camp confidential

My Fave Childhood Summer Reads (9-12 readers)

| Ardin Patterson

Back when I was a member of the 9-12 readers age group, I had was going through books like crazy, especially during summer vacation. So I thought I’d share some of my favourite summer reads from back in the day.

Camp Confidential

I was obsessed with this series when I was a sixth grader. I borrowed them from the library, all of the time and managed to get two copies of my own one summer before going on a road trip to my uncle and aunts place. I never went to camp as a kid, so this series helped me imagine what it might be like. As an adult I worked as a camp counsellor at a day camp and had a blast! I believe people can still find the earlier books in this series in print. I always loved the cameo print covers.

I Want to Go Home

I still go back to this book and read it. It’s hilarious! I got this book from my teacher in the fourth grade. It was my introduction to Gordon Korman books. When my family and I went camping I made sure to bring a copy of one of his books to read before bed. This book just got a cover update an is definitely worth adding to a summer reading list!

Smiles to Go

“I feel like I’m playing chess underwater. The pieces keep floating away. I don’t know where things are. I can’t figure out tomorrow.”

I adore this book and wish I owned it. I’ll have to get a copy for myself someday. It’s definitely underrated in terms of Spinelli’s other work. This novel falls in a weird place between middle grade and young adult…but I definitely would recommend it to older tween readers. It’s such a good story.

The saddle club

I loved this series…and for some reason I believe it was also made into a TV show? My favourite character was Stevie. I thought she had a cool name. I wouldn’t say I was ever a “horse girl” growing up, but one of my older cousins road horses and I always thought her horses were beautiful. I think that’s what got me into these books, was being able to pet and feed the horses on my uncle’s farm.

The Babysitters Club

This series doesn’t need an introduction. Who doesn’t love The Babysitters Club? I wanted to join! It was the reason why I got my babysitting license and ended up becoming a babysitter all through high school to one of the coolest little kids I have ever met!

The Babysitters Club taught me so much about life, friendship and just…having fun! I reread the comic versions with my niece and am so happy she loves the series as much as I do. I have to watch the show on Netflix!

I loved the movies growing up, plus when I saw Claudia’s outfits I almost lost it. They’re so perfect!

Princess School

This series is no longer in print which makes me so sad. These books were fantastic and would fit in so well with the current fairytale retelling trend that’s happening right now!

I read these books in the fourth grade and still own the entire series. I believe it was the first series that I picked out for my self, and the first time I asked for books as a Christmas gift from Santa (although I always got books for Christmas from my grandparents and uncle).

I highly recommend this series if you’re able to find a copy. I hope it comes back into print one day.

Shadow Children

I just got my niece into this series because she thought it had something to do with the game Among Us. When she started reading it with me, she was both surprised and intrigued. I read this series between grades six and eight and absolutely adored it till the end. I was a bit worried that my niece might be too young for the content in the book, but as we read together it was clear that the book was perfectly fine for a soon to be fifth grader, and it looks like this might be a new favourite of hers!

Parked – Review

About Jeanne Ann is smart, stubborn, living in an orange van, and determined to find a permanent address before the start of seventh grade. Cal…

by Ardin Patterson

My Favourite Bookish Posts

| Ardin Patterson

Seeing as how Christmas is around the corner, I thought a little Narnia humour was in order.

Seriously though, do not eat the turkish delight.

Now onto our next post which comes from Pillow Thoughts II. I found this one on pinterest and thought it was very beautiful.

Have you ever finished reading a gorgeous passage in a book and just sat there in awe? I always take the time to admire them before moving on to the next line. Passages like those deserve to be appreciated for the art that they are.

Have you ever read something without a fandom? I have…it can be a very lonely place. However, I use that as an opportunity to introduce people to new books!

The other day one of my co-workers suggested a book to me that sounds both hilarious and heart-wrenching all at the same time! I’ve added it to my list of books to read ASAP!

I take my co-workers book suggestions very seriously. We spend a lot of time looking at books and judging how beautiful the spines are…I also now have an obsession with the hardcover details thanks to another co-worker of mine. Some of them are absolutely beautiful!

Anyway, here’s another favourite of mine:

I think we all have at least once. When I read the Outsider’s I fell hard for Ponyboy Curtis. Before that when I read Camp Confidential I was in love with Jordan. Before that…and this one takes me way back I loved Prince Val’ in the Princess School series. This doesn’t even include all the cartoon and anime boys.

What’s the best book you’ve read lately?