How many of you went to camp as a kid?
I did. After my parents divorced, my mother sent me to a day camp through the summer so she could work, and I really enjoyed it, for the most part. I loved playing Capture the Flag and singing camp songs (many of which I still remember to this day!), but the one thing I hated was the big sleepover weekend at the end of the summer. I remember having to sleep in old, smelly canvas tents that leaked when it rained, and it rained EVERY TIME. I hated sleeping in those tents with a bunch of stinky campers and I hated the feeling of being alone – just us kids and our teenage camp councilors – out in middle of nowhere – as a kid, it really freaked me out.
My strong dislike of sleepover camp is what makes me want to pick up the book P.S. I Hate It Here, a collection of letters that kids wrote to their parents while away at camp. Well, that and the fact that I think this book will be a pretty hysterical read. The letters that make up the book are scans of the original ones sent, like this one:
Wow, the first four days of camp must have been pretty rough for Josh if the rash on his p-nus was preventing him from running.
(Also? EGGS!)
Sounds like Olivia is having a blast!
Perhaps Harry’s mother should send a first aid kit along with that winde up flashlight.
P.S. I Hate It Here is totally going on my Christmas Wish List. I laughed so hard reading these three sample letters that I may have peed myself a little.
[source]
I could have written any one of these letters home. SERIOUSLY. OMFG, I hated the first couple of weeks of camp. My parents always went me to camp that went 4 -6 weeks long and I was always a mess for the first half even if I was there with friends. But for the record, I never had a rash on my p-nus (or va–na).
katie | motherbumper´s last [type] ..Oh Canada
i loved my first camp – a little hippy backwoods Canadian set up, & then *hated* the bigger, much more rah rah organized camp with levels and lessons and subtle popularity contests gone feral. My letters home from the second camp included MANY CAPITAL LETTERS, exclamation points of despair!!!!!!!!!! and stories of SUFFERING. I’d love to see them now.
Katie – I’d *totally* have shared my marshmallows of misery with you.
Thx for the review MamaTulip – I will be watching for this book.
EarnestGirl´s last [type] ..Eat- Pray- Vibrate
“…subtle popularity contests gone feral.”
And with that, I’ma read your blog, EarnestGirl!
Just saw this book in a little shop in Bar Harbor and cackled hysterically at the letters. I couldn’t put it down; I think I may have stood there and read the whole thing.
I loved how the book was organized, too. There’s one chapter for each type of letter and the chapter titles alone are hilarious. One chapter is called “Surprise!” Hah! I’m pretty sure the “I can see the bone, but I’m ok” letter was in that chapter. Too classic.
Heidi´s last [type] ..Pick Those Apples- Wait- Strawberries- At Connors Farm
This makes me want to read the book even more!
mamatulip´s last [type] ..Hoagies and grinders- hoagies and grinders Navy beans- navy beans