Publishers Weekly
05/09/2022
Eleven-year-old white Abby Herman attempts to make friends in Blecher’s (Stick with Me) bighearted novel about truth and self-acceptance. When “ordinary” Abby gets the opportunity to attend sleepaway camp, she’s excited for a new cohort of eligible friends. It’s not until she arrives at the airport that her parents reveal that this is not a typical camp: Camp Famous is where famous kids go to get away from the pressures of public life. Despite the other campers’ inviting personalities, Abby pretends to be a famous writer to fit in, and ropes preeminent child reporter Oliver Frank, who’s white, into her scheme. As Abby finally makes friends, she begins to understand fame’s complexities, and realizes that her popular peers are not so different from her. Even so, she’s scared to admit her lies, and as these mistruths grow bigger, tension brews within her fledgling relationships. Through Abby’s fully realized loneliness and desire for connection, Blecher cleverly presents the pain of being left out, the joy of being seen, and the challenges along the road to accepting and celebrating oneself. Ages 8–12. Agent: Alexander Slater, Trident Media Group. (May)
From the Publisher
Abby Herman attempts to make friends in Blecher’s bighearted novel about truth and self-acceptance. . . . When ‘ordinary’ Abby gets the opportunity to attend sleepaway camp . . . [she] pretends to be a famous writer to fit in . . . She begins to understand fame’s complexities, and realizes that her popular peers are not so different from her. Even so, she’s scared to admit her lies . . . Blecher cleverly presents the pain of being left out, the joy of being seen, and the challenges along the road to accepting and celebrating oneself.” — Publishers Weekly
“Abigail Herman spends a lot of time trying to figure out the mysterious rules of fifth grade friendship. . . . She thinks a fresh start at summer camp might be the answer. . . But [then] her teacher, Ms. McIntyre, arranges for Abby to go to . . . Camp Famous . . . This plot-driven, upbeat novel will have readers relating to Abby’s awkwardness while enjoying the fanciful situation . . . A sweet story of friendship, being true to yourself, and finding common ground. . . . A quirky and fun summer read.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A fun summertime romp with a spotlight on coming into your own. . . . [Abby] is headed to Camp Famous, where famous kids escape to be themselves. . . . Blecher skillfully crafts relatable experiences and feelings within a unique story arc. Abby is a great example of a kid learning to be patient and comfortable with who she is; growing up can be tough, but being true to herself wins in the end. A sweet summer read.” — School Library Journal
“Abby longs . . . for a typical overnight summer camp experience. Instead, her teacher . . . finagles her a place at Camp Famous, where celebrity kids go to escape the pressure of the public eye. . . . Abby’s first-person narration, alternating with journal entries in her green fuzzy notebook, builds as the summer of her dreams unfolds, until her secret comes out, upending everything. This enjoyable story of finding self-acceptance through a summer escape is ideal for veteran campers as well as for those who daydream about the experience—and the new friends they might make there.” — Horn Book Magazine
"Blecher delivers a satisfying middle-grade story showcasing the makings of real friendship and the possibilities that await over a summer of growth (even if your summer doesn’t include a royal BFF).” — Booklist
"Camp Famous expertly blends the joys of summer camp with the struggles of not fitting in. It's a fun and uplifting read!" — Janae Marks, author of From the Desk of Zoe Washington
"Like the best camp friends, this heartfelt story will stay with you for a long time." — Stacy McAnulty, author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
Stacy McAnulty
"Like the best camp friends, this heartfelt story will stay with you for a long time."
School Library Journal
06/01/2022
Gr 4–7—Blecher's latest is a fun summertime romp with a spotlight on coming into your own. Abby is an ordinary 11-year-old white girl, trying to navigate who she is and what she wants. After an embarrassing incident at school alerts Abby's teacher to possible bullying, her parents give in and enroll her in a summer sleepaway camp she has always wanted to attend. Little does she know that she is in for anything but a typical summer camp experience—she is headed to Camp Famous, where famous kids escape to be themselves. Abby isn't famous but wants to fit in, so tells a lie about being a renowned author. Keeping up the lie and making friends with celebrities isn't easy, but Abby will do anything to make this summer the best ever. Readers will be connect with Abby as the story unfolds. Blecher skillfully crafts relatable experiences and feelings within a unique story arc. Abby is a great example of a kid learning to be patient and comfortable with who she is; growing up can be tough, but being true to herself wins in the end. VERDICT A sweet summer read for realistic fiction fans. Recommended for tween readers who enjoy light coming-of-age tales.—Elizabeth Pelayo
Kirkus Reviews
2022-03-02
Abigail Herman spends a lot of time trying to figure out the mysterious rules of fifth grade friendship.
Everyone knows that you should tuck in your shirt before doing a cartwheel. Everyone, that is, except 11-year-old Abby. Just like she doesn’t know the words to the latest songs or the names of the characters on the popular TV shows her mom won’t let her watch. She thinks a fresh start at summer camp might be the answer to her friendship problems, and she has her sights set on Camp Longatocket, which her old babysitter reminisced about. But when her teacher, Ms. McIntyre, arranges for Abby to go to a camp run by her brother, it’s someplace completely different: Camp Famous, where the high-profile campers include a princess and a pop star. Being the only nonfamous kid makes her feel like an outsider, so Abby pretends to be a bestselling author to fit in. She can only be her true self when she’s writing in her fuzzy, green, sequined notebook and when she’s spending time with Oliver Frank, her classmate and fellow camper who promises to keep her secret—and has one of his own. This plot-driven, upbeat novel will have readers relating to Abby’s awkwardness while enjoying the fanciful situation in which she finds herself. At its heart, it’s a sweet story of friendship, being true to yourself, and finding common ground. Most characters default to White.
A quirky and fun summer read. (Fiction. 8-12)
