No Good Deed

Voice actor Crouch reads this account of friendly competition gone wrong in a youthful, peppy voice that perfectly suits the teen summer camp setting. Sixteen-year-old Gregor Maravilla is attending a sleepaway camp for activist teens founded by his idol, tech billionaire Robert Drill. But Drill is entirely absent, and all the campers at Camp Save the World are hypercompetitive do-gooders competing for an internship with Drill at the end of the summer. Actor Couch captures the protagonist’s emotions, especially in the darker moments, such as when Gregor tries to convince his fellow campers that he’s not racist after attempting to sabotage a group project dedicated to social justice. Some of his vocal portrayals miss the mark, such as that of the teen celebrity Ashley Woodstone, whose valley-girl voice sounds too shallow during her more somber moments. The characters in the story are not all that developed, and Couch’s characterization only flattens them more. Ages 14–up. A Point hardcover. (June)