Agnes Parker, Happy Camper

Praise  for Agnes Parker . . .Happy Camper?
“Camp culture forces the friends to confront racial prejudice, loyalty and a blooming interest in boys. Realistic dialogue and smart characters offer a richness and depth without sacrificing some serious fun. The campfire is bright and warm when shared with Agnes and her friends.”—Kirkus Reviews

“O’Dell writes knowingly of preteen anxieties and concerns, and her characters ring true.”—Booklist

Praise for Agnes Parker . . . Girl In Progress
* “In this accomplished first novel, O’Dell probes the sixth-grade mindset pithily and perceptively.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“It’s what you might call a cusp-of-coming-of-age novel—and a thoughtful, gently humorous, resonant one at that.”—The Horn Book

“This satisfying and good-humored story will leave readers hoping for Agnes Parker’s return.”—School Library Journal

“O’Dell creates some of the liveliest characters in recent young adult fiction. Agnes is a great everygirl, with a touch of resourcefulness and heart thrown in, and her sidekick Prejean is sassy and outgoing. Neidermeyer is one of the best girl bullies to appear in years. The events in the story are told with the right mix of zaniness and sincerity, and they avoid sentimentality and overstatement. O’Dell is clearly in tune with young teenage girls and understands their embarrassments and their triumphs. She credits Beverly Cleary as an inspiration, and it is evident that Agnes is the literary offspring of Ramona. Readers can only hope to continue to watch her progress.”—VOYA