Synopses & Reviews
Going to sleepaway camp can be one of the most wonderful experiences for a young girl. But for Amy Becker, it's a nightmare. Amy, whose home life is in turmoil, is sent away to summer camp for the first time as a teenager. Though she swears she hates her mother, whom she thinks often mistreats her mentally challenged younger brother Charlie, she is less than thrilled to be leaving home. When she arrives at camp, she is subjected to horrifying "initiation" rites and bullying by Rory, the ringleader of the girls in her cabin. Then a cousin reveals secrets about Amy's mother and her world is turned upside down.
With the support of a few close friends, Amy embarks on a crusade to find her voice and stop the torment raining down on her from the mean girls. When she returns home, a strengthened Amy comes to understand her mother in a new light. Together her family struggles through life and death, realizing that when the clouds part, there will be sun.
In this deep and affecting story, Elaine Wolf reminds readers that everyone has their own demons to fight. Themes of bullying and parental conflicts will resonate with a wide teenage readership.
Synopsis
A coming-of-age novel about mothers and daughters and the strength needed to confront the challenges in life.
Synopsis
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, mothers and daughters, and the collateral damage of family secrets. It will resonate with a wide teenage readership. Camp will be 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.
Synopsis
A coming-of-age novel about bullying, mothers and daughters, and the collateral damage of family secrets
About the Author
ELAINE WOLF was a camper and camp counselor for many summers. She became a special education teacher and then a high school reading/ language arts specialist. The world she writes of is one she is passionate about and knows well. She is at work on her next novel and lives with her husband in Florence, Massachusetts.