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(More customer reviews)Penny Moore went to bed a fifteen-year-old, and woke-up a sixteen-year-old. Technically, the girl is no longer a child. She finally has the freedom to do more "adult" things. Like drive a car. Or maybe even get a tattoo. But even with her new grown-up attitude, Penny refuses to dispose of her Hello Kitty nightshirt. The same one she's been wearing since 1998, even though it only comes up to her waist. But don't put her on the fashion-don't list just yet. The one thing she's craving are a pair of Seven jeans to ring in her Sweet Sixteen. The jeans retail for a whopping $150, but Penny is convinced that she'll be the lucky reciprocate of them, considering her parents know how much they mean to her. Unfortunately, when she lifts the lid off her gift, the only thing she sees is a collared t-shirt with the letters FLC on it. Penny couldn't be more confused, until her parents reveal that they've given her an all-expenses paid trip to Fern Lake Camp, where she'll be spending eight glorious weeks surrounded by girls she'll be able to bond with. Sure, Penny was dying to attend sleepaway camp - back when she was eight - and can't believe that her parents wasted their hard-earned money on something as trivial as camp, especially when it's the last thing Penny wanted for her Sweet Sixteen. But, seeing the disappointment on her parents faces, Penny gives them an ultimatum. She'll attend Fern Lake for four weeks, then, when Visitors' Day arrives, if she totally hates her summer set-up, she can leave early, and spend the rest of the summer moping around, studying for the SAT's, and searching for a job that will earn her some cold, hard cash. But before Penny even boards the plane that will whisk her away from her Bronx apartment, and deposit her in the wilds of Maine, she realizes that she's made the biggest mistake of her life. For none other than Logan Worthe, Manhattan's It Girl, and the ruler of Penny's school - Lakefield Academy. Logan is known for taking charge of every situation, and keeping all eyes on her, no matter what; which is exactly what Logan does when she arrives at LaGuardia Airport. Penny notes that the girl is Queen of Fern Lake, as well as high school, and plans on avoiding her at all costs - if possible. Unfortunately, that's the last thing Penny is able to accomplish, for she's placed in Bunk One - Logan's bunk - almost instantaneously - and is forced to contend with non-stop cheering, and inane conversations that make her feel as if she's losing IQ points. Logan can sense that Penny despises Fern Lake, and makes a pact with her to get her kicked out before Visitors' Day. Penny is only too happy to comply, figuring she'll be better off at home. And Logan couldn't be happier with the arrangement. After all, she refuses to have a new girl - especially one who knows her reputation from high school - ruin her last summer ever at Fern Lake. But as Penny begins to open herself up to the girls surrounding her, and the fresh outdoors, she begins to see just why Logan is so possessive of Fern Lake, and realizes that she, too, wants to stick around for the summer. But Logan refuses to break their pact, and adds in a little blackmail to ensure that Penny is forced to disappear - STAT!
With her debut novel GIRL IN DEVELOPMENT Jordan Roter proved herself to be a force to be reckoned with within the world of YA literature, by bringing three very important items to the forefront: original ideas, well-developed characters, and a fun plot that made the reader feel as if she - or he - were a part of the story. With CAMP RULES, Roter manages to secure that title, by, once again, penning a novel full of original, fun ideas that speak to the reader; while, at the same time, creating a bevy of characters, whose unique personalities feed off one another, creating an ideal group of unlikely friends. Mixing part Cecily von Ziegesar's IT GIRL, part Melissa J. Morgan's CAMP CONFIDENTIAL, with a splash of the Disney Channel reality show BUG JUICE thrown in for good measure, Roter's CAMP RULES is a novel that is sure to add a little sizzle to your summer. Penny Moore is a wallflower, just looking to bloom into a princess who worries more about studying vocab words for the SAT's, than boys, looking good, and having fun. Penny blends together two different age categories by embracing her inner child - by refusing to get rid of her Hello Kitty nightshirt - and her looming young adulthood. Her determination to remove herself from camp before she has even fully immersed herself within the sleepaway life, and her feelings of being ignored by those around her are quite reminiscent of Sam's character in GIRL IN DEVELOPMENT. Logan, on the other hand, is very similar to the character of Kate in GIRL IN DEVELOPMENT, considering, from the outside, she looks like a girl who has everything - perfect clothes, hair, make-up, tons of money, all the boys - yet she's still not happy because she's forced to contend with absentee parents who hardly know she exists. Both girls present such raw emotion, that borders on vulnerability, for the reader, instantly making it hard to dislike either one of them - no matter how downright nasty their antics get. It doesn't hurt matters any that both Penny and Logan are surrounded by a handful of delightful, Bunk One girls who each have their own, slightly bizarre personalities that make them stand out from the crowd and make them memorable long after the last page is turned. From the food-loving, yet oft-times clueless, Gabby; to the nature-adoring Willow. And Tess, a tennis star looking to leave behind her racket and embrace her true passion, art; to the boy-crazy Missy, and the slightly-sarcastic, yet always fun, Jade. But I can't fail to mention my personal favorite character, Morgan. A precocious - yet utterly adorable nine-year-old - with a penchant for falling down, who happens to be harboring a heart of gold. While many authors bring various characters to the forefront, yet fail to differentiate them in any way, or give them personalities of their own, Roter succeeds in doing just that, making each girl seem like one of your very own pals. As someone who has never attended summer camp, Roter has reinstated my desire to catch the closest bus, and head off for the summer of a lifetime. Her sleepaway expertise makes summer camp sound like the most amazing experience. And, after reading this book, I'm sure camps across the nation will see quite a jump in the numbers of wannabe campers! Certainly a book worth writing home about.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
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