Camp Sylvania: Moon Madness

Coming May 14th, 2024!

Age range: 8-12 years
Grades: 3-7
Audio narrated by: Katie Ladner and Victoria Villareal
ISBN 10: 0063347261
ISBN-13: 9780063347267

A fun and spooky celebration of fat kids and friendship.

— Kirkus Reviews, about Camp Sylvania

From Julie Murphy, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’, and acclaimed coauthor Crystal Maldonado comes the sequel to the hilarious and creepy middle grade summer-camp story—this time featuring werewolves!

Last year, Maggie and Nora didn’t exactly get the summer of their dreams. Instead, they had to survive a camp run by a covert clan of vampires. But this year, Camp Sylvania is back and under new management—gentle, hippie-dippie Luna Lupowski. So the girls are convinced to give camp another try.

All Nora wants is an unforgettable experience with her best friend. But it’s hard to have fun with Maggie fixated on all things otherworldly—and spending time with Logan, the boy she met at camp last year.

When creepy things start happening, Maggie insists on investigating. But Nora has found an interest of her own—the strange effects of Luna’s homemade “moon water.” It removes zits, adds lustrous shine to hair, and even seems to straighten teeth! No braces? No problem!

It isn’t long before the girls are caught up in another supernatural adventure. But when their friends find themselves in danger, can Maggie and Nora put their differences aside to save them? Is it possible to just have one normal summer, please?

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Praise for Camp Sylvania

Kirkus Reviews

“Murphy renders her camp of fat characters with nuance, giving them unique personalities beyond their size and often pointing out how others’ judgments ignore their full humanity and undermine their confidence….A fun and spooky celebration of fat kids and friendship.”
(Full review here)

ALA Booklist

“Readers of gentle horror will enjoy the eerier elements, and fans of contemporary middle-grade fiction will be delighted by Maggie’s realization that she’s perfect just the way she is.”
(Full review here)

Publisher’s Weekly

“Through Maggie’s witty first-person narration, Murphy reveals the fat camp’s horrors, both benign and supernatural, as Maggie, who experiences performance anxiety, realizes that she and her body are just right the way they are. It’s a character-driven summer camp romp that takes on anti-fat bias while underscoring how parents don’t always get things right.”

Horn Book Magazine

"The characters’ [are] engaging and memorable…. The central focus is on Maggie’s journey to overcome her personal fears, but the diet culture–obsessed vampires also allow for some moments of biting satire.”