Dilly'S Summer Camp Diary (ISBN 076130990X)

Dilly Is Everygirl:
This book is causing me a problem right now because my 7-year-old girl refuses to let me take it back to the library. I'm definitely going to have to buy it! We had read the previous Dilly book and liked it too, but this one really struck a chord with my daughter. She insisted that I read it and I found myself not wanting it to end; I was so caught up in her trevails at camp, and it brought up similar memories for me of when I had had a lengthy camp experience that didn't go well at first. Dilly sets off to camp with her best friend Meredith, assured she's going to have the time of her life. She comforts the already homesick Meredith, yet inwardly congratulates herself on her own independent and adventurous spirit. On arriving at camp, everything starts to go wrong; Dilly is literally roped off from the others during swimming because she fails to pass a floating test; every meal contains cheese, which she hates; everyone else gets tons of letters from home while she goes day after day with none; and she is assigned an exuberant but tiny horse that only makes her feel more self-conscious and geeky. To add insult to injury, Meredith blossoms, enchanting the other girls with her long braids and having no problem adjusting to the many other personalities in their cabin. One scene in particular brought a lump to my throat when Meredith loyally agrees to sit by Dilly on the bus but can't help playing boisterously with another nearby girl while Dilly sits dejectedly beside her. Dilly is a great character; not the most popular or athletic girl in the bunch, she is forced to confront her own vulnerabilities and yet still comes out a winner when she learns to rely on her strengths and be herself. Ms. Lewis: Please keep writing more Dilly books! We're waiting eagerly!

Sending messages to kids to bully:
I had to recently read this book to a class of 1st graders I substituted in. At first, I thought it was great, very funny. Until I came to the part where Dilly, the main character of the book, describes her camp-mates. One of them as having a "big bottom" and one that she describes as being "q-u-e-e-r". I ommitted the queer part, because for one thing they have no idea what that is at that age and we certainly don't need to be teaching it to them in our schools. The part of the big bottomed girl I didn't want to read because I knew right away those little impressionable minds would absorb it like a sponge and start using that. Which is exactly what they did. Immediately after I read that part, one of the boys called one of the over-weight girls as having a "big bottom". Just great. Let's just send these messages to kids that if you are big, you are to be made fun of, it says so right here in this book that the teacher is reading. Or parent, or other adult. And the queer part, what is this author thinking?? Very socially irresponsible, and frankly, it doesn't belong in any children's recommended reading lists, and any parent that reads this book endorses the message of homophobia and its quite OK to make fun of kids or people that are over-weight. This is where bullying comes from folks, it starts at an early age and continues into junior high and high school. Dilly is not like "every girl" which one reader review states. I personally do not recommend this book unless you want to send these negative messages to your kids.

Amazingly Good!!!:
Dilly's Summer Camp Diary is a great book! One of the main focal points of this book that I think draws readers' attention is the illustrations. They persuaded me to keep reading, even though I didn't want to put the book down anyway!

Wonderful Kids' Book!!:
Both of my young daughters ADORE this book! They love Dilly - they've devoured all three books in the Dilly series! The engaging illustrations make this an extra special book because each page is filled with life, color, and humor that kids can relate to. It has a great message about adapting to new situations and looking on the bright side -- a message that kids will understand and learn from. I recommend this book to all - it is a wonderful, fun read for kids AND their parents!