Nightmare in the Backyard

Gr 3-6–Eleven-year-old Chloe and her best friend, Avery, are dismayed when Chloe’s cousin Madison shows up just as they are planning a tent sleepover in the backyard. Even though Madison can be a little stuffy and next-door neighbor Elijah keeps trying to prank them, the girls decide to make the best of it and are excited for all the usual camping activities, like s’mores and scary stories. Among the fun, Chloe is reminiscing about her dad who has gone missing. Things quickly go downhill when the girls hear strange noises and discover a creature lurking in the backyard. They must scramble to come up with a solution as the monster’s hideous tentacles stab up through the earth, intent on inflicting damage. The narrative is action-packed, prioritizing plot advancement over characterization, and everything comes to a fast conclusion. Most characters are cued as white. The suspense and horror is mild.