Great book to read for new campers

JEMMA HARTMAN, camper extraordiane by Brenda Ferber is a wonderful example of how a book can help initiate discussion about fears a camper may have in anticipation of going away for the first time. It is a fabulous find for both mothers and daughters to share and many of my clients have read it for their mother-daughter book groups.
Jemma is going to Camp Star Lake with Tammy, her former best friend who has moved away. She looks forward to having a perfect summer with her, sharing activities and fun like it used to be. She doesn’t anticipate that her once solid friendship has changed. Nor does foresee Tammy’s cousin, Brooke, also attending, creating a threesome and lots of anxiety.
Although Jemma may know what the camp will look like and what the schedule is like, she can’t predict the actions of other campers. She feels excluded by Tammy, in competition with Brooke, and plagued by Delaney, the camp oddball. In this touching story Jemma learns through experience how to manage relationships and build friendships.
A anonymous quote prefacing the book says it all: “You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sail.”