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Camp Scare
An eerie, twisty ghost story about twelve-year-old Parker, who only wanted a summer of fun and new friendship, and the nightmare she finds instead.
Don't forget your flashlight. . . .
Parker Nelson can’t wait for summer camp. She’ll have fun and make amazing memories, far away from the bullies who made seventh grade unbearable.
But then something terrible The mean girl who made life a living nightmare is in Parker’s cabin. Soon all the other girls turn on Parker, too—no one wants to be her friend. Except Jenny.
Jenny’s the only one who is willing to listen. The only one who understands. The only one who feels the same way Parker That there's a deep, dark secret to making friends, and she’s the only one who doesn't know it.
But there’s something else Parker doesn’t know. Something bad happened at the camp a long time ago, and it just won’t stay buried. . . .
Don't forget your flashlight. . . .
Parker Nelson can’t wait for summer camp. She’ll have fun and make amazing memories, far away from the bullies who made seventh grade unbearable.
But then something terrible The mean girl who made life a living nightmare is in Parker’s cabin. Soon all the other girls turn on Parker, too—no one wants to be her friend. Except Jenny.
Jenny’s the only one who is willing to listen. The only one who understands. The only one who feels the same way Parker That there's a deep, dark secret to making friends, and she’s the only one who doesn't know it.
But there’s something else Parker doesn’t know. Something bad happened at the camp a long time ago, and it just won’t stay buried. . . .
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2022
45 people are currently reading
974 people want to read
About the author
Delilah S. Dawson
173 books2,781 followersDelilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy's Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
May 26, 2023
I had some trouble with The Violence by this writer (wrong book/wrong time) but I highly recommend Camp Scare to middle schoolers and to anyone that likes a creepy campground setting and stories about growing up as an outcast and standing up for yourself even when people refuse to believe you. It's about bullying, and mean girls and creepy goings-on and I could not stop listening.
August 5, 2022
Review coming soon.
April 9, 2023
What a delightful book. Delilah Dawson really has a way of making her characters not only sympathetic, but relatable. Its a very difficult thing for an author to make the audience sympathize so much. And she does it masterfully here.
The story of this book is about a girl named Parker who gets bullied at school and so is sent to a summer camp called "Camp Care" to try to make a new start. Unfortunately, her troubles are not over as she is not only bullied at the camp, but now inexplicable things are happening and being blamed on her. As Parker and the audience learn, there is more to Camp Care than meets the eye.
The plot of this book is really easy to follow and a quick read. There's not much wasted space, and Delilah Dawson perfectly nailed what it feels like to be at a summer camp. She also nails the feelings associated with being bullied by others.
Where this book potentially falters for younger readers is the subject matter. The book gets pretty dark at points, dealing with ghosts and even suicide and the darker elements of teen bullying.
Maybe your kid could handle this book. As always, I suggest parents read the book first to determine if they are ready for the book.
The book has several staples of Delilah Dawson writing. A female character who has to overcome difficult odds, a severe amount of gross elements (not necessarily scary, just gross), and more!
Overall, this is an entertaining book with a good message that might possibly be a little too dark for kids to read, depending on what they can handle. I'll give it an 8 out of 10! Well done Delilah Dawson.
The story of this book is about a girl named Parker who gets bullied at school and so is sent to a summer camp called "Camp Care" to try to make a new start. Unfortunately, her troubles are not over as she is not only bullied at the camp, but now inexplicable things are happening and being blamed on her. As Parker and the audience learn, there is more to Camp Care than meets the eye.
The plot of this book is really easy to follow and a quick read. There's not much wasted space, and Delilah Dawson perfectly nailed what it feels like to be at a summer camp. She also nails the feelings associated with being bullied by others.
Where this book potentially falters for younger readers is the subject matter. The book gets pretty dark at points, dealing with ghosts and even suicide and the darker elements of teen bullying.
Maybe your kid could handle this book. As always, I suggest parents read the book first to determine if they are ready for the book.
The book has several staples of Delilah Dawson writing. A female character who has to overcome difficult odds, a severe amount of gross elements (not necessarily scary, just gross), and more!
Overall, this is an entertaining book with a good message that might possibly be a little too dark for kids to read, depending on what they can handle. I'll give it an 8 out of 10! Well done Delilah Dawson.
November 27, 2022
There is a special, hollow little place in my heart for horror novels about bullying. It's a sense of "there but for the grace of God go I," an acknowledgement that I did make it out the other side of middle school, albeit in tatters. Dawson captures the pain of it, the horrible certainty that no adult will help because victim-blaming is so much easier to do. We have to grow up to be the helpers we never had.
I'm not sure I love the neatness of the ending. I'd have liked Cassandra to have to grapple with generational bullying more and Parker to have told more people about what was done to both her and Tori. But the book still resonated with me enough to make me type this much with a broken wrist.
I'm not sure I love the neatness of the ending. I'd have liked Cassandra to have to grapple with generational bullying more and Parker to have told more people about what was done to both her and Tori. But the book still resonated with me enough to make me type this much with a broken wrist.
September 7, 2025
Wow, this was what the doctor ordered. I really wanted a spooky, horror middle grade summer read, and this was perfect for that. This book gets really scary, but it's also an involved story with compelling characters.
I felt so bad for Parker for how she was bullied. The situation she was placed in affected me deeply. I was bullied as a kid and felt like an outsider, so it really connected with Parker. The situation in this camp was so messed up and there's a authentic message about how systems are designed to protect abusers and harm victims. The group think in that place was awful. And the fact that people know right and wrong but still go along with the crowd even if things don't seem right. I would consider this book a bit of social horror as well because of the bullying concept, and the gaslighting that Parker is being subject too. That was quite dark, and to be honest, the resolution regarding that didn't leave me satisfied.
As far as the supernatural elements, wow, this was quite scary, and it gets pretty dark too. Definitely a content warning for kids harmed/endangered. One part in particular is quite upsetting. That said, nothing crosses the line and it's not overly gory or anything like that. I think it's suitable for kids 12-13 or a more advanced younger 10-11 year old. I think this would make a good movie or short tv series. This is my first book by Delilah S. Dawson, and I definitely want to read more, although I'm a little nervous about reading her adult books. But based on her skill with this one, I can see she definitely is a skilled horror writer and in general.
I've never been to summer camp, although I was a girl scout and we did go camping. After reading this and another Summer Camp Horror book this summer, I'm glad I never went. It's good I can live vicariously through this book.
I really don't want to spoil anything, because the story is so good and the reveals are great. I'll just say, check this one out. The audiobook is really good. I got so involved with the story that I would keep listening when I got home from my commute. That's always a good sign.
I'd give this one 4.5 stars because it really was that good.
I felt so bad for Parker for how she was bullied. The situation she was placed in affected me deeply. I was bullied as a kid and felt like an outsider, so it really connected with Parker. The situation in this camp was so messed up and there's a authentic message about how systems are designed to protect abusers and harm victims. The group think in that place was awful. And the fact that people know right and wrong but still go along with the crowd even if things don't seem right. I would consider this book a bit of social horror as well because of the bullying concept, and the gaslighting that Parker is being subject too. That was quite dark, and to be honest, the resolution regarding that didn't leave me satisfied.
As far as the supernatural elements, wow, this was quite scary, and it gets pretty dark too. Definitely a content warning for kids harmed/endangered. One part in particular is quite upsetting. That said, nothing crosses the line and it's not overly gory or anything like that. I think it's suitable for kids 12-13 or a more advanced younger 10-11 year old. I think this would make a good movie or short tv series. This is my first book by Delilah S. Dawson, and I definitely want to read more, although I'm a little nervous about reading her adult books. But based on her skill with this one, I can see she definitely is a skilled horror writer and in general.
I've never been to summer camp, although I was a girl scout and we did go camping. After reading this and another Summer Camp Horror book this summer, I'm glad I never went. It's good I can live vicariously through this book.
I really don't want to spoil anything, because the story is so good and the reveals are great. I'll just say, check this one out. The audiobook is really good. I got so involved with the story that I would keep listening when I got home from my commute. That's always a good sign.
I'd give this one 4.5 stars because it really was that good.
March 2, 2023
A chilling ghost story, but more than that, a raw and honest look at bullying, at the pain and challenges of being the odd one out, an empathetic tale for everyone struggling to belong and be understood without losing sight of themselves.
May 28, 2024
i have learned that books where people that do bad things to others and don't get appropriately punished for them are not for me, i guess.
June 21, 2023
I’ve wanted to read this book from the moment I saw its cover while browsing the kids’ chapter books at work. I mean, that dripping burnt marshmallow skull is so badass, am I right? Yet again, my tendency to judge a book by its cover has PAID OFF.
I really loved Camp Scare!
It’s a middle grade horror novel about a super-cool kid named Parker. She gets bullied by classmates and as a…consolation prize?…gets to go to summer camp for free, which seems cool until Parker realizes that she’s in the *same cabin* as Cassandra, one of the girls who bullied her! To make matters worse, all of the other girls in the cabin have known each other and Cassandra since they were little, and Parker is the odd one out. If that’s not bad enough, some truly freaky stuff starts happening at camp, and hushed rumors about some tragedy that happened back in 1988 suggest that the camp might be haunted by a ghost called Gory Tori. 😱
The author’s writing is engaging and clear, and the suspense is real. I could NOT put this book down. The atmosphere is positively creepy, but it probably helps that I was able to imagine all the happenings at a summer camp I went to when I was Parker’s age.
This story has some genuinely scary moments! Like, it’s scarier than some adult horror I’ve read lately! I’m surprised, really, that it’s middle grade and not YA. There are some necessary trigger warnings: ⚠️⚠️
I love the way this book ends, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a spooky read that doesn’t shy away from how children and adults alike can be truly horrible. I’m jealous of today’s young readers because I definitely did not read anything like this as a preteen, but I’m so glad kids today have books like these.
I really loved Camp Scare!
It’s a middle grade horror novel about a super-cool kid named Parker. She gets bullied by classmates and as a…consolation prize?…gets to go to summer camp for free, which seems cool until Parker realizes that she’s in the *same cabin* as Cassandra, one of the girls who bullied her! To make matters worse, all of the other girls in the cabin have known each other and Cassandra since they were little, and Parker is the odd one out. If that’s not bad enough, some truly freaky stuff starts happening at camp, and hushed rumors about some tragedy that happened back in 1988 suggest that the camp might be haunted by a ghost called Gory Tori. 😱
The author’s writing is engaging and clear, and the suspense is real. I could NOT put this book down. The atmosphere is positively creepy, but it probably helps that I was able to imagine all the happenings at a summer camp I went to when I was Parker’s age.
This story has some genuinely scary moments! Like, it’s scarier than some adult horror I’ve read lately! I’m surprised, really, that it’s middle grade and not YA. There are some necessary trigger warnings: ⚠️⚠️
I love the way this book ends, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a spooky read that doesn’t shy away from how children and adults alike can be truly horrible. I’m jealous of today’s young readers because I definitely did not read anything like this as a preteen, but I’m so glad kids today have books like these.
July 7, 2024
Bullying is the main topic of this book so it did get me quite angry in parts, but not in a mad at the book way, I just wanted to punch some of the characters lol. I think its an important topic for the age group in which this is geared towards though. It hits on some heavy topics and I think many people will relate. If you do not like reading about mean girls, skip it. Its infuriating. The kids in this book are SO MEAN! I felt so bad for Parker. The bullying starts very quick into the story too and is still going strong at 80% in. Because of that the book did start to feel a bit repetitive for me by the end. I also had a bit of an issue with the way the story was wrapped up but overall I still think it was a good read. It had a spooky mystery going on too that was interesting, all though pretty predictable. I had a good time listening to the audiobook though. The narrator was great.
March 16, 2023
Trigger warnings: Bullying, self harm, suicide.
This book goes from being a mildly spooky summer camp story to a graphic depiction of self harm and a character being driven to suicide with almost zero warning, so that is definitely a thing to be aware of if you're thinking of purchasing it for a younger child. I strongly recommend reading it yourself before doing so, and maybe having a discussion about it after the fact. That's not to say it wasn't an enjoyable book, but definitely not one for more sensitive audiences. I did enjoy the setting and the general "ghost story" feel of it, but felt the ending went way too far considering the target audience.
This book goes from being a mildly spooky summer camp story to a graphic depiction of self harm and a character being driven to suicide with almost zero warning, so that is definitely a thing to be aware of if you're thinking of purchasing it for a younger child. I strongly recommend reading it yourself before doing so, and maybe having a discussion about it after the fact. That's not to say it wasn't an enjoyable book, but definitely not one for more sensitive audiences. I did enjoy the setting and the general "ghost story" feel of it, but felt the ending went way too far considering the target audience.
Read
July 7, 2024This was a summer reading book for my upcoming 6th grader (how lucky are they?!) and I wanted to read with her so that we could discuss. WHAT a perfect book for ages 10-12! It's just the right amount of scary while being age appropriate. Think Goosebumps for older kids. Highly recommend.
November 7, 2023
Trigger warnings: bullying, death (in the past), physical injury
I read Mine a year or so ago and really enjoyed it, so I was very interested to see how this one would go. And, like, it was FINE? But probably 80% of the book felt like a middle grade contemporary story about bullying rather than the horror book the cover and the blurb promised me. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of moments that were unsettling. But it was nowhere near what I anticipated, having read Mine. Add in a really abrupt ending and the whole thing was honestly kind of a bummer.
I read Mine a year or so ago and really enjoyed it, so I was very interested to see how this one would go. And, like, it was FINE? But probably 80% of the book felt like a middle grade contemporary story about bullying rather than the horror book the cover and the blurb promised me. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of moments that were unsettling. But it was nowhere near what I anticipated, having read Mine. Add in a really abrupt ending and the whole thing was honestly kind of a bummer.
August 3, 2025
Camp Scare by Delilah S. Dawson
🎒 spooky summer camp | 👻 ghost story | 🧠 neurodivergent-coded MC
➡️ ᴀᴅᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʙʀ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ:
° like your horror with heart (and a flashlight)
° still think about how brutal middle school friendships were
° love fast-paced plots with meaningful messages
° want a good Summerween-to-Falloween bridge
➡️ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Parker thought camp would be an escape from bullies and bad memories—but when the girl who made her life miserable shows up in her cabin, things go downhill fast. The only person who seems to get Parker is Jenny… but Jenny isn’t quite what she seems. And the camp? It has its own buried past that’s clawing its way to the surface.
➡️ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🤍
(A spooky-but-accessible read that layers real-world trauma with ghost story chills.)
This author is officially an auto-buy for me. Not because she reinvents the genre, but because she just perfectly matches my reader vibe: she magically weaves character work to make it feel like I'm only reading plot and dialogue. It’s like she’s casting a spell and I barely notice I’m turning pages until it’s over.
As someone who grew up an undiagnosed autistic kid, Parker’s experience hit hard. She’s observant, thoughtful, and trying to crack the code of fitting in—while trying to guess what the "rules" of fitting in even are. The bullying in this story felt all too real, but the message? Even more powerful.
So yes, this is creepy. Although I was able to guess the first twist, the second one surprised me. But the heart of the story is about choosing to be yourself in a world that punishes you for it. And to me, that’s the scariest—and most inspiring—thing of al that Parker encompassed.
❓Were you ever the outsider trying to figure out the “rules” no one ever explained, or could you fit in pretty easily?
🎒 spooky summer camp | 👻 ghost story | 🧠 neurodivergent-coded MC
➡️ ᴀᴅᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʙʀ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ:
° like your horror with heart (and a flashlight)
° still think about how brutal middle school friendships were
° love fast-paced plots with meaningful messages
° want a good Summerween-to-Falloween bridge
➡️ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Parker thought camp would be an escape from bullies and bad memories—but when the girl who made her life miserable shows up in her cabin, things go downhill fast. The only person who seems to get Parker is Jenny… but Jenny isn’t quite what she seems. And the camp? It has its own buried past that’s clawing its way to the surface.
➡️ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🤍
(A spooky-but-accessible read that layers real-world trauma with ghost story chills.)
This author is officially an auto-buy for me. Not because she reinvents the genre, but because she just perfectly matches my reader vibe: she magically weaves character work to make it feel like I'm only reading plot and dialogue. It’s like she’s casting a spell and I barely notice I’m turning pages until it’s over.
As someone who grew up an undiagnosed autistic kid, Parker’s experience hit hard. She’s observant, thoughtful, and trying to crack the code of fitting in—while trying to guess what the "rules" of fitting in even are. The bullying in this story felt all too real, but the message? Even more powerful.
So yes, this is creepy. Although I was able to guess the first twist, the second one surprised me. But the heart of the story is about choosing to be yourself in a world that punishes you for it. And to me, that’s the scariest—and most inspiring—thing of al that Parker encompassed.
❓Were you ever the outsider trying to figure out the “rules” no one ever explained, or could you fit in pretty easily?
February 10, 2024
Ugh, the insidious pervasiveness of bullying. This book was painfully good at showing how there's not really anything adults can do about bullying no matter how much they're against it. I felt so bad for little Parker, and was perversely glad when she had taken so much crap that she just stopped caring and started speaking truth all the time. The fact that Parker ultimately had to solve her own bullying is both sad and empowering, but the utter mud she had to slog through to get there was heartbreaking.
June 25, 2023
3.5* an enjoyable spooky middle grade! i do wish there was a bit more spook factor, but i thought this had great internal conflict and a great message.
March 29, 2023
this book was good in the depiction of bullying and navigating situations like that, and a bit worse when it came to ghosts and paranormal stuff. it was also pretty slow and uneventful at times. however, i still liked and appreciated it because of the brave and hard-hitting portrayal of how mean and cruel both kids and adults can be. i was rooting for parker and wanted better for her. the writing was pretty good, too, i even highlighted some passages along the way. some scenes were truly just so frustrating, but they were described with honesty and understanding of the main character's pain.
"but that's the thing about bullying, isn't it? adults always say they'll help, but then they don't. it's like they think a bully is this tall kid who punches you in front of everyone in the hallway for your lunch money, when really it's a pretty girl with a smile saying things that could almost sound nice if she wasn't sneering."
i think that ultimately this is a valuable story, but it really could have been much more creepy. camp settings are perfect for that kind of stuff. the ending, unfortunately, wasn't my favorite (again, the paranormal thing was a bit too lukewarm), but everything was resolved and questions were answered. maybe 3.25 stars.
"but that's the thing about bullying, isn't it? adults always say they'll help, but then they don't. it's like they think a bully is this tall kid who punches you in front of everyone in the hallway for your lunch money, when really it's a pretty girl with a smile saying things that could almost sound nice if she wasn't sneering."
i think that ultimately this is a valuable story, but it really could have been much more creepy. camp settings are perfect for that kind of stuff. the ending, unfortunately, wasn't my favorite (again, the paranormal thing was a bit too lukewarm), but everything was resolved and questions were answered. maybe 3.25 stars.
October 3, 2023
2.75 stars. You know there’s a reason why The Childern of the Corn are depicted as middle schoolers!!! Like damn why are middle schoolers so evil?!?! Ya’ll be doing too much. And the adults in this book are no better. Bunch of bing bats
August 24, 2022
Heathers meets Jason Voorhees in a fun YA summer camp.
November 7, 2024
I had a lot of fun with this paranormal middle grade story.
Young Parker has a history with bullies. She's been tormented by the popular kids at school, so when school is out, it's the perfect opportunity for her to broaden her horizons at Camp Care. But when she arrives she is shocked to find one of her bullies at the camp. As her hopes for a new way forward become tricky and strange happenings occur around camp, can Parker get to the bottom of it?
I love camp-themed stories. There's just something magical about it. I didn't enjoy my time at camp in fifth grade, and Parker is much the same, which helped me relate to her a lot. There's a constant sense of mystery and some light chills as strange things happen around camp that I really loved. Each chapter was fast paced, and the drama was balanced well with the creepy happenings. The writing was well done and flowed smoothly from page to page.
Parker herself was easy to understand, and her POV came off as an authentic tween to me. She's intelligent and resourceful, but those traits seem to be ignored by most. Her strange friend Jenny was an interesting character, and her antagonistic cabin mates helped amp up the dramatics. Many people (myself included) have been bullied in grade school, and this is a prominent theme throughout the book.
I would have liked to see Parker given a bit more leeway in her arguments. It felt that everyone around her was ignorant to a fault, and that took me out of the story a bit. I also felt that the big reveal was easy to predict, even for a younger reader, so that lessened the spooky parts for me.
Overall, not a bad book if you want to introduce your younger reader to paranormal fantasy or need a quick read with some light thrills.
Young Parker has a history with bullies. She's been tormented by the popular kids at school, so when school is out, it's the perfect opportunity for her to broaden her horizons at Camp Care. But when she arrives she is shocked to find one of her bullies at the camp. As her hopes for a new way forward become tricky and strange happenings occur around camp, can Parker get to the bottom of it?
I love camp-themed stories. There's just something magical about it. I didn't enjoy my time at camp in fifth grade, and Parker is much the same, which helped me relate to her a lot. There's a constant sense of mystery and some light chills as strange things happen around camp that I really loved. Each chapter was fast paced, and the drama was balanced well with the creepy happenings. The writing was well done and flowed smoothly from page to page.
Parker herself was easy to understand, and her POV came off as an authentic tween to me. She's intelligent and resourceful, but those traits seem to be ignored by most. Her strange friend Jenny was an interesting character, and her antagonistic cabin mates helped amp up the dramatics. Many people (myself included) have been bullied in grade school, and this is a prominent theme throughout the book.
I would have liked to see Parker given a bit more leeway in her arguments. It felt that everyone around her was ignorant to a fault, and that took me out of the story a bit. I also felt that the big reveal was easy to predict, even for a younger reader, so that lessened the spooky parts for me.
Overall, not a bad book if you want to introduce your younger reader to paranormal fantasy or need a quick read with some light thrills.
November 6, 2022
In CAMP SCARE, written by Delilah S. Dawson, seventh grader Parker Nelson wants nothing more than to fit in, so when Cassandra DiVecchio—one of the popular girls from school—invites Parker to her house under the guise of working on a class project, the bullying that ensues goes viral.
As a way to make ‘amends,’ the school awards Parker with a scholarship to attend a week-long summer camp four hours away called Camp Care, a mountain setting in Georgia—a place known for its ‘commitment to emotional health and its zero-tolerance stance toward bullying,’ according to its website, that is anything but.
From day one, Parker is turned on and made to feel like an outsider by fellow campers and counselors who don’t believe her protests of innocence, that is, until Parker meets her new friend, Jenny, the only one who believes her.
As someone who was bullied as a kid many, many moons ago, and believe it or not, even as an adult, I can definitely relate to what Parker goes through and what she is forced to endure from kids and adults, which is more than heartbreaking.
Let us not forget CAMP SCARE is a Children’s Horror Novel that uses these elements to amp up the tension by revealing an even darker side of Camp Care’s history that refuses to be buried.
Is This A Difficult Read In Terms Of Subject Matter?
Yes!
Is CAMP SCARE A Book I Recommend To Create Awareness And Necessary Change?
Most Definitely!
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books (Delacorte Press), for providing me with an eARC of CAMP SCARES at the request of an honest review.
Ages: 10 & Up
Grades: 5 – 7
As a way to make ‘amends,’ the school awards Parker with a scholarship to attend a week-long summer camp four hours away called Camp Care, a mountain setting in Georgia—a place known for its ‘commitment to emotional health and its zero-tolerance stance toward bullying,’ according to its website, that is anything but.
From day one, Parker is turned on and made to feel like an outsider by fellow campers and counselors who don’t believe her protests of innocence, that is, until Parker meets her new friend, Jenny, the only one who believes her.
As someone who was bullied as a kid many, many moons ago, and believe it or not, even as an adult, I can definitely relate to what Parker goes through and what she is forced to endure from kids and adults, which is more than heartbreaking.
Let us not forget CAMP SCARE is a Children’s Horror Novel that uses these elements to amp up the tension by revealing an even darker side of Camp Care’s history that refuses to be buried.
Is This A Difficult Read In Terms Of Subject Matter?
Yes!
Is CAMP SCARE A Book I Recommend To Create Awareness And Necessary Change?
Most Definitely!
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books (Delacorte Press), for providing me with an eARC of CAMP SCARES at the request of an honest review.
Ages: 10 & Up
Grades: 5 – 7
October 14, 2023
Don’t forget your flashlight.
🏕️
Parker Nelson is so ready for camp after she was bullied by Cassandra and her friends during the school year. The bullying was so bad that she got a scholarship to Camp Care. When she arrives, she can’t believe Cassandra is there too and immediately starts spreading rumors about Parker. Camp Care is not living up to its name. Parker befriends fellow outcast Jenny, who gets how Parker is feeling. When campers start getting hurt, everyone blames newcomer, Parker, but there are more sinister works at play here.
🔥
This cover has you thinking this is going to be a horror novel but honestly the scariest part for me was the bullying that occurred throughout the book. I felt so bad for Parker the entire time and just wanted her to leave this awful camp. I think this will spark empathy in kids, especially those who also love a good ghost story too. This one is for upper MG readers. It’s also a great title to recommend for antibullying week coming up.
CW: bullying, self-harm, suicide, gaslighting, theft, cyberbullying
🏕️
Parker Nelson is so ready for camp after she was bullied by Cassandra and her friends during the school year. The bullying was so bad that she got a scholarship to Camp Care. When she arrives, she can’t believe Cassandra is there too and immediately starts spreading rumors about Parker. Camp Care is not living up to its name. Parker befriends fellow outcast Jenny, who gets how Parker is feeling. When campers start getting hurt, everyone blames newcomer, Parker, but there are more sinister works at play here.
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This cover has you thinking this is going to be a horror novel but honestly the scariest part for me was the bullying that occurred throughout the book. I felt so bad for Parker the entire time and just wanted her to leave this awful camp. I think this will spark empathy in kids, especially those who also love a good ghost story too. This one is for upper MG readers. It’s also a great title to recommend for antibullying week coming up.
CW: bullying, self-harm, suicide, gaslighting, theft, cyberbullying
December 28, 2022
Thank you to PRH Audio for providing me with a complimentary audiobook of Camp Scare!
10/10 recommend Camp Scare to all of the middle graders in the world! Not only is there a spooky setting, but important messages are woven throughout the story. Also, there are some solid creepy scenes!
10/10 recommend Camp Scare to all of the middle graders in the world! Not only is there a spooky setting, but important messages are woven throughout the story. Also, there are some solid creepy scenes!
October 22, 2024
This was more about bullying than it was a horror. I felt so bad for Parker. She just wanted to be treated well and everyone was so mean to her. I didn't find the ending satisfying because no one really got their just rewards. We don't know if anyone truly changed. Poor Parker.
August 23, 2024
3.5 stars. Quite enjoyable to read but better suited for a much younger audience.
May 5, 2025
This one surprised me and was pretty good. The one scene actually made me a little squeamish. I very rarely read middle grade anymore, but I would recommend this one.
July 4, 2024
Solid YA horror/mystery.
November 23, 2024
I read this to my boys at bedtime… Gory Tori got a little scary for them at night but they all loved it and it was a page turner for them.
September 12, 2025
2.5 stars
I know this is a middle grade book, but the same thing happened over and over and over. And the suicide plot at the end came out of nowhere and seemed unnecessary.
I know this is a middle grade book, but the same thing happened over and over and over. And the suicide plot at the end came out of nowhere and seemed unnecessary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2024
🏕️👻💀😟
But tonight, for some reason, she startled awake. Her eyes popped open, and she tried to figure out what had roused her. She was on her side, sheet pulled up over her shoulder, just he right temperature. There were no sounds but the leaves rustling outside and eleven people softly breathing. Nothing moved-
Except, yes, something moved.
The screen door should've been latched, but it wasn't. It was open just a few inches, swaying gently. It was dark by the door, the moon hidden behind the clouds, and it looked as if something had spilled on the floorboards—a puddle of water, maybe. As Parker watched, unmoving, trying not to breathe, she heard a faint dripping noise.
Someone was standing there in the dark, just standing there in their Camo Care uniform. And something wet was dripping down from their hands. spilled on the floorboards—a puddle of water, maybe. As Parker watched, unmoving, trying not to breathe, she heard a faint dripping noise.
Someone was standing there in the dark, just standing were in their Camp Care uniform. And something wet' was dripping down from their hands.
Parker's sleep-addled brain tried to puzzle it out. Maybe one of the girls had gone to the bathroom, or run out in a brief rainstorm?
Or maybe they'd snuck out to play in the lake? Maybe this was some sick joke, like the girls in her cabin were trying to scare her into leaving. Or maybe one of them was framing her as Cassandra had, trying to get her to do enough trouble that she’d get sent home early.
had, trying to get her into big enough trouble that she'd get sent immediately home.
"Hello?" she called softly. "I can see you."
The figure began to turn, lifting one dripping hand, and—
"Pillow fight!" someone shouted.
The door banged open and bounced off the wall. In charged ten girls in their pajamas holding pillows and shrieking. Someone hit the lights, and the rest of Possum cabin erupted out of their beds, grabbed their own pillows, and began swinging. Park could only watch, stunned, as feathers filled the air and nineteen giris screeched like banshees.
When the lights were on, she hadn't seen anything over by the screen door —no mysterious person, no wet spot where she'd definitely seen a dark, spreading puddle.
She must've been dreaming, or having sleep paralysis, or something, because she was certain she'd seen someone there. She stared at the door for so long without blinking that her eyes watered down her cheek onto her pillow. She just couldn't bring herself to turn away, to stop watching that door.
"Did you leave the door unlatched last night?" she asked Jasmine while the other girls descended on the bathroom to get ready.
It was a bright day, and the cabin was aglow with morning sun.
White and brown feathers dusted the floor, but over by the door, there was nothing to indicate there had ever been a puddle of water.
"Did you leave the door unlatched last night?" she asked Jasmine while the other girls descended on the bathroom to get ready.
Jasmine frowned. "No. They usually knock, and someone lets them in. You can't just pop it open from outside."
"But they just ran in."
Jasmine walked over to the door and fiddled with th atch.
"Huh. It seems totally normal. Although—ew. What?"
She pulled back her hand from the doorknob, and there was smear of red on it.
Whatever it was...it looked like blood.
"What if it's... Gory Tori?" Parker whispered.
Jasmine winced. "Where'd you hear about that? Never mind. don't want to know. Definitely don't talk about that again. There are rules, and then there are Rules with a capital R, and that on
get
you kicked out. It's just a stupid story some kids made up. It's not real."
"How do you know?"
Jasmine sighed and rolled her eyes. "I've been going here since I was six, every year, and then two full summers as a counselor, and I've never heard any facts, seen any evidence, or even been able to patch together a story that made any sense. It's just two words that kids whisper when they want to seem cool and scare the first graders, because every sleepaway camp ever has to have its own dumb rumor."
Parker was watching Addison, wondering what it would be like to be that tall and sure of yourself, that well-liked by the people around you. Getting good grades was a private thing, unless you bragged about it, which, yes, Parker probably did too much. But being good at archery or fishing was a public thing, like singing or dancing, and she wanted to know what it would be like to have people watch her do something and be jealous.
And because she was watching Addison so closely, Parker saw the exact moment it happened.
Addison had her back to the group as she pulled her last arrow out of the plywood, and then, suddenly, with no warning whatsoever or even the telltale twang of the string, an arrow thudded into the back of her arm, halfway between her shoulder and her elbow.
For a split second, it wiggled like an antenna.
She was the only one who saw Grey searching the underbrush in the forest behind the bench.
She was the only one who saw him squat and poke around the ground with a stick.
She was the only one who saw him stand up, holding a bow and quiver where no bow and quiver had any right to be.
Maybe it really was like a sleepaway camp horror movie-maybe some twisted guy in a mask was trying to pick them off one by one from the safety of the forest. Or maybe it was Gory Tori. A ghost could spook a horse, probably, and... well, okay, so a ghost probably couldn't shoot a bow and arrow, and Parker still wasn't willing to believe in ghosts. But maybe...a demon could possess someone and make them do it? Or maybe Gory Tori was dangerous troublemaker, some past camper or angry mountain man who wanted revenge?
So, yeah, I tried to fit in. Maybe it's time everyone else tried to accept me for who I actually am.
Cassandra had a broken arm. Addison had been shot. Sydney had been poisoned.
Something very dangerous was happening at camp, and all they could do was call people into the office and talk about being good teammates. It was preposterous.
But as she got closer, she could hear him shouting. His door was ajar, and she flattened herself against the wall of his cabin to listen.
"No, I'm telling you she said, 'Jenny McAllister.' I am absolutely, one hundred percent sure we don't have a Jenny this week. Yes, I checked the roster. And the girl she described looked exactly like...no, not like Jenny. Like...her. Messy long blond hair, dark brown eyes, freckles. And those bracelets up both arms. Those photos were never released. You have to know exactly where to look online to find them. Thank God there was no Internet in the eighties."
He paused and kicked his trash can, judging by the loud clank and thump.
"All these years, and we've never had another accident.
tragedy, and there's nothing you could've done to stop it, don't get me wrong, but that girl wasn't right, and this isn't right either. I called the real Jenny McAllister, just to see if anyone had been dredging up old stories, but she said there's been nothing." A pause.
"She's in her early forties now. She was such a pretty thing, and an ideal camper. And, then, what happened...The poor girl.
"I know, I know. But it was a long time ago. What happened was terrible, but it's like Mom always said: We have to keep going. We do important work here. We can't save 'em all. It must be somebody sneaking in to mess with us. A prank. Or maybe this new kid is just a bad seed. I've got all the counselors on the lookout, and we'll check the fences, too."
"You said Cassandra was bullying you," she said, her voice low and ominous. "And now she's not. Then it was Addison. She's gone.
Then Sydney. She's gone. Who's bullying you now? Who's making you want to leave, Parker? The director? Is he the problem?"
he's just bad at it. He doesn't like me, but nobody does. I don't know. Just because a couple of bullies disappear doesn't mean everything is suddenly okay."
Jenny growled, low in her throat. "It should. If you get rid of them, the bullies shouldn't be able to hurt you anymore."
All the skin prickled up Parker's neck and down her arms. She swallowed, her throat dry.
"Get rid of them," Jenny had said.
Get rid of them.
"Jenny, did you do something...bad?" she asked.
Jenny's head slowly swiveled toward her. "They got what they deserved."
If what Jenny had said was true, then Parker had been hanging out with someone very dangerous. With someone... evil.
Jenny had caused Cassandra's horse to buck.
She'd shot Addison with an arrow.
She'd poisoned Sydney.
And now—oh no.
Now she was going to be mad at Parker, too
Jenny was real, and whatever game she was playing was dangerous.
Parker understood now. "You're Gory Tori."
The other girl nodded. "You can just say Tori, you know. They told me my name was weird. They told me a lot of things."
"And Jenny.." Parker's teeth wanted to chatter, but she fought it. "That was your diary, wasn't it? Jenny McAllister was the girl who bullied you." She looked to Cassandra. "Are you saying Jenny McAllister is your mom?"
"Yes, but she's lying!" Cassandra shouted, glancing swiftly from Tori to Parker. "My mom said Tori was the bully. That she kept trying to force everybody to be her friend. That she had no boundaries. That she wouldn't take no for an answer. That she was creepy and weird and a stalker and would do anything for attention." Parker kicked Cassandra's foot and shook her head. Making
Jenny—no, Tori, Gory Tori, the camp ghost-
Making her angry wasn't going to help anybody.
"She was a bully!" Tori shrieked back. "She was mean! She called me names and made me sit on ketchup and told everybody it was my first period, She ran my bra up the flagpole, she and her clique, I tried so hard to be nice. I gave them my cookies at lunch and made them friendship bracelets and swept the cabin every morning and made their beds, but they were still mean to me. Until…”
and made them menaship acces aud
morning and made their beds, but they were still mean to me.
Until...
Tori swayed as she spoke, her voice high and quavering. "Jenny said they'd changed their minds. That I'd proved I was a good friend, but if I wanted to truly fit in, I had tp become a bod sister to her and her three best friends, the most popular girls in camp.
They told me the ritual would take place on Friday night-right here, the boiler room cabin, because nobody ever went there. Jenny said I had to go inside at midnight and use chalk to draw a circle on the floor, and I had to sit there and make a little cut on each wrist to prove my loyalty, and then they would all come in and join me and we'd touch our cuts together and be bound by blood forever."
"That's messed up," Parker murmured, but Tori wasn't listening.
Cassandra grabbed her wrist, hard, tears streaming down her face.
"So I did. I made friendship bracelets for each of them, and I drew my circle and used the pocketknife Jenny gave me to make teeny little cuts exactly how she told me to."
Tori held up her left arm and pulled back the layers of bracelets to show a deep, red cut longways on her wrist. Blood dripped down to her elbow and puddled on the floor. She did the same with her right arm to show the same red-rimmed wound
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
to show a deep, red cut longways on ner wrist, blood anipped down to her elbow and puddled on the floor. She did the same with her right arm to show the same red-rimmed wound.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
"I did exactly what she said," Tori whispered. "And I waited.
And they never came. It was so cold. And the blood came too fast. It wouldn't stop. When I tried to leave and go to the nurse's cabin the boiler room door was locked."
Parker followed Tori's line of sight to the back of the door. It was covered in scratches and smeared with blood. A fingernail was caught between two boards.
"I died here," Tori said. "And so will you."
"I thought you said we'd be best friends," Parker said.
Tori's glare went dark. "And then you said we weren't friends anymore.
"Because you hurt people! Sydney and Addison and" She looked at Cassandra, who was trying to wedge her fingers ne door.
"I hurt the people who bullied you the same way I wish someone had hurt the people who bullied me.
Because-well, with all the Cassandra stuff, Parker had kind of forgotten why they were here.
She'd forgotten they were trapped with a ghost.
She turned to face Tori, whose fingers played up and down the bracelets on her bloody wrists. "Aren't you going to attack us? Why are you letting us argue and cry like this?"
Tori grinned, showing black-rimmed teeth. "Because it's funny.
Because I've got nothing better to do. And because you're trapped here, just like me. You can do whatever you want. Scream, cry, argue, apologize. None of it matters. You don't matter. Camp doesn't care about you, just like it didn't care about me. No one hear you, and you'll slowly rot here until you die. Jenny McAllister will finally get to feel some of the pain she put out into the world..." She held out a blood-wet pinkie. "And you and I will really be best friends forever."
"I told you," Tori reminded them. "You can't leave."
"Why would we believe you?" Parker shot back. "You're a ghost."
But something was keeping Tori here, allowed her to take form.
Was there some way to get rid of her? To send her back to-wherever she was supposed to be? What held her here, besides the desire for revenge against those who'd hurt her?
They couldn't get out through the door or window, and the walls were solid. Parker looked down at the floor. Theré was something there, a heavy white line on the graying wood boards. It had to be the chalk circle Tori had drawn, as bright and powdery as the day she stood here, young and hopeful and alive, fully believing that all her dreams were finally coming true and she'd soon be one of the popular girls.
Parker scrubbed a foot through the chalk line, and Tori looke up, pained, and put a hand over her eye
"Stop!" Tori shouted.
"Cassandra, we have to erase the chalk line!" Parker shouted.
Cassandra's head shot up, and together they rubbed their sneakers through the chalk. Tori screamed for them to stop, jumped up and grabbed Parker's hair and tried to pull her away, but Parker she stood here, young and hopeful and alive, fully believing tnat a her dreams were finally coming true and she'd soon be one of the popular girls.
Parker scrubbed a foot through the chalk line, and Tori looked up, pained, and put a hand over her eye.
"Stop!" Tori shouted.
"Cassandra, we have to erase the chalk line!" Parker shouted.
Cassandra's head shot up, and together they rubbed their sneakers through the chalk. Tori screamed for them to stop, jun.ped up and grabbed Parker's hair and tried to pull her away, but Parker just shoved her, hard. Her body felt like a ham, like something heavy and wet and dead, and Tori landed on the floor with a thick, squelchy thunk. When she stood, Parker almost threw up.
It was as if parts of Tori were..rotting.
Her dark eyes were going white and filmy. Her lips were peeling away, curling back like an old jack-o'-lantern. Her hair was drying up and falling out in chunks. Her tan summer skin had bleached out to pale white threaded with lavender veins, and her fingertips were shredded meat gone black around the edges.
"Keep going!" Parker urged Cassandra.
The ghost-the corpse whatever Tori was now-pulled and tugged at them, pummeled and screeched and tried to stop them, but the more of the chalk line they erased, the weaker Tori became. By the time they'd moved all the way around the circle, she was fading away.
"You can't get rid of me," Tori growled. "We ll be here togethe forever."
Parker hated to admit that she was right. Even if Tori was less solid, even if she no longer felt like a threat, they were still trapped in a tiny cabin with her, with neither water nor food, and the door was firmly locked from the outside. Even if Parker still had the key, it wouldn't help. She stuck her hands in her pockets and found...
The four friendship bracelets.
She'd worn them proudly, then tried to get rid of them, but they'd stubbornly kept coming back.
There had to be something important about them.
Were they the ones Tori made for the four girls who should've been her blood sisters?
Was that what kept Tori rooted here-that promise that was never fulfilled? That ritual?
She glanced at Cassandra's fingers, which were alrea bleeding. Then she gritted her teeth and reached down, pressing her thumb against a big splinter in the wooden floorboards. A bead of blood welled up, and she stood.
"Tori, do you still want to be blood sisters?" she asked. She held out her thumb, dripping blood perched on its tip. "Come on, Cassandra. You, too."
Cassandra shot her a glance that said this was a very bad idea, but apparently living life under KJ and Olivia had made her more likely to just do what she was told. Cassandra held out one of her fingers, a smear of blood dribbling from where she'd been prying at the door.
Tori gasped.
"Really?"
She was nearly see-through now but when she looked at their offered hands, she changed. It was almost like a sunbeam breaking through dark clouds as she grew more corporeal and less... decomposed.
"Really," Parker answered
"That's all I ever wanted," Tori whispered.
And then, between one blink and the next, Tori was gone.
They were still plagued by the sound of dripping water, but it was only the trees shedding rain. The floor wore old stains, rusty brown and dull white, but the wet red puddles that had formed around Tori were gone. When Parker tried the door again, it pushed right open.
"I can't believe my mom used to go here," Cassandra said.
"Like, she probably walked right here. Her feet touched this ground."
"I can't believe your mom bullied Tori to death," Parker said, because she was done pretending that horrible things just happened and she was supposed to accept them and move on. She was sick of the way everyone tried to just sweep the bad stuff under the rug and forget about it.
"I know," Cassandra said, her voice tiny. "Her version of the story was...different."
"Suicide. They called it suicide. But it wasn't."
"No, it wasn't. My mom did something really, really horrible.
Maybe she didn't know it would turn out as bad as it did, but...
Cassandra shivered. "I never want to make someone feel horrible.”
Cassandra's face lit up with hope, and she gave Parker a grateful look. Parker couldn't quite believe it herself Cassandra had been true to her word. She'd told the truth in front of Maeve and Foggy, even though she might lose the thing she loved most. They were on the same side now, helping each other.
Then again, when they'd become blood sisters with Tori, they'd been holding hands, too.
According to the rules, they were blood sisters for life.
As she walked to the museum, she pulled the tangle of friendship bracelets out of her pocket. They were slightly damp, a little stained, and to her surprise, old and faded. When she'd worn these bracelets, they'd looked like they'd been made the day before. Now they looked their age: Thirty-four years old. Parker a moment to find just the right place, but suddenly she knew. Where 1987 ended and 1989 began, between pictures of the old camp and the new camp, she stuck a pushpin borrowed from the map through the wall and hung up the four bracelets. Camp Care could try to forget what had happened in 1988, but Tori deserved to be remembered. Not as she was whispered about, a vengeful, bloody figure that stalked the night, but as a girl who'd been misunderstood, bullied, and ignored. She should be remembered-so it would never happen again.
When Parker returned to the cafeteria, wiping the tears off her cheeks, Cassandra was dumping out her tray for her.
"Thanks," Parker said
Cassandra grinned, "Sure. That's what friends do."
But tonight, for some reason, she startled awake. Her eyes popped open, and she tried to figure out what had roused her. She was on her side, sheet pulled up over her shoulder, just he right temperature. There were no sounds but the leaves rustling outside and eleven people softly breathing. Nothing moved-
Except, yes, something moved.
The screen door should've been latched, but it wasn't. It was open just a few inches, swaying gently. It was dark by the door, the moon hidden behind the clouds, and it looked as if something had spilled on the floorboards—a puddle of water, maybe. As Parker watched, unmoving, trying not to breathe, she heard a faint dripping noise.
Someone was standing there in the dark, just standing there in their Camo Care uniform. And something wet was dripping down from their hands. spilled on the floorboards—a puddle of water, maybe. As Parker watched, unmoving, trying not to breathe, she heard a faint dripping noise.
Someone was standing there in the dark, just standing were in their Camp Care uniform. And something wet' was dripping down from their hands.
Parker's sleep-addled brain tried to puzzle it out. Maybe one of the girls had gone to the bathroom, or run out in a brief rainstorm?
Or maybe they'd snuck out to play in the lake? Maybe this was some sick joke, like the girls in her cabin were trying to scare her into leaving. Or maybe one of them was framing her as Cassandra had, trying to get her to do enough trouble that she’d get sent home early.
had, trying to get her into big enough trouble that she'd get sent immediately home.
"Hello?" she called softly. "I can see you."
The figure began to turn, lifting one dripping hand, and—
"Pillow fight!" someone shouted.
The door banged open and bounced off the wall. In charged ten girls in their pajamas holding pillows and shrieking. Someone hit the lights, and the rest of Possum cabin erupted out of their beds, grabbed their own pillows, and began swinging. Park could only watch, stunned, as feathers filled the air and nineteen giris screeched like banshees.
When the lights were on, she hadn't seen anything over by the screen door —no mysterious person, no wet spot where she'd definitely seen a dark, spreading puddle.
She must've been dreaming, or having sleep paralysis, or something, because she was certain she'd seen someone there. She stared at the door for so long without blinking that her eyes watered down her cheek onto her pillow. She just couldn't bring herself to turn away, to stop watching that door.
"Did you leave the door unlatched last night?" she asked Jasmine while the other girls descended on the bathroom to get ready.
It was a bright day, and the cabin was aglow with morning sun.
White and brown feathers dusted the floor, but over by the door, there was nothing to indicate there had ever been a puddle of water.
"Did you leave the door unlatched last night?" she asked Jasmine while the other girls descended on the bathroom to get ready.
Jasmine frowned. "No. They usually knock, and someone lets them in. You can't just pop it open from outside."
"But they just ran in."
Jasmine walked over to the door and fiddled with th atch.
"Huh. It seems totally normal. Although—ew. What?"
She pulled back her hand from the doorknob, and there was smear of red on it.
Whatever it was...it looked like blood.
"What if it's... Gory Tori?" Parker whispered.
Jasmine winced. "Where'd you hear about that? Never mind. don't want to know. Definitely don't talk about that again. There are rules, and then there are Rules with a capital R, and that on
get
you kicked out. It's just a stupid story some kids made up. It's not real."
"How do you know?"
Jasmine sighed and rolled her eyes. "I've been going here since I was six, every year, and then two full summers as a counselor, and I've never heard any facts, seen any evidence, or even been able to patch together a story that made any sense. It's just two words that kids whisper when they want to seem cool and scare the first graders, because every sleepaway camp ever has to have its own dumb rumor."
Parker was watching Addison, wondering what it would be like to be that tall and sure of yourself, that well-liked by the people around you. Getting good grades was a private thing, unless you bragged about it, which, yes, Parker probably did too much. But being good at archery or fishing was a public thing, like singing or dancing, and she wanted to know what it would be like to have people watch her do something and be jealous.
And because she was watching Addison so closely, Parker saw the exact moment it happened.
Addison had her back to the group as she pulled her last arrow out of the plywood, and then, suddenly, with no warning whatsoever or even the telltale twang of the string, an arrow thudded into the back of her arm, halfway between her shoulder and her elbow.
For a split second, it wiggled like an antenna.
She was the only one who saw Grey searching the underbrush in the forest behind the bench.
She was the only one who saw him squat and poke around the ground with a stick.
She was the only one who saw him stand up, holding a bow and quiver where no bow and quiver had any right to be.
Maybe it really was like a sleepaway camp horror movie-maybe some twisted guy in a mask was trying to pick them off one by one from the safety of the forest. Or maybe it was Gory Tori. A ghost could spook a horse, probably, and... well, okay, so a ghost probably couldn't shoot a bow and arrow, and Parker still wasn't willing to believe in ghosts. But maybe...a demon could possess someone and make them do it? Or maybe Gory Tori was dangerous troublemaker, some past camper or angry mountain man who wanted revenge?
So, yeah, I tried to fit in. Maybe it's time everyone else tried to accept me for who I actually am.
Cassandra had a broken arm. Addison had been shot. Sydney had been poisoned.
Something very dangerous was happening at camp, and all they could do was call people into the office and talk about being good teammates. It was preposterous.
But as she got closer, she could hear him shouting. His door was ajar, and she flattened herself against the wall of his cabin to listen.
"No, I'm telling you she said, 'Jenny McAllister.' I am absolutely, one hundred percent sure we don't have a Jenny this week. Yes, I checked the roster. And the girl she described looked exactly like...no, not like Jenny. Like...her. Messy long blond hair, dark brown eyes, freckles. And those bracelets up both arms. Those photos were never released. You have to know exactly where to look online to find them. Thank God there was no Internet in the eighties."
He paused and kicked his trash can, judging by the loud clank and thump.
"All these years, and we've never had another accident.
tragedy, and there's nothing you could've done to stop it, don't get me wrong, but that girl wasn't right, and this isn't right either. I called the real Jenny McAllister, just to see if anyone had been dredging up old stories, but she said there's been nothing." A pause.
"She's in her early forties now. She was such a pretty thing, and an ideal camper. And, then, what happened...The poor girl.
"I know, I know. But it was a long time ago. What happened was terrible, but it's like Mom always said: We have to keep going. We do important work here. We can't save 'em all. It must be somebody sneaking in to mess with us. A prank. Or maybe this new kid is just a bad seed. I've got all the counselors on the lookout, and we'll check the fences, too."
"You said Cassandra was bullying you," she said, her voice low and ominous. "And now she's not. Then it was Addison. She's gone.
Then Sydney. She's gone. Who's bullying you now? Who's making you want to leave, Parker? The director? Is he the problem?"
he's just bad at it. He doesn't like me, but nobody does. I don't know. Just because a couple of bullies disappear doesn't mean everything is suddenly okay."
Jenny growled, low in her throat. "It should. If you get rid of them, the bullies shouldn't be able to hurt you anymore."
All the skin prickled up Parker's neck and down her arms. She swallowed, her throat dry.
"Get rid of them," Jenny had said.
Get rid of them.
"Jenny, did you do something...bad?" she asked.
Jenny's head slowly swiveled toward her. "They got what they deserved."
If what Jenny had said was true, then Parker had been hanging out with someone very dangerous. With someone... evil.
Jenny had caused Cassandra's horse to buck.
She'd shot Addison with an arrow.
She'd poisoned Sydney.
And now—oh no.
Now she was going to be mad at Parker, too
Jenny was real, and whatever game she was playing was dangerous.
Parker understood now. "You're Gory Tori."
The other girl nodded. "You can just say Tori, you know. They told me my name was weird. They told me a lot of things."
"And Jenny.." Parker's teeth wanted to chatter, but she fought it. "That was your diary, wasn't it? Jenny McAllister was the girl who bullied you." She looked to Cassandra. "Are you saying Jenny McAllister is your mom?"
"Yes, but she's lying!" Cassandra shouted, glancing swiftly from Tori to Parker. "My mom said Tori was the bully. That she kept trying to force everybody to be her friend. That she had no boundaries. That she wouldn't take no for an answer. That she was creepy and weird and a stalker and would do anything for attention." Parker kicked Cassandra's foot and shook her head. Making
Jenny—no, Tori, Gory Tori, the camp ghost-
Making her angry wasn't going to help anybody.
"She was a bully!" Tori shrieked back. "She was mean! She called me names and made me sit on ketchup and told everybody it was my first period, She ran my bra up the flagpole, she and her clique, I tried so hard to be nice. I gave them my cookies at lunch and made them friendship bracelets and swept the cabin every morning and made their beds, but they were still mean to me. Until…”
and made them menaship acces aud
morning and made their beds, but they were still mean to me.
Until...
Tori swayed as she spoke, her voice high and quavering. "Jenny said they'd changed their minds. That I'd proved I was a good friend, but if I wanted to truly fit in, I had tp become a bod sister to her and her three best friends, the most popular girls in camp.
They told me the ritual would take place on Friday night-right here, the boiler room cabin, because nobody ever went there. Jenny said I had to go inside at midnight and use chalk to draw a circle on the floor, and I had to sit there and make a little cut on each wrist to prove my loyalty, and then they would all come in and join me and we'd touch our cuts together and be bound by blood forever."
"That's messed up," Parker murmured, but Tori wasn't listening.
Cassandra grabbed her wrist, hard, tears streaming down her face.
"So I did. I made friendship bracelets for each of them, and I drew my circle and used the pocketknife Jenny gave me to make teeny little cuts exactly how she told me to."
Tori held up her left arm and pulled back the layers of bracelets to show a deep, red cut longways on her wrist. Blood dripped down to her elbow and puddled on the floor. She did the same with her right arm to show the same red-rimmed wound
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
to show a deep, red cut longways on ner wrist, blood anipped down to her elbow and puddled on the floor. She did the same with her right arm to show the same red-rimmed wound.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
"I did exactly what she said," Tori whispered. "And I waited.
And they never came. It was so cold. And the blood came too fast. It wouldn't stop. When I tried to leave and go to the nurse's cabin the boiler room door was locked."
Parker followed Tori's line of sight to the back of the door. It was covered in scratches and smeared with blood. A fingernail was caught between two boards.
"I died here," Tori said. "And so will you."
"I thought you said we'd be best friends," Parker said.
Tori's glare went dark. "And then you said we weren't friends anymore.
"Because you hurt people! Sydney and Addison and" She looked at Cassandra, who was trying to wedge her fingers ne door.
"I hurt the people who bullied you the same way I wish someone had hurt the people who bullied me.
Because-well, with all the Cassandra stuff, Parker had kind of forgotten why they were here.
She'd forgotten they were trapped with a ghost.
She turned to face Tori, whose fingers played up and down the bracelets on her bloody wrists. "Aren't you going to attack us? Why are you letting us argue and cry like this?"
Tori grinned, showing black-rimmed teeth. "Because it's funny.
Because I've got nothing better to do. And because you're trapped here, just like me. You can do whatever you want. Scream, cry, argue, apologize. None of it matters. You don't matter. Camp doesn't care about you, just like it didn't care about me. No one hear you, and you'll slowly rot here until you die. Jenny McAllister will finally get to feel some of the pain she put out into the world..." She held out a blood-wet pinkie. "And you and I will really be best friends forever."
"I told you," Tori reminded them. "You can't leave."
"Why would we believe you?" Parker shot back. "You're a ghost."
But something was keeping Tori here, allowed her to take form.
Was there some way to get rid of her? To send her back to-wherever she was supposed to be? What held her here, besides the desire for revenge against those who'd hurt her?
They couldn't get out through the door or window, and the walls were solid. Parker looked down at the floor. Theré was something there, a heavy white line on the graying wood boards. It had to be the chalk circle Tori had drawn, as bright and powdery as the day she stood here, young and hopeful and alive, fully believing that all her dreams were finally coming true and she'd soon be one of the popular girls.
Parker scrubbed a foot through the chalk line, and Tori looke up, pained, and put a hand over her eye
"Stop!" Tori shouted.
"Cassandra, we have to erase the chalk line!" Parker shouted.
Cassandra's head shot up, and together they rubbed their sneakers through the chalk. Tori screamed for them to stop, jumped up and grabbed Parker's hair and tried to pull her away, but Parker she stood here, young and hopeful and alive, fully believing tnat a her dreams were finally coming true and she'd soon be one of the popular girls.
Parker scrubbed a foot through the chalk line, and Tori looked up, pained, and put a hand over her eye.
"Stop!" Tori shouted.
"Cassandra, we have to erase the chalk line!" Parker shouted.
Cassandra's head shot up, and together they rubbed their sneakers through the chalk. Tori screamed for them to stop, jun.ped up and grabbed Parker's hair and tried to pull her away, but Parker just shoved her, hard. Her body felt like a ham, like something heavy and wet and dead, and Tori landed on the floor with a thick, squelchy thunk. When she stood, Parker almost threw up.
It was as if parts of Tori were..rotting.
Her dark eyes were going white and filmy. Her lips were peeling away, curling back like an old jack-o'-lantern. Her hair was drying up and falling out in chunks. Her tan summer skin had bleached out to pale white threaded with lavender veins, and her fingertips were shredded meat gone black around the edges.
"Keep going!" Parker urged Cassandra.
The ghost-the corpse whatever Tori was now-pulled and tugged at them, pummeled and screeched and tried to stop them, but the more of the chalk line they erased, the weaker Tori became. By the time they'd moved all the way around the circle, she was fading away.
"You can't get rid of me," Tori growled. "We ll be here togethe forever."
Parker hated to admit that she was right. Even if Tori was less solid, even if she no longer felt like a threat, they were still trapped in a tiny cabin with her, with neither water nor food, and the door was firmly locked from the outside. Even if Parker still had the key, it wouldn't help. She stuck her hands in her pockets and found...
The four friendship bracelets.
She'd worn them proudly, then tried to get rid of them, but they'd stubbornly kept coming back.
There had to be something important about them.
Were they the ones Tori made for the four girls who should've been her blood sisters?
Was that what kept Tori rooted here-that promise that was never fulfilled? That ritual?
She glanced at Cassandra's fingers, which were alrea bleeding. Then she gritted her teeth and reached down, pressing her thumb against a big splinter in the wooden floorboards. A bead of blood welled up, and she stood.
"Tori, do you still want to be blood sisters?" she asked. She held out her thumb, dripping blood perched on its tip. "Come on, Cassandra. You, too."
Cassandra shot her a glance that said this was a very bad idea, but apparently living life under KJ and Olivia had made her more likely to just do what she was told. Cassandra held out one of her fingers, a smear of blood dribbling from where she'd been prying at the door.
Tori gasped.
"Really?"
She was nearly see-through now but when she looked at their offered hands, she changed. It was almost like a sunbeam breaking through dark clouds as she grew more corporeal and less... decomposed.
"Really," Parker answered
"That's all I ever wanted," Tori whispered.
And then, between one blink and the next, Tori was gone.
They were still plagued by the sound of dripping water, but it was only the trees shedding rain. The floor wore old stains, rusty brown and dull white, but the wet red puddles that had formed around Tori were gone. When Parker tried the door again, it pushed right open.
"I can't believe my mom used to go here," Cassandra said.
"Like, she probably walked right here. Her feet touched this ground."
"I can't believe your mom bullied Tori to death," Parker said, because she was done pretending that horrible things just happened and she was supposed to accept them and move on. She was sick of the way everyone tried to just sweep the bad stuff under the rug and forget about it.
"I know," Cassandra said, her voice tiny. "Her version of the story was...different."
"Suicide. They called it suicide. But it wasn't."
"No, it wasn't. My mom did something really, really horrible.
Maybe she didn't know it would turn out as bad as it did, but...
Cassandra shivered. "I never want to make someone feel horrible.”
Cassandra's face lit up with hope, and she gave Parker a grateful look. Parker couldn't quite believe it herself Cassandra had been true to her word. She'd told the truth in front of Maeve and Foggy, even though she might lose the thing she loved most. They were on the same side now, helping each other.
Then again, when they'd become blood sisters with Tori, they'd been holding hands, too.
According to the rules, they were blood sisters for life.
As she walked to the museum, she pulled the tangle of friendship bracelets out of her pocket. They were slightly damp, a little stained, and to her surprise, old and faded. When she'd worn these bracelets, they'd looked like they'd been made the day before. Now they looked their age: Thirty-four years old. Parker a moment to find just the right place, but suddenly she knew. Where 1987 ended and 1989 began, between pictures of the old camp and the new camp, she stuck a pushpin borrowed from the map through the wall and hung up the four bracelets. Camp Care could try to forget what had happened in 1988, but Tori deserved to be remembered. Not as she was whispered about, a vengeful, bloody figure that stalked the night, but as a girl who'd been misunderstood, bullied, and ignored. She should be remembered-so it would never happen again.
When Parker returned to the cafeteria, wiping the tears off her cheeks, Cassandra was dumping out her tray for her.
"Thanks," Parker said
Cassandra grinned, "Sure. That's what friends do."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2024
I have had several students ask me for recommendations for reading from the library, which delights me. So, I picked this book up, and I got to say. I feel like a lot of kids, especially those who are bullied, would really like this book and connect with it. It's a super easy read, plot is simple. My only complaint is how everything wraps up. but I didn't really expect anything different from a middle school camp book. I would recommend this to my students who like horror for reading.
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