Publishers Weekly
In a starred review, PW said of Agnes Parker... Girl in Progress by Kathleen O'Dell, "The author probes the sixth-grade mindset pithily and perceptively." The follow-up, Agnes Parker... Happy Camper?, picks up the summer after sixth grade, when the heroine and her pal Prejean discover they've been assigned to different cabins. And that's just the beginning. (Mar.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-When best friends Agnes and Prejean find themselves in different bunks at science camp, it seems like the end of fun. Worse yet, Agnes, who by nature is nice, is partnered with bad-tempered, bluntly honest Nyssa. Predictable summer camp high jinks follow, with pranks revenging pranks, while these seventh graders struggle to get to know their atypical bunkmates. Agnes admires aspects of Nyssa's personality and finds herself changing for the better, while she is becoming aware of Prejean's beauty and mystique from a distance. Readers will find this both an introspective look at character traits and a fun romp in nature as they observe bright kids having adventures at Camp Numanu. Fans of Agnes Parker-Girl in Progress (Dial, 2003) will enjoy this one as well. O'Dell's writing style is similar to that of Joanna Hurwitz or Beverly Cleary, featuring strong characters with whom kids can easily identify and admire.-Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
A month at science camp become much more than studying the soil and casting animal footprints when Agnes Parker and her friend Prejean are separated into two very different cabins. In this sequel to Agnes Parker . . . Girl in Progress (2003), Agnes has only been vaguely aware of the changes taking place in her friend and is surprised at the reactions of the other campers to Prejean's exotic beauty. A cast of interesting campers, including a precocious eight-year-old, an outgoing tomboy and a tough yet sensitive girl with a secret, keep Agnes company as she struggles with the changes in her best friend. 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. (Fiction. 8-12)
