Sometimes a staycation is just as horrifying as a vacation. Three kids and their neighborhood prankster learn this when they decide to camp in the backyard. Scratches on the wall aren’t scratches. It’s monster tentacles out to get them. The kids get into a tree, and then cant they come down, how come nobody can hear them? Oh my goodness what just happened to their parents. If you want to know this and find out what the tentacles belong to, the best way to do that is to read the book. This was a fun little book. Kids looking for a horror and something that isn’t from R L Stein e are probably going to like it.

The book Nightmare in the Backyard has interesting, albeit, sometimes annoying, characters and a very mysterious plot. Tentacles arrive in one of the characters’ backyards. Unfortunately, three young girls are camping in the backyard when the tentacled creature begins its attack.

All three of the girls are fighters; they even go so far as to save an uninspired next-door neighbor, who was trying to scare them (classic boy next door needs to scare girls in a tent 🙄). I don’t want to spoil the rest for any future readers, so I’m just laying out the basics here.

My kids really enjoyed this novel, so it seems like a good read for the target audience. I thought it was entertaining for a middle-grade novel.

An important lesson I learned from reading this as a NetGalley reader is that users of the platform must download their approved books immediately. Without warning and within days of getting approved for this book, the book was archived and, so as not to ruin my NetGalley score, I had to wait for this book to become available at my public library. Ever since this has occurred, I’ve started downloading the books as soon as I get my approval email. Other publishers have sent an email notification when archiving their titles so reviewers can grab it, so I was surprised when this book was archived right after I was approved and with no warning. Just an FYI, for other NetGalley users.

Thanks to my library for ordering this look upon my request.

Nightmare in the Backyard was so much fun! I had a 5 hour road trip with 2 nephews (ages 14 and 27), and I forced them to listen to it with me. At first they acted disinterested, but it wasn’t long before I heard them laughing along with the story.
Yes, this book is a middle grade horror, but it’s also super funny. I won’t hesitate to recommend it to my young emerging horror readers.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Tantor audio for this arc audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I love middle grade horror. I get frightened easily, so adult horror can sometimes be too much. Middle grade horror usually hits that sweet spot.
Nightmare in the Backyard's main horrors are tentacles. I tend to prefer more supernatural/monster horror, so the tentacles didn't do it for me personally, but that doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't like it. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Pros:
- The book is very fast paced with lots of action that would appeal to a younger audience.
- The twist did surprise me. I did guess where they were going about 75% in to the book (and was surprised when I realized OH that's what we're doing.), but I think younger readers might be totally caught of guard by the twist and find it very enjoyable.
- Strand did an excellent job of capturing the banter and silly stories that come along with a kid's camping trip.

Cons:
- The ending was very abrupt. This is book 2 in a series, so he might expand more in future books. But there was a lot of unanswered questions and there was very little closure amongst the characters.
- Somewhat connected to my last point, there was very little characterization and relationship detail. Strand had a lot of opportunity to go in depth with Chloe's relationship with her cousin Madison, who she doesn't like very much. I started the book expecting some trauma bonding and a strengthening of their friendship, but that didn't really happen. The book could have also benefitted from some closure between Chloe and her family at the end, but the book ended so abruptly, her relationships with them felt rushed.
- I wasn't a huge fan of the audiobook narration. The narrator seemed to be pushing and forcing emotion, which might appeal to younger listeners, but I personally found it a little annoying. I found myself not enjoying the experience, but I think I would have enjoyed the print book more, so I am not factoring this into my overall rating.

Three stars for a fun, summer horror sure to appeal to kids, but really could have benefitted from an extra 50 pages of relationship building.

Strand knows how to write horror for adults and children now and I find all of his work incredible. I believe that if a horror writer can write for adults then they can definitely write for children. There's almost this extra maturity to it with that type of writing background.

So many things I love in one book! Horror, Middle Grade, Trapped/isolated camping setting, creature feature, Marshmallows! I was swept up in this story from the very beginning and binged it in one day. This book is a great mix of horror and comedy with fast pacing and lovable characters. I had a blast reading this book as I do with everything I read by Strand!

If you like middle grade, horror, RL Stine, or creature features this one is for you!

Chloe and her bff Avery are getting ready to have the best camp out in the backyard. But at the last minute Chloe’s cousin Madison joins in. She doesn’t really fit in with the group but they make the best of it. As the girls are getting ready to sleep they feel something moving under the tent. It feels like a snake slithering around. If that wasn’t scary enough, when they look out the tent flap, there are giant purple tentacles with thorns thrashing around.


Well that was fun!
These characters are fully formed and realistic. They felt like real kids experiencing an exciting and terrifying backyard camping trip.
The creature is equal parts silly and cool and I liked the explanation in the end. There’s also a nice lesson about controlling fear.
For a kid, this story is probably actually scary. It’s definitely a great introduction to horror for younger readers.

This was cute as heck. It had Lovecraftian-type creatures, perfect for a new generation of Horror Readers!

I loved the first book in this new Eek! series, It Watches in the Dark, by veteran Horror author, Jeff Strand, so I've been anticipating this release. This has a classic set-up, with three girls, Chloe, Avery and Madison, doing a little backyard camping. It's the best way to have a sleepover, IMO.
The girls are just settling in when the neighbor, Elijah, stops by to say hi. They just know he'll be back later too, trying to prank them. Typical boy behavior.

Sure enough, they hear scratching on the outside of their tent later in the evening. Fully expecting to catch Elijah red-handed, they rush to open the tent flap and look out, but it appears there's no one there. A little creeped out, they retreat back into their tent, but not long after the scratching noises return. Getting more freaked out by the second, the girls desperately want to figure out the source of the scratching, but the truth turns out to be much worse than the girls could've dreamed of, even in their worst nightmares.

Nightmare in the Backyard is a wildly-entertaining Middle Grade Horror story reminiscent of the Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark stories of the olden' days. I had the privilege of listening to the audiobook and feel that the narration is perfect for this age category. The narrator brought these characters and the insane circumstances they found themselves in to life. I def recommend that format.

I loved how fast-paced this story was and how the kids really worked well together trying to figure out exactly what was happening in the backyard. It was a lot. Wild, crazy and zany enough to keep Young Readers thoroughly entertained. Also, I do want to note that these books can be read in any order. Just like the Goosebumps series, these books aren't really related. It's all new characters and circumstances.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Kids and Tantor Media, for providing me copies to read and review. I'm not sure how many installments are slated for this series, but I will be reading them all, I can assure you of that!

Nightmare in the Backyard is a fun and fast paced middle grade scifi thriller. The narration is well paced and readers will be hooked! Hand this to readers who enjoy a bit of a scare. Recommended for all middle grade collections.

Nightmare in the Backyard is a thrilling children’s fiction audiobook that delivers just the right mix of spookiness and humor. Jeff Strand crafts an engaging story that keeps young listeners hooked, while Stacy Gonzalez’s narration brings the characters to life with energy and charm. The plot is full of unexpected twists, making it a perfect listen for kids who enjoy a bit of mystery and adventure. Gonzalez’s dynamic performance enhances the eerie yet fun atmosphere, making this audiobook an entertaining treat for young audiences. I give it full 5 stars.

Nightmare in the Backyard is a creepily atmospheric middle grade thriller by Jeff Strand. Released 6th Aug 2024 by Sourcebooks on their Young Readers imprint, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is surprisingly creepy/scary. A backyard sleepover takes a terrifying turn when 3 girls are trapped with a bunch of scary tentacles surrounding their tent. It's action driven and moves along at a fast pace. There's nothing *too* graphic or scary, but it is definitely creepy. About the same level as R.L. Stine and Katherine Arden, this one is scary without being terrifying.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 3 hours 58 minutes and is well read by Stacy Gonzales. She has a bright, well modulated, neutral American accent, and does a good job with the characters and settings. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four stars. Definitely one for fans of middle grade fiction. It would be a great choice for public library acquisition, but might be too scary for school library collections.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Nightmare in the backyard is a middle grade horror / creature feature that is SO GOOD! I rated this 4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫! I listened to the audio book and the narrator was amazing. The story is creepy and heartfelt at the same time, and is a perfect read for the end of summer! 🖤

Chloe, Avery, and Madison are spending the night camping in the backyard. They’re excited for s’mores (can you eat a whole bag of marshmallows?) and scary stories, but the night quickly takes a more sinister turn when they begin feeling things moving under their sleeping bags. And it’s not the neighbor pranking them! 🦑🏕️

This book published on 08/06/2024!

Thank you @netgalley, @tantoraudio, @sourcebookskids for a copy!

Nightmare in the Backyard is a great middle grade horror book about a campout in the backyard that ends with a tentacley monster attacking our protagonists! This book was NON-STOP action. As an adult reader, I would have liked to see the characters built a little bit more, but as a middle grade reader I definitely would have loved the immediate jump into scary fun.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jeff Strand, and Tantor Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook! The narrator did a fantastic job keeping the tension high and characters' voices unique and enjoyable. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reading copy! Jeff Strand really did it with this book! It was FANTASTIC! the mystery, the spooky, the MONSTER! From the very beginning I was attached! I relate a little bit like Madison in the book (I don’t like camping) so her character was my favorite. I feel like this book is going to HUGE SUCCESS! Like…the plot twist was CRAZY! It left me wondering what was going to happen next ALL THE TIME!

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ALC of this book

I got this because the cover gave me goosebump book vibes and sounded so much fun 😁

This is a fast read that keeps you hooked from beginning to end, as a middle-grade book, there are some good things to learn in this book... strong friendship, trying to keep calm in stressful situations, also some good pep talks to each other etc. The book has you smiling and laughing in places but it also surprised me when dealing with a section to talk about a family issue.

I think this is a book a lot of children will enjoy and I am planning to buy this for my mate's little girl when I know it is out

My faviourte line was 77% in where you have one of the characters saying

You can do better then that

Another character:- I am doing the best I can

I am not talking to you I am talking to the tentacles

Other character:- why are you giving them encouragement

I laughed my head off at this part 🤣 😂

I am thankful to have gotten the audioARC for free from Netgalley and Tantor Audio so I can leave my voluntary review.

Wow! This was such a fun book to listen to! It was action packed all the way through and I think middle grade readers will love it. Usually I listen to audio books at night and fall asleep to them and have them in the background while I sleep and then in the morning go back to when I felt asleep. Well I ended up staying up way too later to keep listening to this!

It’s a short listen and while it’s middle grade it was fun for an adult to listen to as well in a “take me back to childhood” type of way. This is a book I would have loved as a kid.

The FMC was excited to have a sleep over in her backyard to mimic her family camping trips. When her friends came things go sideways and they can’t contact her mother.

It’s also a nice journey of friendship while battling for their lives.

My rating system for Middle Grade and children’s books

⭐️ Significant problems and would never recommend to the audience.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea but may have some appeal.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ an ok book which I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend but it has some value for young readers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! I would recommend for the age or reading level appropriate for the book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Would recommend highly, especially to school programs as a wide spread reading opportunity.