Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins
This article originally appeared in SLJ’s Extra Helping. Sign up now!
Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 5/26/2008 8:00:00 AM
A Cure for the Summertime Blues
The hype is building for Camp Rock, a Disney Channel Original Movie that will debut on television on June 20, 2008, and is sure to be popular with the High School Musical crowd. Aspiring singer/songwriter Mitchie Torres (Demi Lovato) longs to attend Camp Rock, a prestigious summer program for would-be pop sensations, but her family can’t afford the tuition. When her mother (Maria Canals) accepts a job as camp cook, Mitchie is thrilled to go along, even though it means helping in the kitchen. The shy 14-year-old feels a bit intimidated by the other campers, kids who seem accomplished, confident, and well connected in the entertainment world.
Meanwhile, everyone’s buzzing about lead singer and teen heartthrob Shane Gray (Joe Jonas) and the other members of Connect Three (Nick and Kevin Jonas), who are returning to Camp Rock—where they met three years ago—as guest counselors. When Shane overhears Mitchie singing, but doesn’t see her, he’s swept away by both her voice and her song, and searches for the mystery muse who could help him reconnect with his inner artist. With secrets, songs, and romance galore, the plot sizzles to a rockin’ finale, as the talented teens gear up for Final Jam, the camp’s ultimate singing competition.
Fans can preview the action—and the music—at the official Web site, a fun-to-explore, interactive forum that presents plot teasers, character profiles, and loads of cast photos and videos. If your library has headphones, youngsters can play “Guitar Groovin’ 101,” a streamlined “Guitar Hero”-type game, or take a personality quiz (“What Makes Your Rock Role?”), answering questions—posed on video by the Jonas Brothers—to determine whether they are stage-loving superstars or behind-the-scenes masterminds.
Read All about It
Kids ready to plunge into their summer reading will enjoy Camp Rock: The Junior Novel (Gr 3–7), from Disney Press, a breezy retelling of the story with snappy dialogue and eight pages of full-color movie photos. If your patrons want to know more about the film’s musical stars, suggest two recent unauthorized biographies of the Jonas Brothers. Featuring glossy spreads packed with crisp full-color photos, chatty but brief text blocks, personal tidbits, and quotes, Just Jonas! The Jonas Brothers Up Close and Personal (Gr 3–6), from Scholastic, is as eye-catching and easy to browse as a fan-zine. Those who would like to know about each twist and turn in the road to stardom will find the answers in Jammin’ with the Jonas Brothers (Gr 3–7), from Price Stern Sloan. Featuring numerous quotes from various media sources, this upbeat biography provides the scoop on the younger years of Kevin, Joe, and Nick; traces the ins and outs of their skyrocketing careers; and offers insights into their inspirations and personalities. Four pages of full-color photos complete the package. Light, page-turning fare, these books will appeal to both die-hard “Jonas-ites” and newly minted fans.
Pub Info
RUGGLES, Lucy, adapt. Camp Rock: The Junior Novel. Disney Press. May 2008. pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-1439-0.
JOHNS, Michael-Anne. Just Jonas! The Jonas Brothers Up Close and Personal. Scholastic. May 2008. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-545-08343-0.
RYALS, Lexi. Jammin’ with the Jonas Brothers. Price Stern Sloan/Penguin. 2008. pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-0-8431-3304-2.
