Reviews

This was really fun! I think it balanced having horror elements and being appropriate for middle grade audiences really well. I, an adult, felt tense at some moments (this may be mostly because i have a phobia of blood and needles though lol). I can see it being a good intro-to-horror book for some kids.
Also i love to see stories about young fat girls going on adventures! The book is good fat rep and has some really sweet moments with Maggie gaining confidence in herself.
I’d definitely recommend this book to some of the kids in my life, as well as any adults who want to explore middle grade more

defiantdeb's review

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5.0

Super fun middle grade story that for sure would be a great summer read (I felt like a kid again laying in bed on a hot day devouring a book from start to end) but also a fun Halloween read (would be cute to read for a kid’s Halloween book club)! There’s big dreams, theater kids, summer camp shenanigans, campfire ghosts stories, some less than stellar intentioned adults but also some adults just trying their best (aren’t we all?), SO much friendship, and learning about loving ourselves.

I won a copy of this in a giveaway for a physical arc and I’m so grateful. But my review is still unbiased. I was a fat kid who grew to be a fat teen and who continues to be a fat adult. Fat used to be a slur but now it’s just an adjective. And I hope that fat kids (and even not fat kids) read this story and learn that. God I wish I’d had Julie’s books as a kid. There’s power in seeing yourself and that’s a big part of what Maggie learns (among a host of other lessons…including what adults really do and don’t have under control). I don’t ever know what to expect going into a book about fat people. We’re not always represented kindly or well, but Julie is a powerful and wonderful voice who does us justice.

gingerbread_void's review

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4.0

I loved this and I think you will too! This book was just so much fun. All of the main character were so relatable especially as I grew up as a fat kid myself. This book takes on some of the serious issues with fat camp but in a fun and adventurous way. This is definitely a book I can't wait to get a physical copy of and recommend to all my friends.

lidenek's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

janefair's review

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funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

gggina13's review

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4.0

Maggie THINKS she's spending the summer at camp with her bestie... until her mom drops the bomb that she's sending her to a fat camp across the lake from that one instead. Maggie's devastated for multiple reasons - not only does she miss camp with her BFF, but her mom sees a need for Maggie's body to change. Not cool, Mom, not cool.

Immediately, weird stuff is going down at camp. They're only allowed to eat red food, counselors can't come into cabins unless invited, and folks start "going home" overnight.

The spookiness, while the plot of the story, isn't really a huge factor. It's really more about Maggie becoming friends with her bunkmates, feeling included being surrounded by other fat kids at fat camp, and trying to fight back against the weird rules the camp has. Like, the most that Maggie ever feels towards her maybe-vampire camp counselors is annoyance lmao which is pretty iconic

Idk, I just trust Julie Murphy to write fat protagonists despite what else is going on in the story and this is no exception. I've learned they're working on a sequel that includes Crystal Maldonaldo as a second narrator and I am really excited to check that out. I think this provides great rep in the middle grade paranormal sector so I'm happy with it.

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