Camp [Hardcover]

Elaine Wolf (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2012

A coming-of-age novel about bullying, family relationships, and the collateral damage of secrets. A great choice for book clubs (adult groups as well as teen).
Every secret has a price.

For most girls, sleepaway camp is great fun. But for Amy Becker, it's a nightmare. Amy, whose home life is in turmoil, is sent to Camp Takawanda for Girls for the first time as a teenager. Although Amy swears she hates her German-immigrant mother, who is unduly harsh with Amy's autistic younger brother, Amy is less than thrilled about going to camp. At Takawanda she is subjected to a humiliating "initiation" and relentless bullying by the ringleader of the senior campers. As she struggles to stop the mean girls from tormenting her, Amy becomes more confident. Then a cousin reveals dark secrets about Amy's mother's past, which sets in motion a tragic event that changes Amy and her family forever.

Camp is a compelling coming-of-age novel about bullying, family relationships, and the collateral damage of secrets. It resonates with a wide teen and adult readership. Camp is a strong addition to school recommended reading and summer reading lists, and it is appropriate for anti-bullying programs. Mostly, though, Camp is a mother-daughter story for mothers and daughters to share.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-Sent off in the summer of 1962 to Camp Takawanda, Amy Becker, 14, misses her autistic younger brother, Charlie, and her father, but not her carping German-immigrant mother, Sonia. Life at camp takes its toll when Amy becomes the target of bunkmate Rory's bullying. With lax adult supervision and Amy's inability to speak up for herself, Rory and her followers gain the power to intimidate Amy and rudely challenge counselors. On family visiting day, after Rory ingratiates herself to ingenuous Sonia and terrifies Charlie with a barking dog, Amy and her two friends decide to fight back and hope that Amy's Uncle Ed, owner of the camp, will send Rory home. To her credit, Amy attracts the attention of Andy from a nearby boys' camp and becomes an accomplished tennis player. Details of life in the early '60s add dimension to a plot that is rife with secrets about Rory, Uncle Ed, Sonia, and Amy's cousin Robin. Resolution comes in a melodramatic rush involving Amy's stealthy search through her mother's papers, Charlie's death after being hit by Sonia's car, a relocation to Connecticut, and Sonia's struggle with cancer, when she finally reveals to Amy details of her sad past. In a story told in retrospect as she is about to head to college, Amy is able to forgive her once-secretive mother.-Susan W. Hunter, Riverside Middle School, Springfield, VTα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"Tough to stop reading...rings sadly true." (Booklist)

"A must read for teenage girls struggling to enter an adult world." (Children's Literature)

"...a powerful story that you definitely want to read." (Lady Reader's BookStuff)

"CAMP grabs you and shakes you down to your core. Shakes hard. Strong and powerful, CAMP will stick with you for years to come. It's the best book I have read this year." (Uniquely Moi Books)

"This mesmerizing book is a must-read for adolescents and the adults who care about them." --(VOYA: Voice of Youth Advocates)

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" with survival instincts that brought to mind Lord of the Flies....impossible to put down until you reach the final word." (Rather Be Reading Blog)

"I love CAMP so much that I'm writing about it at three o'clock in the morning. There's something that will resonate with every reader. CAMP is a story about the horrors of bullying, the bonds of family, the power of memory, and the strength that one can find in the most unlikely places. Get it now." (The Write Teacher)

"The book has many sides: bullying, family relationships and secrets, and in the end, gaining emotional strength, bonding, and forgiveness. I loved this book and think it's suitable for all ages....it should be required reading in schools." (I'd Rather Be Reading At The Beach)

"CAMP blew my emotional socks off! It's a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it." (Beth Fehlbaum, author of Hope in Patience)

"What a well-written coming-of-age story! CAMP would be an excellent book for mothers and daughters to read together. It covers the relationship between mothers and daughters, relationships between siblings, and the effects of grief and bullying. I would definitely read Elaine Wolf again!" (I'd So Rather Be Reading Blog)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Sky Pony Press; 1 edition (June 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616086572
• ISBN-13: 978-1616086572
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 1.1 x 5.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #859,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Known as "the anti-bullying novelist," I write about what really goes on behind the closed gates and doors of our camps and schools. The issues I explore in CAMP and DANNY'S MOM are those I am passionate about and know well.

I was a camper and camp counselor for many summers. When I entered "the real world," I taught in public schools in California and New York -- and then I became a district language arts chairperson. One of my greatest joys was getting wonderful books into the hands of students, teachers, and parents. In the time before Kindles, iPads, and Nooks, I spent countless hours stocking shelves with "good reads." Now I'm thrilled that my novels, CAMP and DANNY'S MOM, are on those shelves.

My husband and I raised our children on Long Island, where in addition to teaching I was a co-facilitator of an adult writers' workshop. Now we live in Northampton, Massachusetts, a community brimming with readers, writers, artists, and musicians. Shortly after moving here, I won a prize for short fiction (the perfect welcome for me).

I feel as if I'm finally home.

Please visit me online at www.authorelainewolf.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful novel for everyone June 6, 2012

By Dee

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Elaine Wolf's coming of age novel is must reading for everyone, not just those who qualify as Young Adults.

The confusions and anxieties of adolescence are only part of Camp. This novel speaks to all of us who have been bullied, have had troubled relationships with our parents, or whose lives have been changed forever by political and governmental actions.

Wolf skillfully tackles the emotional and psychological repercussions that result when we are forced to face the tragedies of life at a young age.

As the novel begins, Amy, the main character, is trying to deal with a troubled relationship with her mother, and the caretaking of her beloved younger and emotionally challenged brother. A parental decision forces her to attend a summer camp she has no interest in. The family tension is introduced early, and we are drawn into a compelling story that keeps us emotionally involved until the end.

At camp, Amy becomes the target of a group of bullies. Wolf shows great skill and psychological insight in telling this story.

Wolf has given us a great debut novel. I look forward to her future work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read June 7, 2012

By Kathy T

Format:Hardcover

I just read this book last weekend. It's a quick read mostly because you are immediately emersed into the main character and the several story lines and provocative themes that follow. Although labeled a young adult book, it is really for teens and adults of any age. I have just bought two more of the books for my two adult daughters. I highly recommend it for bookclubs, and my bookclub will be discussing it in the fall.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read! June 3, 2012

By Discerning-Reader1

Format:Hardcover

A MUST READ! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!

I love CAMP! It's a must read for everyone - from eighth-graders to grandparents. CAMP is a gripping story with heartbreakingly-real characters.

CAMP is a haunting and inspiring coming-of-age novel about a fourteen-year-old girl who is ruthlessly bullied at summer camp, through a backdrop of complex family dynamics, marked by secrets, loyalties and betrayals. CAMP raises important questions about bullying that are relevant to children and families, teachers, and all who are or ever have been connected with young people in any way.

How do friends, bystanders, and adults take a stand against bullying? When a child is exploited, what contributes to her silence? What factors empower her to listen to her innate wisdom, speak out, ask for help, and resist? How can we radically change our culture to limit the power of bullies, protect children, and foster compassion? CAMP invites the reader to explore these vital issues through pages one will have trouble putting down until the very end. Ultimately, this is a story of finding one's voice, friendship, acceptance, and healing.

I'll say it again: I love this book!