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American Girl: Lea #3
Lea and Camila
For spring break, Lea has invited her friend Camila to St. Louis for a stateside adventure. They find a stray kitten and make a mysterious discovery while visiting a grand but crumbling mansion. Lea is determined to uncover the secrets of her discovery, but in her search for clues she forgets to be a good host to Camila. And when Lea's best friend, Abby, becomes fast friends with Camila, Lea feels a little left out. Can she find a way to reconnect with her friends -- and solve the mystery, too?
171 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2016
22 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Yee
41 books557 followersLisa Yee has written over 20 novels. Her most recent book, Maizy Chen's Last Chance, is about a fifth-generation Chinese American girl, and is a National Book Award Finalist, Newbery Honor, and the Asian Pacific American Children's Literature Award winner.
Lisa's debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. Other books include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes), illustrated by Dan Santat.
Lisa is also the author of several American Girl books and the DC Super Hero Girls series. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa's books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.
Lisa lives In Western Massachusetts, but spends a lot of time in Los Angeles, especially when it's cold. Her next book, an awkward and hilarious mystery, is called The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, and is illustrated by Dan Santat.
You can visit Lisa at www.lisayee.com.
Lisa's debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. Other books include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes), illustrated by Dan Santat.
Lisa is also the author of several American Girl books and the DC Super Hero Girls series. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa's books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.
Lisa lives In Western Massachusetts, but spends a lot of time in Los Angeles, especially when it's cold. Her next book, an awkward and hilarious mystery, is called The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, and is illustrated by Dan Santat.
You can visit Lisa at www.lisayee.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 1, 2016
Okay, this one literally brought tears to my eyes. I'm not 100% sure it would have the same effect on a young person.
The part that affected me most was the search for a girl (now woman) in a photo who had a similar necklace to the one Lea's grandmother left her. Plus the restoration of the Coventry House and Dodger.
Once again we have the themes of "hurt feelings" and "feeling left out" highly featured in this narrative. This time our main character is the one hurt not the one causing the hurt. Well, she does cause a bit herself.
In this story, Lea and her friends (Abby and Camila) take a photography class together. The field trips were interesting. This is where having illustrations would have enhanced the story. though the photos were described in great detail seeing them would have been nice.
Really liked this story a lot, especially the parts leading up to the climax! Very well done!
The part that affected me most was the search for a girl (now woman) in a photo who had a similar necklace to the one Lea's grandmother left her. Plus the restoration of the Coventry House and Dodger.
Once again we have the themes of "hurt feelings" and "feeling left out" highly featured in this narrative. This time our main character is the one hurt not the one causing the hurt. Well, she does cause a bit herself.
In this story, Lea and her friends (Abby and Camila) take a photography class together. The field trips were interesting. This is where having illustrations would have enhanced the story. though the photos were described in great detail seeing them would have been nice.
Really liked this story a lot, especially the parts leading up to the climax! Very well done!
December 29, 2016
For an American Girl book, this was pretty good. It definitely wasn't the BEST book I've ever read, but it wasn't the worst either. In fact, it was actually a pretty enjoyable read!
Plot: Lea is a tween who loves photography and animals. Her brother, Zac, works in South America rescuing animals from poaching situations. In Books 1 and 2, she visited South America and made a friend there, Camila. In this book, Book 3, she isn't coming to Camila- Camila's coming to her!
Positive content: Good lessons and a great mystery.
Negative content: The only thing that really irritated me about this was that at the end Lea said that her was no job of greater importance than saving animals. Okay. Sure, saving animals is great and all that, but it sure as anything isn't the most important job out there. What about a surgeon, or a fire-fighter, or a policeman? Human lives matter!
Conclusion: A good read.
Plot: Lea is a tween who loves photography and animals. Her brother, Zac, works in South America rescuing animals from poaching situations. In Books 1 and 2, she visited South America and made a friend there, Camila. In this book, Book 3, she isn't coming to Camila- Camila's coming to her!
Positive content: Good lessons and a great mystery.
Negative content: The only thing that really irritated me about this was that at the end Lea said that her was no job of greater importance than saving animals. Okay. Sure, saving animals is great and all that, but it sure as anything isn't the most important job out there. What about a surgeon, or a fire-fighter, or a policeman? Human lives matter!
Conclusion: A good read.
November 20, 2016
Why doesn't Lea's parents tell her not to take pictures of people without their permission? This book series loses one start because of that.
This book loses an additional star because Lea and Camila wander off in the house Lea's mom is working on after Lea's mom tells them to come right back and Lea doesn't get into trouble.
Another star is lost because Lea, Camila and Abby wander off again and even go upstairs which is off limits and even though they do get told that it was dangerous Lea's parents don't seem to put much importance on how dangerous this is.
Ugh the parents just seemed so un realistic because when your 10 and do something dangerous especially something your parents told you not to do you get in trouble and Lea doesn't.
Hopefully next year's Girl of the year will be better.
This book loses an additional star because Lea and Camila wander off in the house Lea's mom is working on after Lea's mom tells them to come right back and Lea doesn't get into trouble.
Another star is lost because Lea, Camila and Abby wander off again and even go upstairs which is off limits and even though they do get told that it was dangerous Lea's parents don't seem to put much importance on how dangerous this is.
Ugh the parents just seemed so un realistic because when your 10 and do something dangerous especially something your parents told you not to do you get in trouble and Lea doesn't.
Hopefully next year's Girl of the year will be better.
May 14, 2019
That was perfect! Out of the three Lea books, this one was more of a mystery than the other two. I enjoyed the photography class that Lea, Abby and Camila take - it was chock-full of excellent tips that anyone could learn from and I really really liked that the story was taking place in St Louis. I've never been, and only really got a glimpse of it in Judy Garland's excellent movie but the descriptions and details seemed very realistic to me. Another excellent Amerian Girl book!
May 17, 2017
This book had two main themes. It was more about these than camilas visit to St. Louis. I almost forgot she didn't live there locally. It was cool that it was in St. Louis because I visited there less than a year ago and could vividly picture most of the places they went which was really cool.
July 14, 2018
I am giving this one star because I could not give it fewer. An absolutely abysmal book.
May 3, 2021
I thought this book was pretty good.
July 14, 2018
This was quite possibly the worst book I have ever read. I have read fan fiction that was better than this book. That is depressing. How did this book get published? Don't waste your time.
October 22, 2022
Full series review for Lea:
Lea is the last GOTY I remember caring about, mostly for the sloths and since her collection was the one when I went to the AG store in Chicago. As a character, I found her irritating as best, especially in the third book. Definitely one of the weaker GOTYs for me.
Lea is the last GOTY I remember caring about, mostly for the sloths and since her collection was the one when I went to the AG store in Chicago. As a character, I found her irritating as best, especially in the third book. Definitely one of the weaker GOTYs for me.
September 25, 2022
This one was pretty good!
October 8, 2016
The third story of Lea's. Lea learns how to be gracious about friendship between her best friend in St. Louis and her new friend visiting from Brazil. While looking around a house that Lea's mother is helping to restore they find an old picture of a lady wearing a compass necklace just like her grandmother's. Lea decides to find out who it belongs to and with the help of her friends Ann and Camila they end of finding and old school friend of her grandmother's. They all meet up at an end of photography class show and the old friends decide to be the new donors to restore the building Lea's mother was working on. I think I liked this one best of the three. Lea even gets a new compass necklace to replace the one she left in Brazil and learns that she does a god eye for photography and needs to trust her instincts more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2023
Lea and Camila felt like a throw-on to Lea's other first two books. Yes, Camila visiting Lea had been mentioned in the other two (Lea Dives In and Lea Leads the Way), and one of the main characters, Abby, had been mentioned multiple times, but it was in a completely different setting and felt different. Then, there was the cliche of what an American Girl blogger calls the "best friend troupe", a large part was a mystery (which I didn't ask for), and the ending was a bit abstract.
Still, it was sweet and a bit fun. 3/5 stars for "seeing" Lea again and it taking place in my very own state, but it not being the best.
Still, it was sweet and a bit fun. 3/5 stars for "seeing" Lea again and it taking place in my very own state, but it not being the best.
April 13, 2016
This book is great I read the other two. They are interesting
Read
August 26, 2016Great kids book, good message, read it to my daughter.
September 2, 2019
Read all three of these books to my 7 year old and think I might have liked them as much as she did! Hope they have a fourth one!
April 22, 2021
This is the best Girl of the Year book I’ve read to date - not that I’m surprised because all of Lea’s books have been exceptional. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did, but the historical mystery that unfolded as the pages flew by really took me by surprise. I couldn’t put this book down! I really loved that Lea uncovered a connection to her grandmother in an old photo cast aside in a crumbling historical mansion - and then was able to meet the woman in the photo after a persistent journey through the streets of St. Louis! What a story. Lea learns that you can have adventures in your own backyard - you don’t have to venture off to Brazil to have a good time! I love that. I also have a newfound longing to visit St. Louis for myself - I never realized what a fascinating city it truly is. Also, maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I enjoyed that the Hallie character shares a name with Hallie Todd, the actress who plays Lea’s mother in the movie...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2023
So the book is about some girl named Lea who invites her friend Camila to stay w her for a week from Brazil. They decide to do a photography camp & Lea struggles w the idea of “seeing things in a new way” it’s a common theme thru out this book. Meanwhile Leas friend Abby & Camila become fast friends. Leas mom is a renovator & is renovating this old historic building & Lea find this photo of this girl wearing her grandmas necklace & insists they r connected. Throughout the book Lea learns lessons about friendship & the mystery behind Hallie.
I would recommend this book to a young audience. It teaches valuable lessons about friendship that I struggled w when I was younger. My favourite character had to be Camila. I honestly am not the biggest fan of this book & I think the only reason that is, is bc I read this book at 15.
I would recommend this book to a young audience. It teaches valuable lessons about friendship that I struggled w when I was younger. My favourite character had to be Camila. I honestly am not the biggest fan of this book & I think the only reason that is, is bc I read this book at 15.
August 30, 2025
Lea and Camila is definitely the strongest of Lea's books. Lea's back in her home city of St. Louis, as the host rather than the traveler this time, and we see her thinking about how she's grown throughout her adventures, making new mistakes and learning from them, and figuring out a mystery that ends up shedding new light on several elements of the series. The very ending is weird (seeming to veer off the themes the last few chapters had been developing, in order to, I think, set up the plot of the direct-to-video Lea movie that was later released?), but other than that, it's a pretty good series conclusion.
June 12, 2020
3.5 stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I enjoyed the little mystery, as well as the exploration of St. Louis. I also thought Lea was a more relatable character in this book than in the other two. Overall, this is my favorite book in the series, although a few references to a problematic event in the first book do lower the rating for me.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I enjoyed the little mystery, as well as the exploration of St. Louis. I also thought Lea was a more relatable character in this book than in the other two. Overall, this is my favorite book in the series, although a few references to a problematic event in the first book do lower the rating for me.
April 30, 2021
So this book basically reads as a travel guide to St. Louis. I jest, but many of the places are real and available to visit. Sadly Coventry House isn't, but there are very many old buildings in derelict states just like it. In this story I found Abby incredibly annoying. But I loved loved loved the hunt to find who the mystery girl was.
March 20, 2024
Proofread for library. Story has good points such as learning to deal with jealousy and conflict with friends by talking about it instead of being mad, and of learning to be understanding and doing what others want instead of just what you want. However the story centers around photography and I am not sure the rest of the story is strong enough for us to let that pass.
May 14, 2017
Lea and Camila was a good read. I enjoyed the prospect of developing an eye through photography, finding value in restoring a historic structure and searching for a person of interest and rescuing an animal.
February 19, 2017
Definitely a good conclusion and another short but sweet AG story. AG really knows how to write some really cute and quick feel good stories ☺️
January 30, 2018
Not as exciting as the first two books....
January 19, 2021
It was good
Want to read
October 23, 2022Good book
May 8, 2023
Preserving historical buildings and saving our environment are two of the themes of Lea and Camila.
April 25, 2025
awesome story
love the friendship between the two girls
love the friendship between the two girls
July 17, 2025
This book was really sweet. The meeting with Hallie was really sweet. I loved Ama and Hallie's friendship. I hope to find a friend like that someday.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews