodding along with some of the depictions of the girls' experiences. The characters are well developed---Fawhikkwuff, self-proclaimed greatest demon, especially comes alive on the page. The plot is unusual: GS teams up with demon to sell cookies; but it is that ill-matched camaraderie that makes the story sing.

[Brieanna Wilkoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun concept for a book! I loved this idea - of a demon teaming up with a Girl Scout to sell cookies 😊 - but I also appreciate the heart of the characters. It's a sweet, funny middle grade novel that my daughter and I had a great time reading together.

[Ash N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fawhikwuff is the best demon character of 2023.

[Tanet Higgins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I actually liked it. It was a cute concept but not executed well. The end seemed rushed.

[Anya FitzGerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

fire.