Crossing Over

Camp Rolling Hills #2

by Stacy Davidowitz

A hilarious and heartfelt series about the particular magic of summer camp—a place where reinvention is possible and friends are like family—from a sparkling debut talent.

There's only one thing Melman loves more than soccer: her summers at Camp Rolling Hills. So she's pumped to be back—until she realizes her bunkmates have gone totally boy-crazy over the school year and plastered their cabin in pink. Pink posters, pink t-shirts...it seems that the only not-pink thing in the cabin is Melman herself. That is, until she's given a dare in front of the entire camp: wear a pink princess dress. For Three. Whole. Days.
         Steinberg's summer gets off to a rough start, too, when his robot (usually his area of expertise) blows up during a camp-wide robotics contest. Steinberg might feel like a loser at home, but camp's supposed to be his place to shine.
         Steinberg without robots? Melman in pink? This whole summer feels turned upside down! To set things right, Steinberg and Melman team up and hatch a fail-proof plan. The plan's secret ingredient? Hamburgers.

"Camp Rolling Hills is funny and sweet. It brought me back to those amazing summer camp summers and my very first taste of young adulthood." --Michael Showalter, co-writer of Wet Hot American Summer

"Stacy Davidowitz gets the magic of camp and the wonder of being twelve just right. Camp Rolling Hills is both heartwarming and laugh-out-loud hilarious." --Elissa Brent Weissman, author of Nerd Camp

Genres: Middle Grade, Sports, Realistic Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2016

About the author

Stacy Davidowitz is a Manhattan-based author, playwright, and screenwriter. Her Camp Rolling Hills four-book series is published by Abrams – Amulet. Her plays include The Rubber Room (Old Vic; Naked Angels), PINK! (NYIT Nominee; Lark Finalist), Sacred Water (Rag and Bone), JOAN: Voices in the Fire (co-writer, The Guthrie), and Miracle Village (Stage Left). Her musicals include Hank & Gretchen, Camp Rolling Hills, and One Day. Her short plays have been produced at The Flea, Sam French, Williamstown, NYMadness, Amios, NYMF, etc. Stacy’s screenplay adaptation of The Rubber Room is in pre-production with All the Way Around. Published by Broadway Play Publishing, Indie Theater Now, YouthPLAYS, Steele Spring Stage Rights. Education: BADA; BS, Tufts University; MFA in Acting, Columbia University.

Reviews

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the brilliance of the the first book in the series, Camp Rollings Hills, with new issues, new shenanigans and plenty of laughs. A wonderful story about dealing with friendship as people change and trying to find common ground with those friends. It is about solving problems and embracing who you are. There is heart, friendship and love wrapped up in a story that will capture your attention, as well as your kids. You will wish you went to camp or you will reminisce about your time at camp. If nothing else you will have a great time visiting Camp Rolling Hills. 5 huge stars

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle school aged readers will enjoy this camp romp, 2nd in the Camp Rolling Hills series. This one stands alone once readers get the characters figured out, especially considering all the hilarious/unusual nicknames used. There are plenty of antics and pranks included to keep the action, and humor, moving. Ghost tales and settings are also included for those who like the goose-bump factor. This is a camp in the Catskills which caters to/attracts many children who are Jewish so there are numerous references to bar mitzvahs, Hebrew, Yiddish expressions, etc. There is one mention of a romance between two female counselors however it is towards the end of the book, very brief and not at all glaring. This gives one of the main characters a chance to ask some questions and possibly learn something about herself as she faces adolescence. Its all good, clean and riotous for another summer at Camp Rolling Hills.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review with teaching tools and author interview: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=9899

The crazy cast of characters are what really make this book. Oh, and the reminiscing of camp. Camp really is something that is hard to explain unless you go yourself, but Stacy Davidowitz does a great job bringing the reader into Camp Rolling Hills and all of its quirkiness. And to add to the quirkiness, the characters in the books are so much fun! They are quite the mix of personalities. From stereotypical girly-girls to a cat-obsessed, sweet girl to a do gooder to a philosophical jock. Their interactions and characterization are what keep you reading the most! I also love the mix of letters home throughout the books.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camp Rolling Hills
Book Two: Crossing Over
by Stacy Davidowitz

ABRAMS Kids

Amulet PaperbacksMiddle Grade, Children’s Fiction

Pub Date May 10, 2016

I was given a copy of Camp Rolling Hills Book Two Crossing Over through the publisher and there partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

In this book we are introduced to Yoshi and Melman and Scottie and Sophie who is determined to win the Robotics competition at camp.

This book is geared towards Middle Schoolers either boys or girls will enjoy.

Four out of five Stars

Happy Reading

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is perfect for teens, girls and boys.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camp Rolling Hills: Book Two: Crossing Over by [Davidowitz, Stacy]I was given this book by Abram kids in exchange for my honest review:

The first Camp Rolling Hills book was a huge success with me and this one, Crossing Over. is just as good.

Each of the characters in this book are well-rounded and Davidowitz does a great job writing each one. I could relate to the issues that each character faced. Once again I highly recommend this book whether a child has been to camp or not. It is a great book.

[Eeina Hyena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I really didn't like this book. It was a gift and I tried to read it- but all the characters felt wrong somehow, every single one felt annoying, even the one Scottish adult that was supposed to be 'cool' was annoying, and the way she talked to the kids was like she was reading bad reddit insults.
Infact, I didn't even finish it , it was so bad- I tried on different days, it was just So. Hard. To read!

[Libby Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"[In] my heart of hearts I always wanted to know what it would have been like to go to one of those 8 week summer camps. If you missed out on the whole summer camp experience, or if you want to relive it, these books will be just right."

read the rest of my review on my blog at https://libtastic.wordpress.com/2016/...

[Emma Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but it didn’t compare to the first one.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe it's the adjustment for Davidowitz from adapting a musical to coming up with an original plot for the characters, but Crossing Over is probably the weakest installment in the Camp Rolling Hills series.

What I liked:
-Melman is one of my favorite characters from this series, and her parts were well done
-Allusion that Melman may be queer. Unfortunately, this doesn't come up in later books
-Camp setting, as always
-The Captain + TJ, as always
-"Be yourself" message--clear but not cheesy

What I didn't like:
-Crossing Over has way more swearing than the other books. Too much for middle grade, in my opinion
-Not sure I get the title?
-Steinberg's parts were a bit annoying
-Too much gross-out humor
-A little too much graphic discussion of kissing for a middle grade book
-The plot in general is weaker and less focused than the other books in the series
-Wildly unrealistic depiction of robotics
-Borderline ableist language: characters acting weirdly are called "spastic" and "spazzy" multiple times

[Carina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been sweet if not for the random language. I honestly don't think it fit... there was also too much talk of make out; it was kind of annoying. I know they're 13, but I can vouch that this isn't normal...
"I'm in a serious relationship, so if you land on me you have to French Jamie instead."
[Talking about make-out robot(...)] "tongue.... left. Swipe... right."
"Eat... pizza. From... her... molar."
It was just too strange for me.

[T.J. Burns]

I received a copy of this book from Amulet Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very good, nice twists.

[Cecelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I was verrrrrry nervous going into this book that I wasn't going to like it nearly as much as I enjoyed the first one but the book totally redeemed itself towards the end and I'm so so so happy. (I will say before I continue I feel like the official synopsis on the back of the book shares wayyyy more of the plot points than necessary; some of the aspects weren't introduced in over halfway through the book!)

As a camp person, I love reading this series because I feel like it's filled with inside jokes that I am apart of. I also feel like it's filled with unrealistic moments that I love to laugh at (aka if my ENTIRE CABIN rang away in the middle of the night I would die and then come back to kill them).

I love Melman's and Steinberg's character growth throughout the book. As the underdogs of their respective cabins, I loved seeing them grow and challenge traditions and stereotypes and questions themselves and their identities. I wish 13 year old me would've read this book.

(This book features a girl/girl relationship and it was so pure and I was SO PSYCHED)

Excited to continue the series legit ordering the next one right now.