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Imagination Soup - Camp Rolling Hills on the Summer List!

6/27/2016

 
Summer Vacation Books About Summer Vacation

The hot summer months provide many reading opportunities. Make your summer reading more summery with books about . . . yes, you guessed it, . . . summer vacation! Here are middle grade chapter books about camp, vacation, friendships, trips, and other summer time adventures. Enjoy!

​Camp Rolling Hills by Stacy Davidowitz (ages 8 – 12)
Summer camp is Stephanie’s (Slimey as she’s called at camp) favorite time of year. This year is a little different with changes in friendships, boy crushes and kisses, and pranks on other cabins.

The rest of the list here!

Camp Rolling Hills the Musical in Manhattan this summer!

6/21/2016

 

Camp Rolling Hills part of #BunkReads in Maine summer camps!

6/20/2016

 
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Publisher's Weekly:
Bunk Reads: Promoting Book Discovery at Summer Camp

By Judith Rosen 
Jun 07, 2016

Last summer, when Kirsten Cappy, founder of the marketing firm Curious City in Portland, Maine, was working with Ammi-Joan Paquette, author of Princess Juniper of the Hourglass (Philomel) and a literary agent, Cappy wished that she could get the book into every summer camp.

After brainstorming with Paquette’s agent, Erin Murphy with Erin Murphy Literary Agency, the two came up with a way to do just that: by creating a book discovery program for kids at summer camp, Bunk Reads. And they will begin testing their idea in two weeks through a pilot program with 11 Maine summer camps, which will place them in their libraries or rec rooms.

Bunk Reads is providing 55 books by 39 authors (all but one agented by Murphy). Each of the authors paid a $50 fee and provided a dozen books for Cappy and Murphy to distribute. A little less than half the selected titles, picture books through middle grade, have main characters that are non-white. A third have female protagonists. The titles are published by houses ranging from Algonquin Young Readers and Charlesbridge to Scholastic and Viking.

In addition to introducing kids to new books this summer, Cappy and Murphy also want to be able to track what the kids liked and didn’t like. As part of Bunk Reads, children are asked to read a book and review it (using the hashtag #BunkReads). They will then be entered into a contest to win a box of books, which will ship in December.

Camp administrators see Cappy and Murphy’s idea as a win-win. Although camps focus on children’s social and emotional growth, diversity, and appreciating nature, many are also being pressured by parents to help stem the “summer slide.” “I thought it was a fantastic opportunity for campers and counselors,” Jason Gray, assistant director of Camp Nashoba North in Raymond, Maine, said. A sports teacher in Australia, Gray plans to take the idea back home to rugby camp to encourage kids there to read.

Camp administrators like Mark Lipof, director and co-owner of Camp Micah in Bridgton, Maine, persuaded Cappy and Murphy that it’s possible to find a way for kids to review books, even though his camp and most others are technology-free. Staff at Camp Micah will type up kids’ handwritten reviews and post them on their camp blog. Kids can also use one of the postcards that are inserted in each book to write down their thoughts and send them home. They or their parents can type them up when they get back.

Among the administrators concerns were that none of the books contain sexual situations. Lipof also didn’t want the kids to see Bunk Reads as schoolwork. At the same time, he asked that Bunk Reads include summer reading books that parents want their kids to read at camp. “We’re very hopeful that kids are going to love [Bunk Reads],” Lipof said. He added that two types of kids come to camp – those who read and those who don’t. He’d like to use the program to get the kids who don’t read to pick up a book.

Based on the feedback that the camps and campers provide, Cappy and Murphy will put together a proposal to scale the project. But for Cappy, the Bunk Reads has other possibilities beyond summer camp. “As an industry,” she said, “we do an amazing job of creating good stories. The right book turns kids into readers. We need projects that don’t just rely on booksellers and librarians for discovery. We need more partners.”

Find out more at www.bunkreads.com

Meeting author Paul Czajak of the Monster & Me series!

6/11/2016

 
At the Barnes & Noble in Clifton, NJ, I met Paul Czajak. SO COOL. Did you know that he was a chemist before he became an author six years ago?! 
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Barnes & Noble in Woodland Park, NJ - B-fest!

6/11/2016

 
The staff at B&N in Woodland Park is THE SWEETEST. One of the booksellers' moms made me a lollypop bouquet. I repeat: A LOLLYPOP BOUQUET. My grandma's friends crashed the party, too! It was a blast facilitating YA trivia, chatting, signing, and all that jazz:)

Bunk Reads! 

6/9/2016

 
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Camp Rolling Hills: Book One
Posted on May 7, 2016 in BR Library

By Stacy Davidowitz
Publisher: Amulet Paperbacks
Pages: 240
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years

ABOUT
A hilarious and heartfelt series about the particular magic of summer camp—a place where reinvention is possible and friends are like family—from a sparkling debut talent.
Finally, it’s summer! Stephanie—aka Slimey—has been counting the days until she can return to her favorite place in the entire world, Camp Rolling Hills. And this year she’s especially happy to be back—she’ll have eight blissful weeks away from home, where life has been decidedly rocky.
New kid Bobby, on the other hand, is pretty sure he’s in for the worst summer of his life. He does not understand his weirdo cabinmates, the group singing, and the unfortunate nicknames (including his: Smelly). But he does understand Slimey, and the two soon fall in crush. This summer might not be so bad after all! But then a fight sets off an epic, campwide, girls-versus-boys prank war. Bunks are raided! Boxer shorts are stolen! And it’s up to Slimey and Smelly to keep the peace.

“Camp Rolling Hills is funny and sweet. It brought me back to those amazing summer camp summers and my very first taste of young adulthood.” —Michael Showalter, co-writer of Wet Hot American Summer

REVIEWS
“Stephanie (aka Slimey) and Bobby (aka Smelly) learn a lot about relationships in this quirky debut novel, first in the Camp Rolling Hills series. Twelve-year-old Slimey has been a camper at Rolling Hills every summer for as long as she can remember, and she loves almost everything about it. Smelly feels like he has been thrown to the wolves, sent to camp so his parents can work out their marital problems. Moreover, he has to keep “Bizarro Bobby” (“the name he’d given to his anxiety, after Superman’s Bizarro”) in check, hidden from his welcoming and eclectic bunkmates. Slimey senses a connection with Smelly when they talk, especially after she discusses her father’s recent death. When an epic miscommunication complicates the tenuous relationships Smelly has formed, he must rise to the challenge in order to make things right. Spot-on combinations of sweet adolescent romance and teenage angst round out an engaging summer read with plenty of energy and originality to keep kids tuning in for more. Available simultaneously: Crossing Over.”
Ages 8–12. Agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Sterling Lord Literistic. (May)
—Publishers Weekly
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“Readers who love camp should feel comfortable with the lively fun, but even noncampers will relate to the theme of friendships renewed. The dollop of romance is the extra marshmallowy goodness cementing the story together. For those looking for a new series to explore, this will more than suffice.”
--Booklist


B-Fest @ Barnes & Noble, Woodland Park, NJ on June 10 at 6pm!

6/8/2016

 

So pumped! Come by on Friday, June 10th from 6 - 7 to chat and stuff, and then stick around for YA trivia:) 

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Kid Interview with Michaela of 5 Girls Book Reviews!

6/8/2016

 
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Stacy Davidowitz 

​Stacy Davidowitz is the amazing author of the Camp Rolling Hills series. 


INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY: 
Michaela


Why did you write about summer camp?

BECAUSE I LOVE IT. Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to write a lot about sleepaway camp. It’s been a major part of my life since I was ten. Also, my family is in the camping industry. My mom runs a day camp in Long Island, my brother is the Assistant Director of the camp we grew up at, and my sister-in-law runs girls’ side there, too. Plus, this series has given me the opportunity to write about kids living together, growing together, and learning together away from their parents. How special is that? Camp is a place where friendships blossom, self-confidence is fostered, and the high jinx is endless. The real question is: Why wouldn’t I write about camp?

Did you go to camp when you were younger?

Yup! I grew up at a camp in Pennsylvania called Tyler Hill. I went there as a camper, and then stayed to be a Junior Counselor, Counselor, and Head Staff! I still technically work at summer camps...

Who is your favorite camper in your book(s)?

Melman. She’s brave, athletic, funny, and a really great friend. In the second book of the Camp Rolling Hills series, she really shines! I also love Sophie’s weirdness. Writing such a wild card oddball is super fun. 

Is there going to be a whole series? If so, how many books? I would love to review them all for you!

There IS going to be a whole series. The first two books of the series, Camp Rolling Hills and Camp Rolling Hills: Crossing Over launch together on May 10, 2016. The third book, titled Breakout!, is all about Color War (a weeklong, amazing campwide competition) and will be released in April 2017. The fourth book will be released in April 2018. After that, there might be two more. There are twelve kids total, and the idea is that each book is told from the point of view of one girl camper and one boy camper. So the first book is told from the perspectives of Slimey and Smelly. The second book is Melman and Steinberg. The third book is Jenny and Play Dough. The fourth book is Missi and Wiener. And if there are two more books, the fifth will be Jamie and Dover and the sixth will be Sophie and Totle. The campers grow from 12-years-old to 14-years-old as the series progresses. And yes, I would LOVE reviews for each book! That would be amazing!

What is your favorite camp activity?

Color War, for sure. That’s the weeklong, amazing campwide competition I mentioned earlier. The whole camp is divided into two teams that compete in everything from sports to trivia to apache relays to rope burn to singing to dancing to scavenger hunts!

If you could become any character in your book(s) who would it be? Why?

Slimey. She’s sweet, artsy, sensitive, optimistic, and has an undying love for camp. Maybe Play Dough for a bit, too. He’s adored by his friends and gets to eat snacks he hides in his socks.  

Who is your all time favorite author? Book?

All time favorite author...hmm...that’s super hard. I love Tim Federle. And Dr. Seuss. And John Green. And I truly love the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I read A LOT of plays, probably more than books actually, since I’m also a playwright. So if you have any top recommendations for middle grade or YA books, let me know, and I’ll recommend you some plays:)

Advice for young writers?

Let your imagination ride the train to where miracles happen. Allow your characters to be your best friends. Have them join the circus. Be patient. And kind to yourself. Let your friends in on what you’re writing. Be bolder than bold. Learn to love revising. Treat yourself to good snacks while doing all of the above. If you’re ever stuck, email me, and I’ll send you a very random prompt.  

Any other interesting facts/info you would like to share about yourself and/or your book?

Sure! Did you know that Camp Rolling Hills was originally a musical?! That’s right. Camp Rolling Hills is a musical with music and lyrics by Adam Spiegel and book and lyrics by David Spiegel and me. You can listen to the music and check out some recent production photos on the Camp Rolling Hills website. We premiered in March in San Diego and have an upcoming production in June in Connecticut! www.camprollinghills.com

Thank you so much Ms. Davidowitz for allowing me to read your books and interview you! I can't wait to read the next books in the series.

You can find more information about Stacy Davidowitz at her website.

Thanks, Mother Daughter Book Club!

6/7/2016

 
Book Review: Camp Rolling Hills by Stacy Davidowitz

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Cindy Hudson

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Slimey loves everything about Camp Rolling Hills, and she can’t wait to spend her summer there. Robert, aka, Smelly, is a first timer, and he would surely be at baseball camp if his parents hadn’t made him go to Rolling Hills while they try to patch up their marriage.

When Slimey and Smelly meet, they are instantly attracted. Soon, they are confiding things in each other they feel they can’t tell anyone else. But after a misunderstanding at the camp dance, the boys’ cabin and the girls’ cabin trade pranks in an escalating war. It may be up to Slimey and Smelly to patch things up with the two groups.
Camp Rolling Hills by Stacy Davidowitz is a great summer read for children aged 8 to 11, whether they attend summer camp or not. Davidowitz captures the mix of emotions that can arise when kids get to spend weeks at a time with each other in a place where they may experience camaraderie, acceptance, rejection, loneliness, and more.

At times laugh-out-loud funny, this opener in the series sets the stage for stories about a range of campers with different personalities, which I expect will unfold with more books. It’s a fun world to enter. Letters home from several characters helps readers get to know them and their quirks, as does journal entries, sketches, and other bits of information.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Bank Street Book Store!

6/3/2016

 
Awesome Authors

So many outstanding children's book authors and illustrators stop by Bank Street Book Store that we feel we are everyone's favorite shop around the corner. Just last week we had visits from Stacy Davidowitz ("Camp Rolling Hills"), Anna Raff ("Big Surprise for Little Card"), and Sarah Mlynowski ("Whatever After" series). Check out books by this terrific trio as well as other great titles for summer reading.

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Blog Type Terms: 
Bank Street Bookstore
AnnBookworm's blog
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    Stacy Davidowitz

    Author of the 4-book Camp Rolling Hills Book Series! Order here!

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