Author Exclusive: Summer Greetings from Nancy Krulik

No More Pencils, But a Lot More Books!

I think summer may just be my favorite season. Sure, fall has its colorful leaves, winter has the holidays, and spring has gardens filled with flowers. But summer has it all--bright sunshine, green grass, sandy beaches, and best of all, no school!

All of my most memorable summers were spent at a sleep-a-way camp in the Pocono mountains in Pennsylvania. I loved, loved, loved camp! It was eight weeks (well, seven and a half weeks actually, but who’s counting?) of nonstop fun. My camp days were full of arts and crafts, pioneering, swimming, softball, campfires, canoeing, and reading.

Yes, you read right. Reading. I was lucky enough to go to a camp that had a library. The campers were always free to check out books to read at rest hour, or after lights-out with a flashlight (which I think is the absolute best way to read a really good ghost story). The best part about our camp library was that it was filled with books you might not find on your typical summer reading list. When you went to the camp library, it was considered okay to check out a collection of Peanuts comics, or a Judy Blume book you had already read 500 times before. One summer I remember tearing through at least five or six Nancy Drew mysteries. I felt a special kinship with that super-sleuth because we shared the same name, although to this day I am not exactly sure what kind of car a roadster is.

My old camp in the Poconos still exists. In fact, my own kids have gone there for years. And they assure me that there are a few How I Survived Middle School books in the camp library. It gives me a major thrill to think that on some really hot day, a camper will sign up for library as an activity (if only to enjoy the one air-conditioned spot on the whole campground), and pull one of my books down from the shelves. I guess I sort of figure that as long as my books are there, a part of me is still at summer camp, too.

But wherever you are this summer—at camp, at the shore, on safari, or at home—there is one place everybody can go to discover new books, connect with other kids, and take part in a reading competition: the Scholastic Summer Challenge, right here on THE STACKS! Once you join a team, all the time that you spend reading will be counted towards your team’s overall score, and at the end of the summer the team with the most points will help Scholastic decide where to donate books to kids in need! Plus, you’ll find games, quizzes, and behind-the-scenes tidbits about a different featured book or series each week (including How I Survived Middle School!). So head on over to the Summer Challenge to get started.

Happy summer reading everyone!

XO
Nancy Krulik, author of the series How I Survived Middle School

Comments

[Comment #1]

Please put trivia's about the book IQ it is soooooooo good

[Comment #2]

that book looks good!

[Comment #3]

i can't belev that i saw that many disney stars their

[Comment #4]

I can't belive its Summer already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Comment #5]

i love how i survived middel school books.i showed my friend the first book.and she was startining to read shes said she nows likes these books.this books are so great.

[Comment #6]

i wonder if theres going to be a movie about it.what if they do.omg.