I’m so glad that I requested, and won, a LibraryThing Early Reviewers copy of The Lightning Circle by Vikki VanSickle, a lovely coming-of-age story in verse of teenagers at a girls-only summer camp. It is gentle in style and message with simple illustrations that complement both beautifully. It is only as I write this that I notice how minimally adults are present. I believe this is a strength of the story, allowing the young women to support each other as they find themselves.
If I were still a high school librarian, I would purchase this for our collection and promote it to my students; however, like many YA books, you can be well past YA status to enjoy it!
Note to any potential purchasers: Sturdy binding with an attractive cover is an added plus. ( )

I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! As a former summer camp Arts and Crafts Program Specialist at a couple different camps, this book brought back so much nostalgia. It's amazing how many aspects of summer camp are universal, regardless of where the camp is or how it is organized. Vansickle did a phenomenal job of capturing the spirit and magic of camp in this verse. The illustrations are great too. ( )

A beautiful coming-of-age story told in the highly-coveted, novel in verse format. Vikki Vansickle captures the heartache of your first break up, the way friendships can help you heal and grow, and the fun of creating summer memories. The illustrations compliment the story perfectly! ( )

As someone who has never been to summer camp, I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me feel like I was really there. The author really captures what it's like to be a teenaged girl. It's an easy read which kept me interested throughout every page. ( )

A quick easy read set in poetry style about Nora's first experience at summer camp where she is a counselor. It takes you from her first impressions of her fellow counselors, to when the campers arrived, and the to how her first impressions changed as she became acquainted with her fellow counselors and the girls in Raven section. ( )