Book review: The Bellwoods Game, by Celia Krampien

Krampien, Celia. The Bellwoods Game. Atheneum Books, 2023. 305 pages. $17.99 cloth. ISBN 978-16659-12501. Ages 8-12. P7Q7

The woods in Fall Hallow are haunted. Every year three sixth graders are chosen to run through the woods and ring the old bell there, which saves the town from Abigail’s ghost for one more year.  At least that is the tradition after Abigail, long ago, didn’t return from the woods. The plot surrounds Bailee, who is now in sixth grade and has been waiting to play the game. This book spends about three quarters of the 305 pages on this short run through the woods, and had some pretty scary moments with an evil phantom. The many illustrations were a great touch to the book.

VERDICT: I had high hopes for this book and the interesting plot. But the author spent far too long (most of the book) on the actual run by the three kids which made things really lag in terms of plot. I enjoyed the many black and white illustrations, which added to the quality of the story. It was an “ok” story for juvenile readers that like a bit of scary in their stories.

Review by Lynne Wright.