For the Picture Book of the Day, my 8-year-old son and I chose one of our favorite funny picture books about summer camp, A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee.
We think this is the funniest picture book ever! When James and Eamon visit Eamon’s grandparents’ house to attend a week of day camp communing with nature, they prefer the little things much more: eating waffles, playing video games, and generally staying inside despite the fact that Eamon’s grandparents live on the beach!
Marla Frazee writes with a dry wit that appeals to adults as much as parents.
For example:
“In the morning, Bill [Eamon’s grandfather] took the boys to nature camp. The road was long and curvy. James and Eamon learned a lot of new vocabulary words while Bill drove.”
Her cartoony illustrations set off the text perfectly; in fact, she won a Caldecott Honor for this picture book! [picture book, ages 4 and up]
It also comes bundled with an audio CD.
We also recommend another funny summer camp easy chapter book, Like Bug Juice on a Burger by Julie Sternberg.
Eleanor from Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie is back in this lauded sequel where she goes off to sleep away camp. She thought it sounded great when she committed to attending the camp her mother went to when she was a little girl, but now that she’s here, she’s anxious about the bugs, the food and, most of all, swimming class.
I hate camp. I just hate it. I wish I didn’t. But I do. Being here is worse than bug juice on a burger. Or homework on Thanksgiving. Or water seeping into my shoes.
As time goes on, Eleanor realizes that sleepaway camp isn’t so bad after all and things that seem insurmountable, like passing the swim test are possible, especially when your cabinmates are rooting for you! [easy chapter book, ages 6 and up]
Either of these two books would be fun for kids going off to camp or for kids who want to know about what that might be like. Are you kids going to day camp or sleep away camp this summer?
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- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
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- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
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They all sound lots of fun! My oldest might be going on camp next year but only with the cubs. I can’t imagine sending him off to a huge camp. I’d have to sneak in with him 😉
Hi Catherine,
My son and I laugh and laugh when we read A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. It’s such a funny book with sly humor for parents as well as boys. And it is such an accurate reflection of a parent/grandparent’s perspective on camp versus the child’s. Even my older girls love this picture book.
Oh! I’m so excited to see Like Bug Juice on a Burger. We loved Pickle Juice on a Cookie!
Hi Stacey,
If you loved Pickle Juice on a Cookie, you will also love Like Bug Juice on a Burger. It’s such an accurate but poignantly funny depiction of a camper experience at sleepaway camp. And the good news — happy ending!
Cute! I like the cover! I like the comic book look of it. 🙂
Hi Erik,
If you can find a copy of A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, I think you will laugh when you read it Erik! It is a really funny and fun picture book. I love it as a parent who has read it out loud at least 25 times. Still funny!!
This looks like a fun book! No camps for my kids this summer, but maybe soon…
Hi MaryAnne,
I think your kids might find the picture book amusing even if they don’t go to day camp!
I just checked Marla’s website and she does have great illustrations.
Hi Giora,
She is so talented, isn’t she?! Her books and illustrations keep winning awards as well.
These are cute- I am so relieved my daughter loved sleepaway camp this year! A whole week, too. No tears. Does this means she prefers camp to being home? Huh.
Hi Jeanette,
I know! You can’t have it both ways, right? But I think it means that home is so wonderful it makes her secure enough to venture forth and enjoy a new experience knowing that it’s there to come home too!
My daughter attends a day Y camp and loving it. I am SO not ready to send her to a week camp yet 🙂 We read the first book, but the second one looks lovely – I want to see if our library has it.
Hi Natalie,
I hope you like Like Bug Juice on a Burger as much as we did. It’s a very sweet early chapter book. The first book is great too.
My kids never went to sleep away camp, but these two look like excellent choices for kids who will be undergoing the experience.
Hi Barbara,
I also hope kids like to read these books to experience camp vicariously — the benefit of books! We didn’t have camp growing up in Southern California and I think I would have loved to read about it since it seems like the quintessential New England summer experience.
I love Marla Frazee’s Rollercoaster. I can’t wait to check out this book! It sounds perfect for my 2 boys.
Hi Jackie,
I haven’t read Marla’s Rollercoaster book but I think you and your boys will love her camp book. I’ll have to find her Rollercoaster book! Thanks so much for coming by!