Camy Baker's How to Be Popular in the Sixth Grade (Camy Baker's Series) - Softcover

Baker, Camy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0553486551 ISBN 13: 9780553486551

Publisher: Skylark, 1998

Synopsis

Help is on the way with Camy Baker's advice books!  Camy's fresh, down to earth guidance speaks directly to girls about issues that concern them the most, and she does it without being patronizing.

Girls everywhere will relate to Camy's witty, fun approach to life and all of the challenges of becoming your own person.

In How to Be Popular in the Sixth Grade, Camy has the winning formula for ruling the school!  Twelve-year-old Camy and her family have moved to Illinois from Beverly Hills, and she has had enough experiences to tell readers what they need to know about fitting in, wanting to be liked, and trying to be popular.  Camy's advice for being popular is about being yourself and being good to others -- words of wisdom for readers of any age!

About this title

From the Inside Flap

he way with Camy Baker's advice books! Camy's fresh, down to earth guidance speaks directly to girls about issues that concern them the most, and she does it without being patronizing.<br><br>Girls everywhere will relate to Camy's witty, fun approach to life and all of the challenges of becoming your own person.<br><br>In <i>How to Be Popular in the Sixth Grade,</i> Camy has the winning formula for ruling the school! Twelve-year-old Camy and her family have moved to Illinois from Beverly Hills, and she has had enough experiences to tell readers what they need to know about fitting in, wanting to be liked, and trying to be popular. Camy's advice for being popular is about being yourself and being good to others -- words of wisdom for readers of any age!

Reviews

Grade 4-6-In this lively book, sixth-grader Camy Baker, who recently moved from Beverly Hills, CA, to Peoria, IL, dispenses advice to her peers. The first section presents 30 rules to live by, while the second offers letters to Camy that she replies to in a "Dear Abby" fashion. Though the style of the narration is flip and chatty, with many contemporary references to television shows and movies, the rules themselves are pretty basic and give good advice. Examples are: "Be the nicest person in your class"; "Choose your mirrors [friends] carefully"; "Be yourself"; and "Don't cling to friends, boyfriends, or popularity." Throughout the book, Camy illustrates her points with examples from her life in Beverly Hills. Readers will be entertained as they learn that being popular is a good thing but not an end in itself. The Internet address for Camy's home page is included.
Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a snobbish, somewhat snarky toneAtoo adult-sounding to be believable as the voice of the sixth-grader she claims to beACamy professes herself an expert at being popular. After all, she has honed her skills at Beverly Hills Elementary, where "being popular was the most important thing." Now Camy is on her way to being all the rage on her new turf, Peoria (as in "will it play in...?") Middle School in Illinois, where her family recently relocated. The author's basic philosophy is simple: "If you feel good about yourself, others will feel good about you." But most readers already have learned that expressing one's individuality is often at odds with fitting in with the popular crowd. So, while many of the rules here, including "Don't follow trendsAset them!" "Be independent," "Be yourself," and "Stand tall," are positive nuggets of advice (if not to say old chestnuts), they may not go down with the target audience. A few dated pop-culture references and derogatory remarks about stepparents also detract from this work. Particularly patronizing (spoken by a person of any age) are remarks like "I don't believe that all adults are necessarily worthy of my respect.... But we need to be nice to teachers because they have a hard job and don't get paid a lot of money. And they're educated at colleges." On a brighter note, a closing question-and-answer section and Web site address may offer support to girls dealing with confusing issues of adolescence. Ages 9-12. (Sept.) FYI: A companion book, Camy Baker's Love You Like a Sister, is due for simultaneous release; it offers rules for friendship ($3.99 paper, -48656-X).
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Rule #4:
Talk, Talk, Talk

Obviously this rule is very near and dear to my heart! But this rule is important because some girls like to blend in and pretend they're not there.

Sara says in high school at dances they called the shy boys and girls standing in the shadows wallflowers. Are you a wallflower? It's okay if you are. But it's also important to learn that it's okay to talk to people.

Now, I'm not saying you need to talk about nothing to just anybody! There are other rules attached to this rule (like all rules, really, if you think about it). But something to remember is that you've been provided with vocal cords and all those things that make words possible. Animals don't have these things, we do.

It does you no good to sit in the back of the class and let everyone else do all the talking! How are you ever going to become popular? I for one have never heard of silent popularity.

And this talk, talk, talk rule is very important especially when you're around boys. Some boys have this problem that they think everything they say is really important, so you'd better listen.

There was a boy in my gym class named Chad, and he talked more than I talked. I know, I know, you're thinking that's not possible, but it's true. The bad thing about it was he talked, but he never listened! I learned a big lesson from him.

Chad talked so much you were pretty much forced to listen. I noticed that when he was around, he was the only one doing the talking. I used to listen to him, too, but then I realized Chad talked the most because other people let him!

Boys are like this--they think they're stronger than girls, so when they talk, they think we should listen. I say, Snap! My name is Camy Baker, and it's my right to talk. (I talk in my sleep, that's how much I talk!) And I don't like seeing boys doing all the talking in gym. They're loud and unruly, but they have no right to make any of us girls be quiet. Talk, girls, talk!

Edition details

• Publisher: Skylark
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0553486551
• ISBN 13: 9780553486551
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144