Library Camps

Seventh grade is a really big year. Especially if, say, for instance, your camp crush, the one who wanted to be "just friends" has finally decided to take an interest in you - now that you've been flirting with someone new. That's just Priya's dilemma. But all the girls seem to have their own share of problems and solving them without their closest camp friends by their side is no fun at all.

The girls go on an overnight and share horror stories around the campfire. But it’s the one about Cropsy, the creepy old man who lives just outside the campgrounds and is known for torturing Lakeview campers, that hits closest to home. Especially when Chelsea leaves the group for a bathroom break in the woods and doesn’t return after 45 minutes. No sooner do her bunkmates go after her then do they realize they’ve completely lost their way and are now at the mercy of the evil Cropsy’s whims!

Brynn’s just transferred to a brand-new school in a town close by. A town in Bizarro World, that is, where academic excellence is the fast track to popularity and Candace - yes, quiet, seemingly insecure Candace - is the reigning queen bee. Brynn’s not sure how she’ll ever fit in to this parallel universe, until one day she notices Candace crumbling under the weight of some serious self-imposed stress. So Brynn takes Candace under her wing and teaches her the fine art of chilling out before she turns into a complete basket case at the tender age of 13.

Eduardo F. Calcines was a child of Fidel Castros Cuba; he was just three years old when Castro came to power in January 1959. After that, everything changed for his family and his country. When he was 10, his family applied for an exit visa to emigrate to America and he was ridiculed by his schoolmates and even his teachers for being a traitor to his country. But even worse, his father was sent to an agricultural reform camp to do hard labor as punishment for daring to want to leave Cuba.

When the summer ended, the girls from bunk 3C assumed that everything would be the same at home as when they had left. But with middle school starting, they couldn’t have been more wrong. Now Natalie and Jenna are finding their social lives rapidly changing, and Grace and Alex are working harder than ever at school and sports. But when they find out that their bunkmate is going through some really tough times, they are eager to do anything they can. But how can they help her when they all live so far away?

Athletic, quiet Sarah loves Camp Lakeview and is psyched to be back for another summer in the sun. She gets along with everyone and never makes waves. But when Sarah meets the girls of bunk 4C, she’s in for a huge surprise: Phoebe, a classmate of hers from back home, has come to camp this summer! Phoebe’s friendly, sure, but, well, she’s from Sarah’s other life, her "real" life, the one she leaves behind when she heads off for Lakeview. And if Sarah isn’t careful, Phoebe could spill her secrets to the rest of the campers. Sarah could never live that down.

Priya Shah is Camp Lakeview’s resident tomboy - her BFF in the whole world is Jordan: a BOY, but they are just friends. The girls in bunk 4C aren’t buying it, though. Priya’s used to the teasing and thinks she can take it. But during the fourth-division field trip to D.C. she realizes she’s never been more wrong. And when Jordan starts going out with another girl on the trip, Priya must get in touch with her true feelings before it’s too late.

In the twelfth book of the Capital Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series featuring fun facts and famous sites from Washington, D.C.—a legend says that on a dead president's birthday, his ghost haunts the famous retreat, Camp David. KC and Marshall are going there on October 14, President Eisenhower's birthday. They aren't worried, until strange things start happening. How did a bat get trapped in their cabin? Why is there blood-red dirt in the trunk by the couch? And what is making the weird thumping noise? It's not Eisenhower's ghost...is it?

Alyssa finds an amethyst, a stone believed to aid in psychic awareness. Suddenly she's interpreting dreams and making predictions, all with 100 percent accuracy. While half the camp girls are believers, the other half are skeptics, attributing the gem's track record to coincidence. Not that Alyssa cares what anyone thinks. In fact, she's so attached to the amethyst, she names it Amy. But when a prediction causes the bunk to miss a Phillies game - where Justin Timberlake sings - even the believers cross over to the dark side.

Jenna is psyched to have all of her friends up to her lake house! Greenwood Lake is so much fun, especially on Memorial Day weekend, when they have an annual county picnic and an old-fashioned carnival. The weekend is off to a perfect start... until Jenna’s brother invites David, her old crush and Sarah’s current boyfriend! Jenna handles the situation by trying to ignore David. But when the picnic rolls around and she and David are partnered up for the three-legged race, the sparks that fly between them are way too electric to ignore!

When Natalie’s dad is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, she flies to L.A. for the week, where she plans to hang out with Tori and take her to the Oscars. But when Natalie hits it off with Tori’s friend Reed, Tori feels left out and picks a giant fight, which culminates in Natalie rescinding Tori’s invitation to the Oscars and giving it to Reed instead. Cut to: Natalie and Tori and their tearful reconciliation. Unfortunately, the only way for Natalie to really enjoy this happily ever-after ending is to find a replacement ticket to the Oscars!

Sworn city girl Natalie Goode is actually back - voluntarily - at Lakepuke for more. More mess-food cooking, more bug-infested bunk beds, and even more nature shack (well, maybe not nature shack; a girl has to maintain some standards, after all). And even though the returning 3C-ers have been split up, she’s still got Alyssa as her bunkmate and official summertime BFF. Unfortunately, there’s a new camper on the scene! Tori is sophisticated, literate, and very cute. Good thing Natalie’s not the jealous type, or is she?

Gaby’s had it with “The Chelsea Show”. So she embarks on her own attention-seeking campaign, and claims the boy on a Survivor-type TV program for teens is her brother. At first this seems like the perfect get-popular-quick scheme. That is, until the boy wins the competition and is awarded the grand prize: a trip to Australia, leaving immediately... WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY! Forget popularity - unless Gaby figures out a way to convince her bunkmates that she’s on the next flight out to Australia, she’ll never be able to show her face at Lakeview again.

It's Alex Kim's fourth year at Camp Lakeview, so there's nothing mysterious about her. Everyone knows that she's a star athlete and an all-around leader, and if they don't, never-shy Alex will be more than happy to fill them in. But Alex is holding something back this summer, and her friends are beginning to notice. Can they figure out what's been bothering their friend before the summer ends?

Funny and talented, Grace Matthews is everyone's friend. But when the girls in bunk 3C pair off, Grace realizes she's the only one without a best friend. Soon, Grace starts hanging out with Kerri, a girl from a rival bunk, who starts bullying Grace and those around her. Will Grace have the courage to stand up for herself - even if it means standing on her own?

Jenna Bloom swore she’d behave herself this summer. She knows that one more practical joke and even her friends won’t be so friendly anymore. But when she’s sidelined from the color war by an unexpected injury, will Jenna revert to her mischievous ways? Could the ultimate prank be, ultimately, way too tempting?

Summer camp means lots of things: new friends, roommates... But it's also a chance to be on your own and to reinvent yourself. A shy girl can become the belle of the ball, and a jock might find new competition. Natalie, Jenna, Grace, and Alex have all found themselves at Camp Lakeview for different reasons. And each is keeping a secret. But if everyone is hiding something, how will they ever become friends? If Natalie, a city girl more interested in fresh sushi than fresh air, can loosen up, she might even enjoy herself - unless the secret she's been keeping gets in her way...

Summer camp means lots of things: new friends, roommates, bug bites, bathroom duty. But it's also a chance to be on your own and to reinvent yourself. A shy girl can become the belle of the ball, and a jock might find new competition. Natalie, Jenna, Grace, and Alex have all found themselves at Camp Lakeview for different reasons. And each is keeping a secret. But if everyone is hiding something, how will they ever become friends?

Presidents' Weekend is coming up, and Tori's parents have invited four of her closest friends to their Tahoe home for a ski trip! No sooner have the girls booked their tickets to California than they learn that the Lakeview reunion is also scheduled for that weekend. Will the fourth years be separated for reunion weekend?

It’s the camp reunion, and everyone from Bunk 3C is going to NYC for the weekend! And with the girls planning a big surprise for one of their bunkmates, it’s sure to be just like old times. But when everyone meets up, it’s obvious that things have changed - the bunk has split up into different cliques! Bunk 3C was always the most fun when everyone got along, but can the girls fix everything before it’s time to leave one another again?