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kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Full review with teaching tools and author interview: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=9899
The crazy cast of characters are what really make this book. Oh, and the reminiscing of camp. Camp really is something that is hard to explain unless you go yourself, but Stacy Davidowitz does a great job bringing the reader into Camp Rolling Hills and all of its quirkiness. And to add to the quirkiness, the characters in the books are so much fun! They are quite the mix of personalities. From stereotypical girly-girls to a cat-obsessed, sweet girl to a do gooder to a philosophical jock. Their interactions and characterization are what keep you reading the most! I also love the mix of letters home throughout the books.
The crazy cast of characters are what really make this book. Oh, and the reminiscing of camp. Camp really is something that is hard to explain unless you go yourself, but Stacy Davidowitz does a great job bringing the reader into Camp Rolling Hills and all of its quirkiness. And to add to the quirkiness, the characters in the books are so much fun! They are quite the mix of personalities. From stereotypical girly-girls to a cat-obsessed, sweet girl to a do gooder to a philosophical jock. Their interactions and characterization are what keep you reading the most! I also love the mix of letters home throughout the books.
rei_ayanami30's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kimiloughlin's review against another edition
4.0
So I wasn't a camp kid growing up. Like one of our main characters Bobby, I mostly did sports camps (and mine were generally only a week long) which have a much different vibe that a regular summer-long sleep-away camp. I also grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, where family vacation homes on Cape Cod were the norm (though sadly, not for my family), not summer camp. That being said, having lived and worked in NYC for the last 5 years (and in the theater industry at that), I know so many camp people so was guffawing at this cute and light juvenile fiction book that, at least from an outsiders perspective, completely captures the obsessive cult-ness of camp culture.
Slimey, so nicknamed for a typo of her familial nickname "Smiley", is going back to her favorite place on Earth for her fourth summer in a row. She gets to be with her best friend, Melman, who recently moved across seas to London, and a new boy whom she meets on the bus ride there. Bobby, the bus boy, is new to camp. His parents are going through some issues and sent him away for the summer so they could sort things out. Camp hijinks ensue and you get 250 pages of ridiculousness and heartwarming fun.
Immediately after starting this book I texted my friends who are camp people to tell them about this series. Davidowitz writes so well for younger readers and after devouring her new book, The Chance to Fly, which is co-written with Broadway star and Tony winner Ali Stroker, I can see that Davidowitz shines in characterizing groups of young kids being passionate about their favorite things. As a theater lover, The Chance to Fly was much more up my alley in terms of geeking out with the kids on the page. However, Camp Rolling Hills proves that the passion and cuteness shines through no matter if you are the same wavelengths as the kids involved. I did cringe at the cabin raid fight that occurred (the sheer grossness of leaving poop in the toilet, TP and silly string all over the place, and stealing of personal objects was beyond me... maybe it's a camp thing lol) and questioned the responsibility of the adults in the story. The camp counselors all seem to be in high school rather than in college and beyond (which was my camp experience) and seemed like they needed to be a little more responsible!
This is a super cute book (and series, which I look forward to continuing) that is perfect for camp lovers, those that want to understand camp lovers (#me), and anyone who enjoys passionate groups of kids being kids.
Slimey, so nicknamed for a typo of her familial nickname "Smiley", is going back to her favorite place on Earth for her fourth summer in a row. She gets to be with her best friend, Melman, who recently moved across seas to London, and a new boy whom she meets on the bus ride there. Bobby, the bus boy, is new to camp. His parents are going through some issues and sent him away for the summer so they could sort things out. Camp hijinks ensue and you get 250 pages of ridiculousness and heartwarming fun.
Immediately after starting this book I texted my friends who are camp people to tell them about this series. Davidowitz writes so well for younger readers and after devouring her new book, The Chance to Fly, which is co-written with Broadway star and Tony winner Ali Stroker, I can see that Davidowitz shines in characterizing groups of young kids being passionate about their favorite things. As a theater lover, The Chance to Fly was much more up my alley in terms of geeking out with the kids on the page. However, Camp Rolling Hills proves that the passion and cuteness shines through no matter if you are the same wavelengths as the kids involved. I did cringe at the cabin raid fight that occurred (the sheer grossness of leaving poop in the toilet, TP and silly string all over the place, and stealing of personal objects was beyond me... maybe it's a camp thing lol) and questioned the responsibility of the adults in the story. The camp counselors all seem to be in high school rather than in college and beyond (which was my camp experience) and seemed like they needed to be a little more responsible!
This is a super cute book (and series, which I look forward to continuing) that is perfect for camp lovers, those that want to understand camp lovers (#me), and anyone who enjoys passionate groups of kids being kids.
ericadeb's review against another edition
2.0
This story was not interesting enough to keep reading. After renewing it a million times, I eventually just returned it to the library.
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
The riffing on the various "hills" was fun. TBH, though, this didn't remind me much of the overnight camp I attended - no color war, for example. And reading between the lines, I'm guessing the author went to Jewish camps and the one I attended was nominally kosher, with Shabbat and Havdalah services. That was missing, possibly to make the story more relatable for non-Jewish campers but (and I'm willing to admit, this might have just been me) it occasionally felt that there could have been more and whatever that was didn't quite make it in.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
cheermio's review against another edition
3.0
i was given a free copy of this book by the publisher at ALA.
totally enjoyable book for young teens about summer camp with many hijinks and friendships and learning to be yourself moments. there was one part I was actually snorting with laughter. sadly I gave the book away to a teenager before noting down the bit of dialogue that caused all the hilarity. but you can just read it for yourself and try to guess what I found so funny.
I'm delighted to see there's a sequel about Melman which I will now have to try to find at the library.
totally enjoyable book for young teens about summer camp with many hijinks and friendships and learning to be yourself moments. there was one part I was actually snorting with laughter. sadly I gave the book away to a teenager before noting down the bit of dialogue that caused all the hilarity. but you can just read it for yourself and try to guess what I found so funny.
I'm delighted to see there's a sequel about Melman which I will now have to try to find at the library.
fairytale42's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, so this book had great potential. The story was sweet, I liked the characters, and the setting was realistic. But a few things turned me off. First off, 12 year olds shouldn't be kissing, in my opinion. And then there were other things, too, like mentioning that one of the girls hid her lipstick in the bust of her swimsuit. Like...yeah, that made sense, but I still don't appreciate mentioning that. So, I might be reading the next books, but I might not. :/
wordnerd153's review against another edition
4.0
Fun and entertaining book that's perfect for middle school readers looking for a bit of romance.
maddy_16's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
2.0
Stephanie, aka Slimey, has been coming to Camp Rolling Hills for years, so even though it was the place where she learned the most horrible news of her life last year, she is still eager to return and reunite with her best friend Melman and the other girls she has known for years. Robert, who is given the unfortunate nickname of Smelly upon his arrival, is new to camp. With his parents divorcing, he has been struggling to manage his anxiety, but has come to camp without his medication in the hopes of relaxing and enjoying himself despite the turmoil in his personal life. When Slimey and Smelly meet, they instantly like each other, but it will be a long summer of ups and downs before they sort out their feelings. When I chose to request this book from NetGalley, I was really hoping for something on the order of the Summer Camp Secrets series - books about girls overcoming problems and learning to love summer camp. But this book turns out to be less about camp and more about dating and sexuality than any middle grade title I have read in a long time. There is lots of talk of French kissing and reaching first base. The counselors and heads of camp allow their romantic entanglements to influence how they behave in front of kids, and they encourage crude humor about poop and tampons, including underwear raids. The adults also see the campers behaving cruelly toward each other and allow it to continue unchecked. The story treats both immaturity and premature involvement in mature situations as the norm in a way that is probably fine for a young adult novel, but made me feel very uncomfortable when I thought of handing this to an eight-year-old (or to my own children at any age!) Apparently, the book is based on a musical, which is interesting, but I have a hard time imagining the school that would put on such a production, given how suggestive the content is. I did read a few pages of the second book, but ultimately decided I couldn't stomach another one and didn't bother to continue on. Both the Summer Camp Secrets series and the Nerd Camp books are more age-appropriate choices for this audience.