For the wonderful people at PJ Library and PJ Our Way without whom this book would still be packed away under my bed
One Frankie Ferstein and I have ALWAYS been best friends I would say since we were born because our mothers are friends and even had us around the same time I can’t say for sure that we were BFFs back in our mothers wombs but we probably were Since we were old enough to hang out Frankie and I have been inseparable We’ve had our birthday parties together done our homework together shopped for clothes together everything So of course it made sense that we were going to summer camp together I mean we had always gone to day camp together but this year would be 1
different We were going to Camp Shalom which was a sleepover camp Four weeks of unsupervised fun Well unsupervised by our own parents It wasn’t like they were going to throw us all together to run around on our own like wild animals or anything But still four weeks of sleeping in cabins arts and crafts and outdoor sports Yes please One Friday after school a couple of weeks before school was done for the year Frankie and I were lying on her bed doing homework We had about an hour before her mom got home and Frankie had to help with Shabbat dinner By lying on her bed doing homework I mean lying on her bed her scrolling through her iPad and me looking at YouTube videos of horses on my phone This late in the year teachers knew giving us serious homework was just bad form So Bea Frankie asked Yeah I didn’t look up from the screen 2 Joanne LEVY
We need to talk I uh I wasn’t supposed to tell you this but we’re best friends so I have to Her tone got my attention Tell me what It’s about this summer I instantly perked up Yeah it’s going to be awesome I hope we get to go on canoe trips like your brother did She cocked her head You sure spend a lot of time talking to Jeremy You’re not going to be chasing him all around at camp are you I felt my face heat up but gave her an exasper ated look No It’s research Frankie So we know what to expect when we go to camp Please She frowned for a second then shook her head and took a big deep breath So About that My stomach did a complete flop Something bad was coming Even my internal organs knew it I just stared at Frankie waiting for her to spill She looked down at her iPad and whispered something 3 The Sun Will Come Out
