March 1, 2018
Gr 9 Up-Jack Kerouac has been dead for almost 40 years, but that doesn't stop him from haunting Nick, who just lost his older sister, Diana, to suicide. Diana loved Kerouac and often channeled his philosophy of loving the "mad ones." As if these things weren't bad enough, Nick's parents have decided to send him to "Jesus Camp" at the behest of Nick's other sister, Charlotte. Nick is not excited or even happy about this decision but he doesn't feel like he has a choice, given the tragedy his family has just gone through. The campers are encouraged to write down confessions or prayers and put them into the official PC Box, and even Nick participates-by writing down his secret about Diana's death. When the PC Box goes missing, everyone at camp is in a panic, especially Nick, who makes it his mission to find where the box went. This story of tragedy and relationships reads quickly, and Nick is a sympathetic narrator. The teen is often resistant to the camp's lessons, which are gentle but not subtle. Some of the male campers use crass language and objectify their female cohorts. The author has created a small but well-crafted cast of characters. Each of them have real-life issues that will resonate with young adults. VERDICT A good selection for most YA collections.-Sara Jurek, Children's English Library, Stuttgart, Germany
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 1, 2018
Nick's lesbian sister, Diana, is dead and his parents are sending him to a weeklong "Jesus camp" at the suggestion of his homophobic, evangelical sister, Charlotte.The 15-year-old narrates his tale with humor, cynicism, and self-deprecation. A self-proclaimed grammar aficionado--who even publicly corrects a pastor--his language abounds with colloquialisms. However, from the moment he is forced to exchange his grammar-nerd T-shirt for one proclaiming, "Happiness Happens Here!" readers empathize with his plight. The portrayal of camp is farcical and hilarious, with counselors dressing as people from the Bible, including a prostitute, an apostle, disciples, and an adulteress, and campers literally dragging around crosses for rule infractions. Typical summer camp activities and teenage angst are skillfully woven into Nick's journey, which begins with grief and a guilty secret. The stakes grow higher when a box containing campers' and counselors' private confessions--including Nick's--goes missing and Nick is suspected. As he attempts to find the box and its thief, Nick enjoys witty repartee and serious conversations with fellow camper Natalie, "the prettycute Bandana Girl." The novel's title refers to another noteworthy quirk in this original story: Nick sees, hears, and converses with 1950s Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac, beloved by his late sister, who first appeared to him following her funeral. Major characters follow a white default.An impressive debut novel that entertains while encouraging the questioning of all assumptions. (Fiction. 14-18)
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January 1, 2019
Grieving his sister's death by suicide, proud grammar-nerd Nick is sent by his parents to "Jesus camp," where he encounters a variety of preposterous tactics and regulations--and the pesky ghost of Jack Kerouac. Nick is a sympathetic character, and although the camp and staff are portrayed in a broadly satirical way, Nick and his fellow campers' struggles are depicted with intimacy and compassion.
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