About the Book

Book: The Rubber-Band: Slingshot Summer

Editor: Christy Hoss

Genre: Middle Grade

Release date: May, 2022

Separated from each other at rival camps by a shared lake, the bond of the Rubber Band is challenged. Lead guitar player, Eddie attends a rustic camp for diabetics while across the lake, the rest of the band is at a posh resort for elite rich people’s children, sponsored by lead singer, Becca. During the annual Olympics between camps, the sabotage of a high-stakes kayak race threatens to sink friendships. From the moment they step off the bus to the last day of goodbyes, it’s a non-stop, hilarious and fun-filled first time-at-camp experience for the guys all while Becca is bullied by a long-time rival. Although both summer camps bring new possibilities, will it strengthen the bond of the band and change hearts or stretch them apart?

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About the Author

Christy caught the writing bug in second grade after winning a prize for a five-page story about her dog, Noodles. Mrs. Olson told her she was destined to be a writer and that dream never left her thoughts. After teaching elementary school for fifteen years, Christy fulfilled her childhood dream with her debut novel, The Rubber Band. She substitute teaches to support her writing career, deriving writing inspiration from the students and situations she encounters.

At age twenty-five, she was diagnosed with type-one diabetes but refuses to let it limit her. Her diabetic alert dog, Aiden, has saved her life uncountable times and will appear The Rubber Band Snaps, the fourth book in the series. Christy lives by this equation: Living + diabetes = LIVE-abetes.

Christy is a freelance editor and writes children’s Bible stories for Focus on the Family ClubHouse magazine and has written articles for Guideposts. She is a featured speaker for conferences, retreats and special events. Christy lives in eastern Tennessee with husband Kevin, the love of her life. They have three grown children.

The Rubber Band Slingshot Summer is the third book in The Rubber Band middle grade novel series by Christy Hoss.

More from Christy

If you have ever been to summer camp, I guarantee you will enjoy the Rubber Band’s newest adventure. It takes place at two camps across the lake from each other. Although this is a fictional story, some of it is based on reality. Bearskin Meadow Diabetes Camp does exist and some of the names I used are real people who have given me permission to honor them and what they do. Becca’s exaggerated outdoor adventure camp is, however, purely non-existent and based only on my imagination.

I couldn’t resist writing this light-hearted, fun-filled, nonstop adventure for the band but not without its serious message that I am hoping will encourage strength in my readers.

One week at Bible camp was always the highlight of my summer, giving me something to look forward to. The week always ended too soon for me. Fresh out of high school, I flew to Southern California and worked as a counselor for inner-city kids at a Salvation Army camp in Malibu. It was so much fun, I worked three more summers at various camps on the East Coast and then two more back in Malibu. It was inevitable I would write about the experiences one day.

If you want to experience the camp Eddie attends, check it out here: https://dyf.org/why-camp/

In order to get to Bearskin Meadow, you must travel through Sequoia National Park. Take a sneak peek at its thousand-year-old trees here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/sequoia/home

My Thoughts

Our favorite middle grade band is back with The Rubber Band: Book Three- Slingshot Summer (Summer Camp). This series is written by Christy Hoss. While this book is part of a series, the author fills in important details of the main characters so you don’t feel left behind. I have read the whole series so it was good to see them again. I read this story with my 11 year old son.

The members of Rubber Band are off to Summer Camp. Eddie aka Needles is headed off to Diabetes camp while the others are off with Becca to Sandy Hill Lake. Which really isn’t much of a camp. It’s more of a resort. Becca and her family sponsors Rocky, Oliver and Manny to go.

Eddie meets some new friends when he is on the bus on his way. He is fascinated with his new friends diabetic dog, Chevy. He also makes friends with the camp trickster, Trevor. However he learns as in previous stories there’s more to then meets the eye.

I enjoyed seeing my favorite middle grade band have fun in the summer. There’s summer enemies and rivals thrown in along with a rival camp competition. I felt the author did a great job showcasing what a diabetic camp would look like.

The book is written well for the intended audience. The characters are well developed. I as an adult also enjoyed the story. My son and I hope the series continues.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this story. All thoughts are my own