discover books for adults and children alike, touching on camp experiences and camp-related angst.
P.S. I Hate It Here!: Kids’ Letters From Camp
by Diane Falaga
Abrams Image, $12.95
This collection of 150 letters home won’t help kids but will keep parents laughing the whole summer. Letters range in topic from the expected homesickness to strange requests, including one straightforward “SEND COOKIES!,” and each letter is printed in the original scribbled penmanship of the child who sent it. Perfect for parents who get their own share of unintentionally hilarious letters from their own kids or those who remember the letters they wrote home themselves.
Bug Bites and Campfires: A Story for Kids About Homesickness
by Frank J. Sileo, Ph. D.
Health Press, ages 8–12, $14.95
Andy is going to summer camp for the first time and is homesick after one day. He wants to leave but changes his mind after a talk with Counselor Mike. Andy decides to stay at camp and plays kickball and soccer, becomes a swimming pro and makes a new friend. Counselor Mike shares tips about beating the homesick blues throughout the book.
The Jellybeans and the Big Camp Kickoff
by Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans
Abrams Books, ages 3–7, $16.95
The Jellybeans are back and off to camp! Unlike her friends, Nicole struggles to find her niche. She starts her own soccer team and teaches her friends to play. As summer winds down, a competition heats up as the girls get ready for a soccer game against a nearby camp. Will the Jellybeans be able to combine their talents and win?
Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival
by Denise Long
Independent Publishers Group, ages 9–12, $12.95
This guide to the outdoors will prepare kids for anything they might face while lost in the woods. Skills covered include safely starting and containing a fire, identifying animals by their tracks, and finding clean water. The book also discusses other tips for making it out of the wilderness safely.
Camp K-9
by Mary Ann Rodman
Peachtree Publishers, ages 4–8, $15.95
Roxie is ready to have fun and make friends at Camp K-9, but is afraid the other dogs will make fun of her if they find out she brought her security blanket. She meets a bully named Lucy at the camp, and is even more scared that the poodle will find her blankie. Roxie learns, however, that she isn’t the only pup with a secret at Camp K-9.
