Camp

Title:

Camp

Author:

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It's where he met his best friends. It's where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it's where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim—who's only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists. This year, however, it's going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as 'Del'—buff, masculine, and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bedsheets, he's determined to get Hudson to fall for him. But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself: How much is he willing to change for love? And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn't know who he truly is? -- Amazon.

Audience:

Ages 14+. Little, Brown and Company.

General Note:

Includes sneak preview of Jack of hearts (and other parts).

"Putting the 'out' in the great outdoors" -- Cover.

Edition:

First U.S. trade paperback edition.

Physical Description:

391 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Subject Term:

Gender-nonconforming people -- Fiction.

Dating (Social customs) -- Fiction.

Identity (Psychology) -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Little, Brown and Company,

Publication Date:

2021

2020

ISBN:

9780316537773

Publication Information:

New York, NY : Little, Brown and Company, 2021.

Call Number:

YA ROSEN

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003676247	Young Adult	ROSEN	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A Lambda Award Finalist, A Today Show Best Book, A Forbes Best Book, and an ALA Rainbow List Top Ten selection

Set in a summer camp, this sweet and sharp screwball comedy set in a summer camp for queer teens examines the nature of toxic masculinity and self-acceptance.

Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It's where he met his best friends. It's where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it's where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim--who's only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists.

This year, however, it's going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as 'Del'--buff, masculine, and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bedsheets, he's determined to get Hudson to fall for him.

But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself: How much is he willing to change for love? And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn't know who he truly is?

Author Notes

Lev Rosen is the author of books for all ages. Two for adults: All Men of Genius (Amazon Best of the Month, Audie Award Finalist) and Depth (Amazon Best of the Year, Shamus Award Finalist, Kirkus Best Science Fiction for April). Two middle-grade books: Woundabout (illustrated by his brother, Ellis Rosen), and The Memory Wall. And two young adult novels: Jack of Hearts (and other parts) (American Library Association Rainbow List Top Ten, Guardian's Best Books of the Year, B&N Favorite Books of the Year) and Camp (Lambda Award finalist, ALA Rainbow List Top Ten, a best book of 2020 from Forbes, Elle, the Today Show, SLJ, Booklist and others), which is being adapted into a film directed by and starring Billy Porter. His books have been translated into many different languages and sold around the world. His next book, Lavender House , an adult historical mystery, will be released fall of 2022.

Lev is originally from lower Manhattan and now lives in even lower Manhattan, right at the edge, with his husband and very small cat. He has an MFA in fiction writing from Sarah Lawrence College and teaches creative writing. You can find him online at LevACRosen.com and @LevACRosen

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--Randy always spends the whole school year eagerly anticipating his month at Camp Outland, the sleepaway camp for queer teens where he lets his femme flag fly and participates in theater. But this year will be different: Randy has a plan to woo Hudson, the hottest boy at camp, who only dates masculine boys. Randy comes to camp without his sparkly nail polish and false eyelashes, but with toned abs and a new nickname, Del. Hudson doesn't recognize Del and the boys get to know one another through a new assortment of activities: hiking, obstacle course, and absolutely no theater. As they begin to fall in love, Hudson shares stories about his family, like bonding with his grandmother over makeup. As Del gradually shows off his feminine side, Hudson unleashes his internalized homophobia. Del--or Randy--has to question whether all this work is worth it to win over a boy who may never love the real him. Fabulous Camp Outland welcomes a diverse range of queer teens, with supporting characters who are trans, nonbinary, ace, and demisexual. Randy is white and Jewish; Hudson is Korean and Jewish. VERDICT Like Rosen's earlier work, Jack of Hearts, and with an ensemble cast well worth cheering on, this charming book describes sex in a frank, almost procedural way and is therefore best suited to libraries serving older teens.--Shira Pilarski, Farmington Community Library, MI

Publisher's Weekly Review

At Camp Outland, a Connecticut sleepaway camp where everyone's queer, 16-year-old Randy feels fully himself, enjoying "who-cares-if-your-wrists-are-loose-freedom." He's been a camper there since he was 12, and he and his friends in the drama cabin live and breathe theater. But this summer is different. Randy has butched up, gone out for sports, and started going by "Del" to land camp lothario Hudson, and not just for a fling, either: Randy's been crushing for four years now, and he's out for love. But can love be built on a lie? Rosen (Jack of Hearts ) portrays Camp Outland as an LGBTQ idyll replete with queer history talks and gender-blind theater casting. He also takes on the "straight-acting" gay men who look down on Randy and his friends-- friends who, in turn, disapprove of masc4masc Hudson--and shows that the butch-fem divide may be narrower than it seems (Randy's friends disapprove of masc4masc Hudson, and Randy has his own doubts) in a fun, inclusive story that's sex-, romance-, and LGBTQ-positive. Ages 14--up. Agent: Joy Tutela, David Black Literary. (May)