Nightmare in the Backyard

A group of tweens' worst nightmares become reality in this frighteningly fun novel by Bram Stoker Award--winner Strand. Chloe Whitting and her best friend, Avery Gonzalez, are planning the perfect overnight backyard campout. Chloe hopes that roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories, and staying up all night will help take her mind off her dad's sudden disappearance a year prior. When Madison, Chloe's irritating cousin, crashes the party, Chloe assumes that's the worst thing that could happen that night. She's quickly proven wrong, however, when tentacles emerge from the ground and start wreaking havoc, coming after the girls and their campsite. Realizing that their cell phones are dead and that no one can hear them screaming, the girls decide that their only choice is to fight back. But as the battle wages on, they discover that they aren't just fighting for their own lives--they may need to save the world as well. Strand skillfully straddles the line between silly and scary, with a dash of grossness thrown in for fun. The dialogue is realistic and well thought out. Although the ending wraps up abruptly following the climax, it does nicely tie up the story's loose ends. Readers who have cut their teeth on Goosebumps will be lining up to read this one. Most characters are coded white; Avery is cued Latine. An action-packed thrill ride. (Horror. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.