The Popularity Pact: Camp Clique: Book One

by Eileen Moskowitz Palma

In the blink of a summer, Bea goes from having a best friend and a place she belongs to being dropped and invisible, eating lunch alone and only talking to teachers. The end of sixth grade and the start of Camp Amelia can't come soon enough.

But then the worst part of school, ex-best friend Maisy, shows up in Bea's safe place and ruins it all. Maisy lands in the same bunk as Bea and summer suddenly seems dire. Never having camped a day in her life, Maisy agrees: it's hopeless. She should be at home, spending time with her little sister and hanging out with her super popular crew of friends--not at this stupid adventure camp failing everything and being hated by everyone. In a desperate bid to belong, Maisy offers Bea a deal: if Bea helps her fit in at the camp, she will get Bea into the M & M's, their town's popular clique, when they enter seventh grade in the fall. The Popularity Pact is born.

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens, Juvenile, Contemporary

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2020

About the author

When Eileen Moskowitz-Palma double majored in Elementary Education and English at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she thought she would have to choose between a career as a writer or a teacher. It wasn’t until she was almost 40 that she realized she could do both.

Now, Eileen divides her time between writing middle grade novels and teaching Beginner Novel Writing and Writing for Children and Young Adults at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College.

Eileen is a fitness enthusiast and lives a vegan-ish lifestyle unless you count the occasional bacon cheeseburger. She lives in Westchester, NY, with her college sweetheart husband Douglas, their daughter Molly, and their Wire Fox Terrier Oscar, who is one snaggle-tooth away from being a doggy model.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @kidlitexchange and @runningpressbooks for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Wow. I read this with my 9 year old and it surprised me in so many wonderful ways. Not only does it have a fun setting, but the characters tackle some tough issues and find themselves as well as the importance of true friendship along the way. This is a definite must buy for any middle grade library!

The book takes place at Camp Amelia. Each chapter switches between two perspectives: Maisy and Bea. They use to be besties, but drifted far apart throughout the past school year. They are placed in the same cabin and have quite a lot of emotions to work out. Maisy suffers from extreme anxiety, is not open to any sort of new adventures and is hiding a really big secret regarding her mom. Bea is a different person at camp. She has a wonderful group of supportive friends who are incredibly competitive when it comes to winning the battle over the camp cup. The fun activities of camp, blended well with the challenges that these young ladies must work to resolve.

It was tough as a reader and a mom watching the interactions between the girls knowing that it could quickly be resolved if they opened up to one another about their feelings and what each were dealing with in their own lives back home. At the same time, this gave my daughter and I so many opportunities to discuss their actions and how we thought they could have handled it differently.

The author tackled topics of adult drug addiction, a single parent starting to date again, being invisible to a parent starting over with a new family and how you shouldn't have to work to be included in any group of friends in a very age appropriate, realistic manner. I loved how the idea of opening up to a therapist was presented as a beneficial part of emotional recovery. Dr. Beth was such a great character and quickly became my fav throughout the story.

There was an overall theme of not being too quick to judge someone's actions. You never know what they are dealing with in their own personal lives and maybe that is causing them to act out in negative ways.

It concluded with a cliffhanger too so we will definitely be on the lookout for the sequel. Seems like we will get to watch these friends test the lessons they learned at camp in a school setting. It will be nice to see how the struggles with their home life grows with the storyline as well.

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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This was such a fun book to read! I loved both Maisy and Bea. Maisy can be neurotic, anxious and frustrating, but once you read more about her, you get to like her. Bea is amazing because she is more empathetic and gives Maisy a chance even though she doesn’t have to. I really liked how they tried to overlook the events that separated them to go back and rekindle their friendship. The supporting characters Hannah, Poppy and Isa also add well to the group.

I also loved how the author deals with topics like drug addiction and divorce without sugar coating it too much. The reactions to the how the girls deal with the situation is realistic and admirable. The author also did a great job in blending the camp activities nicely with the problems Maisy and Bea face, so you never really feel like it’s too emotional. The villains, being the rivalry Dandelions team, are a bit clichéd, but was fun to read anyway. Moreover, the illustrations also compliment well to each chapter and give this book a very cozy feel to it.

I think my only criticism in this story is how I could not picture a super smart girl like Bea having trouble making friends. I’m sure she would have been able to join a club with students who have similar interests. But apart from that, I really enjoyed reading this book! The story also ends up in a sort-of cliffhanger, which makes me eager for the next book to be released soon.

I honestly can’t wait to read about book two and hope we get to see the team be in camp again.

[Zoya Siddiqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The ending is a cliffhanger and so I immediately started the next one.

[Meredith Corsino · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because my nine year old is reading it for her troop meeting with the author. It's probably fine for those a little older, like the characters who are twelve. Nothing new, really, content-wise. I'm just not really excited about teaching my daughter that mean girls are the norm when that isn't her experience at all. I definitely read it through a mom-of-a-nine-year-old lens, though, so take my words with a grain of salt.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Popularity Pact: Camp Clique had some aspects that I liked, and some that annoyed me.

Likely to appeal to fans of The Girls of Firefly Cabin.

What I liked:
-Nice, three-dimensional portrayal of a kid with anxiety (Maisy)
-Nice, three-dimensional portrayal of a shy kid who makes friends easily in one environment but not another (Bea)
-Sensitively handled portrayal of a parent dealing with addiction. I was not expecting such serious topics in a book that seemed like it would just be about friend drama!
-The dual perspective was used well to show how Bea and Maisy saw the same situations differently

What I didn't like:
-Vocabulary issues: The vocabulary level was really inconsistent, there was more profanity than I'm comfortable with in a middle grade book, and the terms used to describe things were inconsistent
-Summer camp inaccuracies: lack of safety on a ropes course, lack of water safety, irresponsible staff, science inaccuracies, letters that seem to mail instantly, and an unathletic kid suddenly learning she's a champion runner
-Writing style issues: tons of infodumping at the beginning, yet still missing important info that gets confusing when it's referenced later, inconsistent narration, and that tired cliche about letting out a breath one didn't know one was holding
-A lot of focus on being popular and harsh criticism of nerds that I thought would be challenged by the end but wasn't
-A weird line rejecting identity-first language in favor of person-first language without any explanation of why the character might prefer it or why many disabled people prefer identity-first
-Too much Harry Potter fangirling with no mention of Rowling's appalling behavior. I don't point this out in older books, but books published starting within the last year or so that do this make me uncomfortable. There has been enough time, I believe, for other authors to become aware of Rowling's issues and either address them or not mention her books in their work.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @runningpressbooks and @eileenmoskowitzpalma for sharing a copy of The Popularity Pact: Camp Clique with @kidlitexchange - to be released 4/14/2020

Bea and Maisy have been best friends forever, but the summer before their last year of elementary school, confident Bea finds herself ghosted and spends the school year utterly alone as anxiety-ridden Maisy joins the biggest clique on campus, the M&Ms.

Unfortunately for both girls, they end up in the same cabin at summer camp, and Maisy gets a taste of how Bea felt for the past year.

To survive the summer, Maisy proposes a pact - if Bea will help Maisy become popular at camp, Maisy will help Bea become popular with the M&Ms.

As the girls each figure out how to hold up their end of the bargain, the author gradually reveals clues as to why Maisy disappeared from Bea’s life.

While acknowledging the social fears of tweens, the author also shows young women grappling with divorce, parental addictions, parental pressure to perform in sports and academics, parents finding a new partner, being invisible to a parent who has started over with a new family...

Bea keeps her part of the pact, and the book leaves us with a cliffhanger that makes us wonder if Maisy will be able to fulfill her end of their agreement.

[Katherine Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camp Clique is such a fun and relatable story about two ex-best friends (Maisy and Bea) who are forced to renegotiate their friendship -- under the terms of a 'popularity pact' -- when they are assigned to the same bunk at summer camp, after spending the past school year not speaking to one another!

The characters are vivid and delightful; from the Sunflower Bunk (Bea and Maisy's bunk-mates) who are radically honest and reliable, to Dr. Beth, the camp therapist, and a vegan with a big soft spot for fast food.

This book stirred my nostalgia for my time at summer camp; happy memories singing by the campfire, making friendship bracelets during rest hour, and getting wildly competitive about inter-camp sports.

[Deana Metzke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first book in the Popularity Pact series is a tale of "Will they? Won't they?" when it comes to the friendship of Bea and Maise. The two girls used to be super close, but Maise seems to have disregarded Bea in an effort to hang out with the popular girls at school. Both girls end up at the same summer camp and are forced to spend time together, which will make them hash out their issues. Will they rekindle their friendship or is it a lost cause? There's lots of dramatics and highs/lows in this book, which made it a page turner for me.

I received this ARC in order to review this book for MG Book Village. The title will be released in April 2020.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Link to my book talk: https://youtu.be/ZHl9OtYSyUM

If you're looking for great books about middle-grade friendship, I'd recommend THE POPULARITY PACT. I enjoy following Bea and Maisy's friendship journey. Bea and Maisy are easily relatable and there are many great lessons to be learned. Make sure you have book 2 (School Squad) with you when you finish book 1 (Camp Clique) because there is a big hook at the end of book 1 that urges you to keep reading! 

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite that fact that this took forever to get through (it was a read aloud with my 13 year old), we both really enjoyed it. I think she actually wants to read the next one. It navigates really tough issues like parental substance abuse, mental health, divorce, and also just adolescent friendship drama. Those topics are all really interesting to both my daughter and I, and the book was also a fun read. I would recommend it!

[LS Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An empowering story about a group of young women who learn to work together while at summer camp. Sure there is some teem girl drama, but not too much. And it was balanced by the right amount of wise adult perspective. This is the start of a series and I am curious about where the next book will lead the girls.

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a delight from beginning to end. I loved Bea and Maisy and their struggles with being thrown together after Maisy dropped Bea the year before, the concept of friendship and trust, and the complex family dynamics both faced. I can’t wait for book #2. Readers will love this!

[Meghan Schulte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute premise and setting for a middle reader book. However, this one has surprises. It took a turn near the middle, which made a fairly predictable read turn on its head. Enjoyable for middle school girls struggling to fit in...which is honestly all of them!

[Patricia Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun read. The characters are engaging and the duel viewpoints telling the story work really well. Looking forward to more in this series.

[Jenny Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watching Bea and Maisy rekindle their friendship at camp was fun and entertaining. Both girls were clearly drawn and I could understand how the misunderstandings between them arose in the first place. I was surprised, however, by the cliffhanger leading to a second book. This didn't feel like it was leading to a series nor did it seem like it needed a follow up.

[SS -]

This book was awesome, I read it and it had a lot of lessons. It was fun to read and gave suspense. I am so excited to read the second one!

[Jimin Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book before sending it to my cousin’s kids who loved it as much as I did!!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good and I loved how it got it from both of the perspectives and I just absolutely fell in love with this book when I read it 10/10 recommend

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @kidlitexchange and @runninpressbooks for the free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

THE POPULARITY PACT IS A story told in two voices. It’s the story of Bea and Maisy who have been friends since pre-school, until Maisy mysteriously ghosted Bea at the beginning of sixth grade. This led to a year of extreme loneliness for Bea, while it was a full year for Maisy who became a member of the popular girls group, the M&Ms.

Now it’s summer and Bea is on the bus with her BFFs enroute to the camp she has gone to every summer, Camp Amelia. Then Maisy steps on the bus. Maisy, the least adventurous girl Bea knows, is going to adventure camp, because her dad wants her safe and busy for the next six weeks. AND it turns out not only is Maisy going to be at camp, but will also be her bunkmate.

Bea and her bunkmates are not in the least bit happy to have Maisy join their group and perhaps ruin their chances of winning the all important bunk tournament at the end of the summer. Maisy is miserable and willing to do almost anything to be accepted by her bunkmates. In fact she’s so desperate, she offers a deal to Bea. If Bea helps her fit in at camp, she’ll make sure Bea is a part of the M&Ms. Bea accepts and the summer begins.

Eileen Moskowitz-Palma’s story immediately transported me back to 7th grade (a VERY LONG time ago!), which tells me twelve year old girls haven’t really changed. They are still desperate to be accepted and to be part of a group. This desperation makes them willing to do almost ANYTHING to make that happen, even if it means going against what they know in their hearts is wrong. This is the foundation of this great story.

This story about friendship, acceptance and trust is one that will pull you in and not let go. Here are a few reasons why:

Dr. Beth, the hippy camp psychologist who kindly helps Maisy work through some of her many fears and to talk about the reason she doesn’t read her mom’s letters.
The bunkmates respect and admiration for each other’s talents.
Bea’s mom for her understanding, her support and her honesty.
Maisy’s bravery and determination to overcome her fears and to become a better athlete
Bea and Maisy’s shared memories that they can’t ignore.

This book is the first in this new series. Librarians, you’re going to need to make lots of space for the Camp Clique books! Grades 3+ will be waiting in line to check these out!

[Fike Reads]

"Camp clique" is a juvenile fiction novel that lays emphasis on the complexities of friendship, belonging and the pursuit of popularity. It is a nice book that'll help young readers to reflect on the true nature of friendship and the importance of staying true to one self, it provides valuable lessons about the consequences of sacrificing individuality for the sake of popularity.

The author's skillful storytelling and relatable characters make this book a worthwhile read. I'll recommend the book to young readers ages 9-12 who enjoy realistic fiction. The books relatable storyline and well developed characters will make an engaging read for children navigating the complexities of middle school.

[Lindsay Weisner · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I am writing this review for my daughter, who is making me read this next. My nine-year-old and all her friends decided to read a book together at the beginning of the quarantine and one of the girls had heard great things about this author. Elexis (my 9-year-old) finished the book in less than 36 hours. And when she did finish, she was so upset that the second one wasn't already released -- apparently the book ends on quite a cliffhanger!

Great book, great writer, a must read!