Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! I hope the kids in your life are enjoying their summer vacations. I think most schools are out now? I know Tennessee lets out really early, so I’m always surprised when I hear of kids still in school in June.
Learn something new, sharpen your skills, and expand your horizons with our Better Living Through Books newsletter. Better Living Through Books is your resource for reading material that helps you live the life you want. From self-help to cookbooks to parenting to personal finance, relationships, and more, Better Living Through Books has got you covered. If it’s part of life, it can be part of your reading life. Sign up for your free subscription to Better Living Through Books today, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media.
This week, I review four middle grade novels about summer camps, plus two great new releases.
Bookish Goods
Wet Bag in Stacked Books Fabric by monkeyfootdesigns
Wet bags are great for wet wipes, diapers, swimwear, and more. This one can be made in multiple sizes and with a fun book pattern. $10+
New Releases
Play Outside with Me by Kat Chen, illustrated by Lorraine Nam
A new interactive board book series, Playdate, is launching with this title as well as Play with Me. In Play Outside with Me, Sam and a squirrel friend invite the reader to play on a playground. Sam and the reader blow bubbles, draw in chalk, slide, look at a ladybug, and more. This is a great new series for toddlers.
Daughter of the Light-Footed People by Belen Medina, illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro
This fantastic nonfiction picture book uses sparse, evocative prose to tell the story of when María Lorena Ramírez won the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo — a 31-mile race in Mexico — while wearing traditional clothes of the Rarámuri people. It opens with the sound Lorena’s huaraches make as she takes off across the canyons. As she runs, the texts reflects back on her childhood, building strength, playing with her siblings, and building patience as she walked to buy food and collect water. It’s a really cool true story.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Sometimes, a year has a lot of books publish with similar themes, and this year, I’ve noticed a lot of middle grade summer camp novels, especially graphic novels. I’ve already reviewed Upstaged and Unhappy Camper, but here are four more to check out.
Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer
This is a cute and relatable middle grade graphic novel about a string music camp. Tate Seong has recently taken up viola after hearing the young prodigy Eli Violet backstage. Eli struggles with anxiety and was unable to perform that day, but their music struck a chord with Tate, and Tate’s supportive parents surprise them with the summer camp. Eli is attending the camp as well. Eli and Tate become friends, and Eli tutors Tate in viola. Meanwhile, Tate, who also has anxiety, comes out as nonbinary — like Eli — to their fellow viola players.
Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang
This is the only non-graphic novel on this list. Phoenny Fang is super excited about returning to the Summertime Chinese Culture, Wellness, and Enrichment Experience camp — called Squee by the campers— with her best friend. Their mothers run the camp, and the two will both be senior campers this year. But it turns out the senior campers are being separated into new cabins and teams this year to welcome and help an influx of new members, all of whom are adoptees. They have very different feelings about learning Chinese culture than Phoenny, which causes some frustration.
Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim
This is a very fun paranormal middle grade graphic novel, great for fans of Camp Sylvania. Maya has had a rough school year and is looking forward to the summer, that is, until her father announces that his girlfriend, Charlotte, is moving in with them. While Maya likes Charlotte well enough, she’s not ready for her to invade her home. However, Charlotte surprises her by arranging a culinary camp she can attend. Maya loves cooking and is super excited about the camp. But when Maya gets on the wrong bus, she ends up at a summer camp for vampires instead!
Sink or Swim by Veronica Agarwal & Lee Durfey-Lavoie
This standalone graphic novel happens in the same world as Roll with It. Ty is struggling with anxiety and depression as he and his friends, twins Max and Heather, arrive at summer camp. Ty has just gotten the cast for his broken arm taken off, which kept him from swim meets with the twins. He worries that they’ve grown more distant, and he also worries about his weight. Ty distances himself from everyone at camp, which hurts Max and Heather’s feelings. Max turns that hurt into anger, and he’s also harboring a secret crush on Ty.
Last week I mentioned that we were taking my daughter to a cat rescue center, The Catio Lounge, for her half birthday to play with the cats. We all had a blast!
If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, Bluesky @AReaderlyMom.bsky.social, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com.
All the best,
Margaret Kingsbury