New Year, New Books

Happy 2022!

We hope everyone had a happy and healthy New Year celebration! While we are busy preparing behind the scenes, the new year makes us feel officially one step closer to summer 2022! We are counting the days until we see everyone back on Newfound Lake for another fun filled summer.

Many people like to set a goal or intention for the new year. One common resolution is to do more reading! In case you are planning to add some extra books to your list this year, we want to focus on the New York Time’s 25 Best Children’s Books of 2021. We were excited to realize that many of the featured books highlight female main characters and/or female authors. Many of these books reflect our 3Cs (confidence, competence, and community) philosophy in a variety of settings around the world!

Blancaflor by Nanja Spiegelman – Blancaflor is told by her father not to show off her powers for fear of scaring off suitors. When a prince arrives, she is spellbound! This classic folktale from Latin America, highlights the strength and resourcefulness of women.

Watercress by Andrea Wang – This story follows a young girl with immigrant parents while together on a car ride. They spot watercress, growing in a ditch, and stop to collect it for their dinner. The girl refuses to eat it, embarrassed of how they get their food, as well as their used furniture and clothes. The story awakens empathy and curiosity, bringing the family closer together.

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate Dicamillo – A young girl named Beatryce is found one morning sleeping in a goat’s pen. The goat comes to adore the small ordinary child. However, the monk who finds Beatryce, believe that she is not an ordinary girl. This is a story about the power of friendship and love, carrying the message that girls can be their own saviors.

Frankie and Bug by Gayle Forman- 10-year-old Bug wants to go to the beach with her older brother, but Danny wants to be with his own friends. Bug is stuck hanging out with Frankie, who she considers a stranger at first. This story teaches many things…what it means to be your true self, family is not only who you are  related to, but also the people you choose, and even though life isn’t always fair, we can all do our part to make it more just.

Long Road to the Circus by Betsy Bird – Twelve-year-old Suzy Bowles is tired of summers filled with chores on her family farm and wants to go and see the world. On her adventures, she meets circus queen Madame Marantette and her ostriches. Suzy finds herself caught-up in a fast-paced, hilarious world of ostrich riding. Her adventure shows us that we can all achieve our dreams!

The Giving Tree

We will be purchasing these five books and adding them to our camp library this summer, The Giving Tree! The Giving Tree is one of our favorite buildings on camp! Not only does it look like a tree house and have a great view, but it is also a quiet place to relax and escape into a good book. We have a large selection of books and encourage campers and staff to indulge in reading throughout the summer! Whether you must complete a summer reading assignment or are trying to reach a New Year’s resolution, camp is a perfect place to pick up that next book and get started!

Whatever your goals are for this year, we hope they encourage you to reflect on your time at Wico and continue building confidence, competence and community throughout the off season!