This book explores all the intricacies of early adolescent friendship, and accurately portrays the layers and nuances to the way girls treat each other. Kelly makes some really insightful observations about the randomness of popularity, and how relieved a girl is when the powerful mean girl chooses her as a friend and not a victim. Many tween books focus on bullying and peer pressure, but this one felt more realistic than many others I have read, because it showed the issue from both sides. Reb, Jennifer, and Kelly all act as bullies in this book, but they are many other things as well. The fact that Katy Grant never pigeonholes her characters is what sets this book apart from others in its genre.

Girls, go ahead and enjoy this book. Parents, you don’t have to read it. Let the girls have some fun. And this is one new author they must try out...

...The author wrote the first of the Summer Camp books eight many years ago. But it was published only in 2006.

The writer is the editor of Heek, a children’s magazine.

This brings back memories for everyone who's been to summer camp and young readers who haven't been will delight on knowing what's in store-- short sheeting beds, skinny dipping, learning to live with other campers in a small cabin, the dance with the boys camp, and of course, the final camp fire where everyone cries. The author, who spent five summers at a girls' camp in North Carolina is right on target as she writes about young girls--- the friendships, the sometimes cattiness, and the important life experiences gained at camp. Two special seven and nine year olds known to this reviewer devoured the book, one reading it in one sitting.