Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Synopsis
It's summertime and the Wish Pond Road gang is getting ready to go to Camp Blue Lake. Mallory's not so sure she wants to go. What if she gets homesick or none of the other kids like her? Her best friends, Mary Ann and Joey, convince her how fun it will be to go swimming, boating, and roast marshmallows over a campfire. But when Mallory arrives at camp, nothing goes as planned. Will Mallory ever find a way to be a happy camper?
Children's Literature
AGERANGE: Ages 9 to 12.
Mallory's summer is off to a nervous start. She is going to sleep-away camp for the first time and is not convinced that she is going to have the great time everyone insists she will. Not only will Mallory miss her parents, but she has to leave her cat, Cheeseburger, too. Still, camp has its attractions, especially since she will be going with her best friend Mary Ann. They are eager to be bunkmates for two weeks, dress alike, and do everything together. But when they arrive at Camp Blue Lake, the first in a series of disasters occurs: Mallory and Mary Ann are put in different cabins. To make matters worse, Mary Ann has a new best bunkmate while Mallory has Carine, a cabin catastrophe. Carine manages to mess up every experience Mallory has been looking forward to. While Mallory tries to overcome her frustration, it is not until she screws up something for Carine that she learns to put herself in someone else's flip-flops, and to forgive and forget. Themes of second chances, friendship, and overcoming the fear of new experiences will resonate with middle-grade girls, while fans of the "Mallory" series will be glad to read about the latest adventures of the Wish Pond Road Gang. Reviewer: Keri Collins Lewis