Picnic at Camp Shalom
When Carly makes fun of Sara’s last name at mail call, her bunkmate at Camp Shalom thinks she’s just being mean and refuses to be consoled. Little does Sara know that Carly had a reason for her outburst. When their mutual love of music brings harmony to Shabbat dinner as well as to their friendship, Carly finally gets the chance to reveal her secret.
Reviews
"The summer-camp experience is celebrated, from scavenger hunts to water sports to crafts to whispering after lights out. . . . A good choice for fans of friendship stories, summer camp aficionados, and Jewish readers in general." -- School Library Journal, June 2011.
"Unlike most sleepaway-camp books for this age, this one is reassuring and positive, especially for firsttime campers." -- Booklist.
"This is a sweet slice-of-life book with colorful cartoonish illustrations showing giggling campers and understanding counselors. The theme of misunderstandings in a friendship is universal, so share this with all readers despite the Jewish named camp." -- Children’s Literature.
"Without even thinking, [children] can say words that sting and hurt their friends and others in their lives. This book would be great to use with children to show them why it is so important to stop and think before saying something too quickly." -- The Angel Forever blog, June 7, 2011.
"This is a wonderful story about two new best friends that realize they have more in common than they think and that friendship is really worth fighting for." -- The Picture Book Junkies Blog, March 21, 2011.
"The story highlights how Jewish summer camps are great places to make friends and create memories while emphasizing the idea that the entire experience teaches Jewish cultural traditions and creates community." -- jweekly.com, May 5, 2011.
"I like how the story describes the development of the girls’ friendship, and their short lived disagreement . Everything is told very naturally from a true kid-like perspective. . . . The illustrations by Deborah Melmon are wonderful. Each character, including the supporting kids in the background has their own personality. The pictures also have fun details to find, like the bunny slippers under the bunk of a fellow camper. . . . If you are looking for a story that speaks about the fun (and the challenges) of friendship, this is a great one. -- Ann D. Koffsky, December 28, 2011.
Jacqueline Jules interviewed on The Picture Book Junkies Blog
Press release for Picnic at Camp Shalom
