Camp Can't

Oh, I love it when one of my books is mentioned in one of the big magazines. This article at SLJ features books about summer camp, including our very own Claudia Cristina Cortez in Camp Can't.

I never went to camp as a girl. (I did--nerd alert!--go to gifted and talented day camp, which I'm guessing is not at all like sleepaway camp...) But I always loved reading about other kids' camp experiences. Camp seemed like this cool place where anything could happen. My husband, however, was not a fan of his sleepaway camp, so it will be interesting to see whether we send our little boy. Luckily, we have a few years to think about it.

The photo shoot for the Camp Can't cover was fun. The designer really had get creative to come up with a concept that would show the reader that Claudia was at camp and having kind of a hard time. Since the Claudia covers each use one photograph, it was difficult to figure out a photo that would communicate that simply. I love what the designer came up with--to me, it shows that Claudia's roughing it, and her hiking shoes prove that she's working hard. We also struggled with the title, but I love the end result--in this book, Claudia struggles with a lot of difficulties, like bullies, annoying little kids, problems with her friends, and trying hard to pass the swimming test. For a while, it really does seem like she "can't" get it right.

Did you go to camp? Love it, hate it? Should I send my kid, if he wants to go?

More soon!
Beth