Quarter 2 Choice Book Report

Part 1

I read the book Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita. The main characters name in the book is Samantha (Sam) Montgomery. She is a skinny, adventurous girl who would like to do something different during the summer. Sam is from

Carle Place

on Long Island. She wants to make this summer, the best one she has ever had! Sam decides to go to “Whispering Pines” camp to be a CIT leader. Sam meets a group of girls that are in her bunk. They all become great friends besides two of them. Sam is happy that she is actually making a different decision than her friend at home and being independent on how she is going to spend her summer. I also thing that Sam is an outgoing, caring and courageous person.

            Sam is a very caring person. I think this because she is willing to spend her summer working at camp and spending her time caring for a group of girls. She was devoted to doing a good job in caring for her bunk and being there when they need her. Another example of when Sam is caring is when she has to wake up early every morning to take her bunk mate to the nurse’s office. She does this because the little girl, Mackenzie, needs shots.

            Another characteristic I think Samantha has is outgoing. I think Sam is outgoing because she is excited to meet new friends and is very eager to see what camp life is all about! She ends up meeting some girls that are in her bunk.  The friends decide they want to secretly sneak out at night and record on tape about how camp life is going. They want to remember everything that happens that summer. Their group is called the “Sleepaway Girls.”

                          

 I think Sam is very courageous. I think that Sam is courageous because she sneaks out at night to pull a prank on Ashley and Gabby, Sam’s enemies. They put the girls clothes into a canoe and push it off onto the lake. Sam almost gets caught by a worker at the camp. Another example of Sam being courageous is when she sneaks out at night to film their “Sleepaway Girls” meeting. I think this shows that she is courageous because campers/CIT’s are not supposed to be out after camp hours. Also because Sam is not supposed to have electronics like a video camera at camp. She could be sent home for doing such actions.

I think Samantha Montgomery is caring, outgoing, and courageous. Sam is a great main character. I think I would get along really well with her personality and characteristics.

 Part 2

I read the book Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita. I think the theme of this book is to be confident in yourself. I think this because Samantha Montgomery goes to camp and meets a guy she really likes. Sam is afraid to tell him that she likes him. She ends up telling him at the end of the book. Sam learns that he liked her the whole summer too and that she should have been confident and not shy. Another reason I think the theme of this book it be confident is when Samantha does the talent show. She is paired up with her worst enemy at camp, Ashley. Ashley wants to decide their act and wants to be the star of it. Sam is not ok with that and stands up to her enemy very confidently. Sam thinks that they should be equally represented in their act.

I think another theme of this book is to be yourself. At home, Sam would do whatever her best friend did. She did the activities like dance line or cheerleading, even though she would have rather done something else. This summer Sam decides to be herself and make the decisions to go to camp without her best friend. At the end of the book, Samantha is happy with her decision to be independent. Another reason I think this is because some of the people do not act like themselves. They act differently just to be popular. Samantha is herself and she finds some true friends. Her friends teach Sam to not be a people-pleaser all of the time. She can make some decisions on her own and not always do what others are doing. Samantha is happy that she learns the skill be herself.

I can connect to this theme because I do not always go with what others think. I try to be myself and make my own decisions. I can compare this theme to a personal experience. Once I had to make the choice to go out for the sport some of my friends were doing or to go out for a new sport I wanted to try. I decided to try something different and to be myself. 

I think the two themes of the book portray the meaning of the book. I believe that everyone should be confident in themselves and be themselves. Both of them are really great skills to have during life.