I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
Camp Club Girls: Kate by Janice Thompson Series: Camp Club Girls #5
Published by Barbour Publishing on March 1, 2019
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Religious / Christian / Mysteries & Detective Stories
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
Source: NetGalley
Amazon|Barnes&Noble|Goodreads
GET A CLUE WITH THE CAMP CLUB GIRLS!
Join Kate and the Camp Club Girls as they embark on a series of clue-filled adventures and crack the case in this entertaining and action-packed 4-in-1 mystery collection.Who’s framing the star shortstop of the Philadelphia Phillies? Kate’s friend, Andrew, faces the fears of his life as a smear campaign threatens to destroy his dad’s career. Will the Camp Club Girls hit a homerun and save the day for Andrew and his family?
Where are the rats coming from at Mad River Creamery? Kate and Sydney visit a small Vermont town during their winter break. But along with their plans to enjoy the local skiing and spend time relaxing, turmoil breaks out at the local creamery. Will the Camp Club Girls triumph and vanquish the vermin of Vermont?
Who's the culprit behind the phony fossils? When Kate’s former schoolteacher becomes a curator at a small science museum, she is invited to help out. . .and an accidental spilled drink leads Kate and McKenzie on a quick quest to Stone’s Throw Quarry fossil camp. Will the girls’ suspicions prove false?
What's causing the pretzels go flat? When Kate is chosen to attend a junior inventors’ showcase in Hershey, Pennsylvania, she partners with a local pretzel factory that is willing to test her invention. Along with Alexis, Kate witnesses a rather unwelcome problem with the twisted treats. Will they be able to get to the bottom of their pretzel predicament?
I know I think this every time I finish a Camp Club Girls book, not sure if I say it, that this is my favorite girl. . . so far. Kate brings a lot of things to the plate that has slowly grown through the other girls. And Kate broke the 12 chapter finish for each story which really threw me off. Going back to my ancient heart moments, I see a lot more parent involvement in the girls. But I also got a lot more depth. The mysteries brought fun and knowledge and not just a thrill of the solving. I also really loved that it didn’t end with the solve but ended with true resolution and growth among the girls.
I am not going to lie. The first novella in this collection centers around baseball. And while I’m not quite as uninformed as Kate I totally vibe with her on this one. I just don’t get into sports but calling baseball bases place mats just tickled my ancient heart. . . I get you you Kate I totally get you. And then skiing. Now I’ve never skied. But I struggled with her learning the basics theoretically at the top of the hill and then no practice but let’s take on a competition slope. Then after two runs over a couple of days he’s winning a competition but I’ll let it slide because it was fun. And there’s no way I could do it!
While sometimes not realistic, Kate brought a lot to the table that I feel like will truly resonate with a young reader. Not only heart and faith but technology that is center to the human experience today. While Kate’s mysteries may not always feel realistic she feels oh so real. The character of Kate is so well developed and helps to really show the depth of the other girls as well. I enjoyed her adventures a lot, learned a few things along the way, and feel like she’s truly someone I would love to see the kiddos emulate. Bailey’s got a lot to live up to next!
About Janice Thompson
Award-winning author Janice Thompson got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more. She particularly enjoys writing light-hearted, comedic tales because she enjoys making readers laugh.
Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. Her tagline, “Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters!” sums up her take on life.
She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and three mischievous dogs. When she’s not busy writing or playing with her nine grandchildren, Janice can be found in the kitchen, baking specialty cakes and cookies for friends and loved ones. She loves to blog about cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats on her Out of the Box Baking Blog, even though she’s currently on a weight-loss journey. (She’s a walking, talking conundrum, y’all.)
Wanna share your thoughts? Leave a comment!