Launching Our Own Mary Hershey's LOVE AND POLLYWOGS

LOVE AND POLLYWOGS FROM CAMP CALAMITY! by Mary Hershey

Wendy Lamb Books,
Hardcover, 9780385737449, 224pp.

Publication Date: June 8, 2010

Camp Wickitawa, here we come!
Mary Hershey's third book about fourth grader Effie Maloney is a hilarious Texas adventure, complete with a camp ghost, swim lessons, rescued armadillos, campfires, and cowgirl stew.


Effie has been waiting forEVER for St. Dom's special fourth-grade camp. Could there be anything more thrilling than an entire week with her two best friends? But when her big sister Maxey (Bosszilla) ends up working there, Camp Oh-So-Perfect turns into Camp Calamity. And Effie has to figure out how to hide the fact that she's not, um, the greatest swimmer. She can't even float. But she better learn fast, because she just HAS to be named Outstanding Camper of the Week and win back her family's good name! (And she is N-O-T homesick. Completely and totally not even.)

Violets, I canNOT even tell you how excited I am to be announcing the launch day of Our Own Mary Hershey's latest book, LOVE AND POLLYWOGS FROM CAMP CALAMITY!  I am thrilled to have a new Mary Herhsey book to read as she is consistently one of the best comedy writers EVER. Her secret? Character driven comedy, comedy with heart and depth and yes, even a little poignancy. The perfect recipe, no? Better even that her recipe for Armadillo stew. (KidDING! She would NEVER eat an armadillo!)


But don't take my word for it. In the words of the venerable (and much feared) Kirkus:

Hershey has created a big-hearted, hilarious heroine...

 Or as Booklist says:

Effie may not have found her talent in time for the talent show, but readers may guess it is her gift for friendship...

And what, may you ask, is our very own Top Violet going to be doing to celebrate the launch of her latest tour de force?

No, I did NOT say tour de France, although you may be mistaken for thinking that.

Why? Because Mary has invited an entire team of RAAM Riders, an aMaZinG group of women's cyclists , to her house for a s'mores and cowgirl stew celebration. Or maybe for pink cupcakes and lemonade. Or wait, maybe it was to get ready for their cross country ride. I'm pretty sure one of those is true.

AnyWHO. She will be closely supervising a pink hurricane,which I'm sure is almost as fun as going to summer camp.

So won't you grab a cupcake and raise your glass of pink lemonade to celebrate Mary's launch?





To help us all get into the spirit of the celebration, Mary has offered to donate a copy of LOVE AND POLLYWOGS FROM CAMP CALAMITY! to the school or library of your choice! (And if you happen to give it a quick read before you deliver it, I'm sure she won't tell a soul. She's a most excellent secret-keeper.)

Oh, I know! Let's all join hands and belt out our best rendition of Kumbayah to launch the book!  No? Oh, very well. In that case

Wheee!! :: tosses handful of pink confetti::

Here's wishing you tons of sales, Mary, and that your book finds its way into the hands of scads of young readers!