Elaine Wolf - Camp

Fortunately my own teen years weren’t bad—not at all like Amy Becker’s. But still, there were moments that made me shudder: like when my parents brought fruit instead of junk food on visiting day. That memory found its way into Camp .

Like Amy’s mother, my mother was an immigrant who rarely spoke about her life in Germany. In fact, one of the very few things I remember her telling me was that in Germany no one brought their dogs inside. That made it to the pages of Camp too.

Many years ago one of my cousins, who is not at all like Amy’s cousin Robin, told me something about my mother’s past that surprised me. How did my cousin know more about my mother than I did? But my parents didn’t want to discuss it. So I gave Amy the gift of finally knowing her mother.

I hope you’ll share Camp with your mother—and with your friends and teachers as well. I hope, too, that you’ll share your thoughts about Camp with me. Please visit my website at authorelainewolf.com.

A huge shout-out to those who read early drafts of this story and to those who cheered from the sidelines:

Ruth Thaler, whose unwavering support, nurturing, and friendship kept me writing; Lou Stanek and Jill Davis, whose knowledge and guidance made this a better book; Bee Cullinan and Mary Tahan, whose encouragement sustained me; Howard Rosenberg, Bill Rosenberg, Bernie Rosenberg, Alice Moss, Ali Moss, Roselle and Bernie Wolf, Sally Wolf, Heidi Wolf, Michael Wolf, Roni Starman, Carolyn Starman Hessel, Donna and Frank Miller-Small, Kathy Greenstein, Florence Kopit, Bea Nasaw, Ileanna Pappas, Sandy Bernstein, Cara Greene, Hortense Gray, Arlette Sanders, my writing and book groups, and my Long Island and Northampton friends, whose belief that they’d see Camp on the shelves (or on e-readers) guaranteed I wouldn’t give up.

Thunderous applause for my publishing team:

Jennifer Lyons, my agent, whose dedication and advocacy led her to find the perfect home for this book; Julie Matysik, my editor, whose hard work, intelligence, and grace ensured a joyful publishing experience; Tony Lyons, my publisher, and his Skyhorse team—especially Brian Peterson, Yvette Grant, and Karissa Hearn, whose commitment to this book was exceptional.

And a million hugs to my family:

Adam and Sumana Wolf, and Judy Wolf and Justin David, my remarkable children, whose love and confidence empowered me to fly; Ira Wolf, my amazing husband and greatest champion, whose patience, understanding, and generous spirit enabled me to soar. Without him, there would be no book.

Heartfelt thanks to you all.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are from the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2012 by Elaine Wolf

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wolf, Elaine.

Camp / Elaine Wolf.

p. cm.

Summary: In 1963 at a Maine summer camp, fourteen-year-old Amy Becker is forced to face the camp bully, Rory, family secrets revealed by her cousin Robin, and worry about having to leave her mentally challenged brother with their cold, harsh mother.

ISBN 978-1-61608-657-2 (hardcover : alk. paper)

[1. Camps--Fiction. 2. Bullies--Fiction. 3. Mothers and daughters--Fiction. 4. Brothers and sisters--Fiction. 5. Secrets--Fiction. 6. Maine--History--20th century--Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.W81855165Cam 2012

[Fic]--dc23

2011047125

Printed in the United States of America