Tuesday, April 2, 2024

THE LIGHTNING CIRCLE by Vikki Vansickle

 


It's 2006. Nora/Nova is seventeen and going to summer camp for the first time. She won't be a camper; she'll be a counselor. Her main goal in committing to this three-month program is to forget about him.

Nova, the name she chooses as her camp name, is uncertain about exactly what to expect. First, she meets her fellow counselors. They all seem so experienced, but it doesn't take long to warm up to them. 

When the campers begin to arrive, Nova tries hard to remember all their names and to get to know them. Some are repeats who fall right into the routine. Others are new and need a bit of encouragement. There are also a few who seem ready to rebel at every turn. 

There is crafting, swimming, hiking, and horseback riding, just to name a few of the activities. Nova realizes she is beginning to connect with the girls in her cabin, and the more that happens, the less she thinks about him. The decision to spend her summer here in the woods was a good one.

Author Vikki Vansickle creates a realistic summer camp experience in THE LIGHTNING CIRCLE. It will click with readers familiar with summer camp, and possibly encourage those who aren't, to give it a try. Written in verse with illustrations by Laura K. Watson, this is a fast read perfect for middle graders.

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