Sleepaway Girls

by Jen Calonita

Book Overview

From the author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series comes her first standalone young adult novel, in which a sweet heroine learns to navigate triangles, intense rivalries, and a rebellious best friend and camp bunkmate during the most liberating summer of her life.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316017175
• ISBN13: 9780316017176
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
• Length: 297 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 12 to 15 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 10

Customer Reviews

Sleepaway Girls

Product Details * Pub. Date: May 2010 * Publisher:Little, Brown Books for Young Readers * Format: Paperback, 297pp * Sales Rank: 79,899 * Age Range: Young Adult * ISBN-13: 9780316017183 * ISBN: 0316017183 Sam decides that she is going to be a CIT (counselor in training) at a sleepaway camp called Whispering Pines because her best friend, the one that she does everything for, has a boyfriend that makes Sam feel like a third wheel. She is at a disadvantage though because she knows no one and everyone else seems to know each other. They have all been to camp before and she is the only new girl. Lucky for her, she finds a few great friends that help her through all of her trials through camp. These speed bumps happen to be from two boys, Hunter and Cole, and the camp queen bee, Ashley. This is a fun camp story that includes all of the great things from summer camp: a summer romance, sneaking out, pranks, a bit of rivalry, and many learned lessons. This was a great quick read that lifted my spirits as I read through it. It reminded me of my few sleepaway camp stories. I'm sure that my friends that were always in summer camp would love it even more than I did. Calonita is always an excellent quick read. She is funny and overly dramatic all at the same time. This is perfect for younger readers that have short attention spans because there are a lot of little conflicts that keep the story always moving. 5/5 stars

The Ultimate book for a tween

This book is fun filled. Mystery lingers in some strange places. It shows the reality of life, you can get a happy ever after but there will be moutains to climb before you reach your destation. This book is great for tweens. I've read it 17 times since I first got it in september. The story is about a girl named Sam. She has been best friends with a girl for a long long time. One spring her BFF gets a boyfriend. She is no longer the main high light in her BFF's life. Sam sees the summer ahead of her and decides to go to a camp called Whispering Pines as a CIT (counselor in training). Where she meets camp Alpha (and camp director's daughter) Ashley. She spends the summer with some of her new friends (Courtney, Emily, and Grace) and the little kids in the bunk she is assigned to. The author of this book makes us feel as if were watching it, since its so clear. You can almost feel the air, the bug bites on your arms. Personally I think this book is so good they should make it into a movie. You feel relationships to these characters that you can't feel any where else.

A twist from Jen, but I like it

I have alway enjoyed Jen's usual books, but when this one came out, I was skeptical. There was no promise of paparazzi, glam clothes, or celebrity elbow rubs. But in spite of all this, I loved this book! The heoine in the story had realistic downfalls and talents, and the supporting characters were very believable. I had an idea of the ending, but it deffinitley had a nice twist. The camp kind of reminded me of The first half of "Parent Trap" with the adorable pranks and camp spirit. I don't want to ruin the ending of this cute book, but the ending ties together loose strings, but also teases you with the idea of next summer! Rock on Sleepaway Girls, rock on!

Great Read for the Summer

Mix one part romance, two parts friendship, and a whole lot of drama and you have the recipe that is Sleepaway Girls! This book is a perfect start to the summer! Sleepaway Girls is one of the most fun books I've read in a long time. I was entertained throughout the entire novel and found myself laughing out loud! From Sam's encounters with Hunter and Cole to the first prank, this novel never skipped a beat. I was so captivated by this book's brilliance that I was cheering for Sam and the other Sleepaway Girls during their war against Ashley. In addition, I anxiously remained on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen at the close of the summer. To me the best thing about Sleepaway Girls was the vivid characterization. Jen Calonita is a genius when it comes to creating the perfect mix of drama queens, dreamy guys, down to earth girls, and--don't let me forget--the adorable peeps. The characters were so cleverly written, that I could feel Sam's insecurities when Ashley appeared, and I could sense her timidness around the boys. And though you would anticipate experiencing these things with the main character, I felt that each of the minor characters were so sharply painted, that I could feel their emotions and read their thoughts as well. If you are looking for an enjoyable read with memorable characters to keep you absorbed during the summer, look no further! Sleepaway Girls is one book you don't want to miss!

Perfect Summer Read!

To me this is a perfect summer fun book! Whipsering Pines is the ultimate camp for friends, flirtations, and finding out more about yourself. Makes my stints at Girl Scout camp look very yawn worthy! While nothing too out of the ordinary or different happens it was a thoroughly enjoyable book for me! It definitely makes me eager to read the author's Secrets of My Hollywood Life series. I loved all the different parts of the plot, from the cute little campers that were home sick, to the camp director's youngest daughter who made sure camp wasn't easy for Sam, to the cute boys and the Sleepaway Girls videos! All the different parts of the plot blended together to make a summer that most girls dream of. It was just really fun to read! I really liked Sam, though if I was in her shoes I'm sure I would have ratted out Ashley, the camp director's daughter for her antics a lot more often! I also really liked Sam's fellow CIT (counselor in training) Cole, he seemed like a really sweet and playful guy. It was totally cute to see him take care of his little campers, who couldn't fall for this guy! And the Sleepaway Girls, while they all sort of had their "thing" they were known for (Court loves to flirt, Em is shy and likes to read romance novels, and Grace is an athlete) they were a great part of the story. I can't help hope this might turn into a series! Overall a perfect summer read for teens (or teens at heart) of any age! Slip on your flip flops, grab a lemonade and enjoy!