Camper of the Week: Story and Pictures

Schwartz, Amy

ISBN 10: 0531085422 ISBN 13: 9780531085424

Publisher: Orchard Books, 1991

Synopsis

Although Rosie, a model camper, does not participate in her friends' prank and is not caught and disciplined, she decides to join her friends in the punishment because she knows she helped them

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 1-3-- Rosie Matthews is camper of the week. She obeys all the rules and is a credit to her cabin. She never gets into trouble. When her friends decide to play a trick on the camp bully, Rosie refuses to join them, but prevents the girls from being caught. The camp director learns of their mischief, and as punishment, Rosie's friends are barred from the final powwow. They nevertheless exalt in their success. Rosie decides voluntarily to miss the powwow, tells her friends of her part in the prank, and is greeted with, "You old troublemaker . . . I knew you had it in you!" The watercolor, cartoon-style illustrations, showing minimal facial features, have a modern look and are suprisingly expressive. This simple picture book raises many complex issues, however, and Rosie's motivations and feelings are not always clearly explicated. Is she feeling guilty because she broke the rules, guilty because she didn't get caught, or just left out since her friends are getting all the attention ("The kids. . . could talk of nothing else.")? The ending is satisfying, however, as Rosie arrives at a compromise that will both meet her moral standards and fulfill her need to belong. Primary age children, who still see things as black or white, may miss the subtle shades of gray introduced here, but will nonetheless empathize with The Camper of the Week.
-Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, KY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews:

For the younger set, tough moral choices treated with respect and memorable humor. Rosie is ``Camper of the Week'' because she really is good and dutiful; she's also so nice that her friends don't hold it against her. Still, the true heroes of the moment are fellow- Badgers Rhonda and the twins: harmlessly but effectively, they get back at bully Bernice by putting minnows in her bed. Rosie (who is ruminating about the effects of her own behavior) is actually an accomplice; she creates a diversion at the crucial moment. The others are punished (they have to stay in the cabin during a special treat); in a deft blend of real conscience with the practical realization that being ``good'' may not always be best, Rosie quietly decides to join them. Adroitly catching every nuance, Schwartz depicts Rosie sorting through her dilemma in crisp dialogue and telling action. Her good-humored illustrations focus on the essentials: just enough background to give a whiff of the camp milieu; the campers drawn with a few spare but revealing lines. A real winner. (Picture book. 5-9) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Orchard Books
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0531085422
• ISBN 13: 9780531085424
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 1