If I had read this book during my younger gymnast-wanna-be days, this would probably one of my fave books.-- "Second Bookshelf on the Right blog"
A nice, quick read about a dorky new girl who goes off to a Cheerleading Camp. . . .I loved the ending as well, how we don't see the outcome of the competition, just that Faith feels like a winner already so who really wins isn't necessary.-- "NetGalley Review"
Faith and the Camp Snob is a fast-paced, high-interest novel about junior high school cheerleading. This is the first volume in the Team Cheer series, and it describes Faith's experience as the newest cheerleader at pre-season cheerleading camp. Most of the girls are really welcoming to her, and glad to have her on the squad, but one of the girls, Ella, is pretty nasty, and for no real reason. Faith really wants to fit in and prove to the squad that she belongs there, but first she'll have to gain the confidence to believe in herself and stop worrying what one snobby girl thinks. I thought this book was really well-written, and did a great job of covering all aspects of cheerleading. I learned the terminology for a lot of cheer moves I never even realized had specific names, and the book paints cheerleading as a fun, motivational activity, but leaves out most of the catty negativity a lot of non-cheerleaders might associate with the sport. The book is also really appealing to look at. Chapters are separated by a full page of graffiti-like writing, filled with phrases related to cheerleading. I also loved the glossary at the back of the book, which was a great reminder for all the new vocabulary. There are also some questions and answers and a quiz in the back section of the book, along with a brief interview with the author. The language of the story itself is very chatty, and at times, reads like a cafeteria conversation between two friends, or a contemporary magazine article in a trendy teen magazine. This will make the book more appealing to girls who might not readily enjoy reading, and it also makes it sound very fresh and up to date. The reading level for this book is fourth grade, and the interest level is listed as grades 4 through 8. I absolutely think middle school and elementary school libraries should purchase this book for their reluctant readers, who will undoubtedly enjoy the friendship drama and high-stakes cheerleading competition described in the story. I was disappointed at the abrupt ending, and the fact that we don't learn the outcome of the competition, just of the problems between Faith and Ella, but overall, the friendship issue is the main conflict in this book, so it might not bother every reader. I do wonder, though, why the author bothered to set up a competition with lots of tension and suspense if she didn't plan to include the results. I do see that the overall triumph of the novel is Faith's own confidence in herself, which is a great message, but I suspect a lot of kids will want to know how the competition turned out as well. http: //sharingsoda.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-faith-and-camp-snob-by-jennifer.html-- "Secrets & Sharing Soda"
Faith doesn't think she's a typical cheerleader-- she's not outgoing or petite. Her self-consciousness about the matter leaves her open to being badgered by the alpha cheerleader in her group when they go to camp. She misses her mother, but makes a few friends. Can she continue her cheering when she feels that she is not being treated fairly by all of her teammates? Strengths: This has a lot of basic information about cheering, and a lot of vocabulary. The explanations are very helpful for someone interested in cheering. The first in a series. Weaknesses: The story line suffers a bit because of the emphasis on cheering. Still, this will be good for my 6th grade girls who might be interested in cheering but struggle with reading skills. http: //msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/2011/07/calebs-wars.html-- "Ms. Yingling Reads blog"
FAITH AND THE CAMP SNOB was a cute, entertaining little read that will surely keep the interest of the younger pre-teen crowd, especially girly girls who enjoy cheerleading movies and pre-teen chick flick type stories. Faith is relateable enough to keep young readers engaged and tough enough to be a good role-model for these readers. Plus, the pages are dotted with cute annotations, definitions, cheer-leading tips, and even a quiz to let girls decide which cheerleader best matches their personalities. So, even reluctant readers who are easily distracted will probably still find something interesting in this story. I think this was cute enough that I'd give the rest of the series a chance in the future.-- "NetGalley Review"
I quite enjoyed this book. I would love to read more of this series. Lots of things made this book more enjoyable than other cheerleading books, but above all, is the notes that explain all the cheerleading terms. These really helped me to better understand the story. I also liked the quiz after the story that tells you which of the cheerleaders you are most like.-- "Confessions of a Female Bookaholic blog"
I think this is a great read. This story shows how true friends behave and how to deal with bullies. I'm going to check out the other books in the series.-- "Wanted Readers blog"
Kat is fourteen and is tired of being fat. She wants this to be the summer that she really loses it. When her parents turn down her idea of fat camp, she decides to do her own health camp. She joins a gym and starts seeing a nutritionist. The Summer I Lost it tells the story of her summer as she gets healthier and starts losing the weight. To sweeten things even more, she might just find the other thing she really wants - a boyfriend! While a fictional story, the book could be helpful to other girls in the same situation as Kat. It encourages healthy ways to lose weight - a balanced diet and exercise - rather than risky and drastic methods. Also, the tone is very upbeat and encouraging. Also included within the chapters are calorie comparisons between bad and healthy meals, and at the end, healthy recipes are included for the reader to try. http: //www.goodreads.com/review/show/195900474-- "GoodReads.com"
The author captures the true spirit of cheer in this exciting new series for young readers. . . .The closing activities provide a fun yet educational way to enhance critical thinking in young readers as well. The "Meet the Author" section at the back is unique because it feels as if the reader has just had an intimate conversation with the author.-- "Children's Literature Comprehensive Database Newsletter\"
This is the first volume in the Team Cheer Series. The story describes Faith's experiences at Cheerleading Camp. Faith doesn't think she is a typical cheerleader. There is one girl at camp who is a total snob and she gives Faith a hard time. Faith wants to fit in and prove to the squad she belongs there. I really like the way the book is set up with "Cheerleading Scrapbook" pages in between each chapter. There are plenty of cheerleading phrases with a glossary at the back for reference. I thought the book was really well written and very entertaining. http: //lollipopscottage.blogspot.com/2011/08/books-with-cookies-and-milk-13.html-- "LolliPop's Cottage"
This is the perfect read for all girls aged 9-13yrs old and if they have ever dreamed of being a cheerleader and live for movies like Bring It On #1-5, Fired Up, Step Up #1-4, then this is definitely the book for them.-- "NetGalley Review"
This was a cute book that will appeal to younger, middle-grade readers. . . .The format of the book was approachable and I loved reading the little lists and notes at the bottom that explained the cheer leading moves, as I know nothing about cheer leading. . . .It teaches good lessons like having good friends, doing what you love and not letting someone block your way to success. I really enjoyed this and I'm sure girls my age and younger would love it too!-- "Blog of a Bookaholic"
While cheering has really never been my thing I thought this looked like a cute summer book & I was right. It's no secret that I love Capstone but I'll definitely be adding Jen Jones to my list of must watch authors for middle-grade girls.-- "Hott Books blog"