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Not a Happy Camper | LitPick Book Reviews
Not a Happy Camper
Not a Happy Camper: A Memoir
Not a Happy Camper
Mindy Schneider
Remember those long sultry summer days at camp, the sun setting over the lake as you sang “Kumbaya”? Well, Mindy Schneider remembers her summer at Camp Kin-A-Hurra in 1974 just a wee bit differently. Not a Happy Camper chronicles a young girl’s adventures at a camp where the sun never shines, the breakfast cereal dates back to the summer of 1922, and many of the counselors speak no English. For eight eye-opening and unforgettable weeks, Mindy and her eccentric band of friends--including Autumn Evening Schwartz, the daughter of hippies, who communicates with the dead, and the sleep-dancing, bibliophile Betty Gilbert--keep busy feuding in color wars, failing at sports, and uncovering the camp’s hidden past. As she focuses on landing the perfect boyfriend and longs for her first kiss, Mindy unexpectedly stumbles across something infinitely grander: herself. Hilarious, charming, and glowing with nostalgia, Mindy Schneider’s memoir is a must-read for anyone who’s ever been to summer camp, or wishes they had.

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Biography
  • Fiction
  • Humor

Age Level: 

  • 12 and up
Profile Picture
Mindy Schneider is going to camp. In the past, she has gone 
to the strict and oppressive Camp Cicada. This year is 
going to be different. Mindy is headed to Camp Kin-A-Hurra 
where she hopes to find friends, fun, and possibly, her 
first kiss. While at camp Mindy stays with the picture 
perfect Dana (who's got looks, sings, and plays guitar), 
Autumn Evening (who can talk to the dead, and has had many 
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