Ghoul Scouts Welcome to Camp Croak!

The last couple of years have seen a welcome resurgence in illustrated fiction for youngsters and Taylor Dolan’s Ghoul Scouts is an excellent addition to this growing list of super-cool reads (Amelia Fang, Witch Wars, Goth Girl etc). It’s distinguished not only by the eye-catching, mid-century artwork but by its quirky subject matter and ebullient telling. Lexie Wild is off to Scout Camp for the summer, so far, so normal, but her camping trip turns out to be anything but ordinary. Her fellow campers are a mixed bunch – there’s a werewolf, a cutie pie ghost named Marshmallow, a zombie and – certain to be everyone’s favourite – a talking skeleton named Bébé, ‘pronounced Bay-Bay because it’s French, ya hear?’ Despite her (understandable) early misgivings about the camp, Lexie is soon having an absolute ball, but all changes when the charming scout leaders, Rosemary, Parsleigh and Sage (three heads, one body between them) are suddenly and strangely incapacitated and a new leader, Euphemia Vile, takes charge. Her idea of badges is distinctly retro, so the Career badge comprises thinking really hard about the career you would want for your future husband… Clearly, she has to go and the Ghouls get onto it sharpish. The dialogue is an absolute treat from beginning to end and sets the tone for an irresistible and very funny adventure, with a thoroughly modern sense of girl power. Sophisticated fun like this demands to be read aloud (brush up on your southern belle first for best results).

Read our Q&A interview with Taylor Dolan.