The school year was 1977–1978 and I was teaching eighth and ninth graders. Many of my students had come back from summer vacation talking about their experiences at camp.
Camp. It’s the time when kids leave home, meet new people, try out new behavior.
That gave me an idea. Ever since The Cat Ate My Gymsuit was published in 1974, people had been asking me to write a sequel. What if I sent Marcy to camp?
The only problem was that my only experience at camp had been a disaster. (One week after I got there, my mother became camp nurse and brought along my little brother. So much for getting away!)
Help came at the laundromat when I noticed some people washing huge amounts of towels and clothes. I saw from their sweatshirts that they were from Mt. Tremper Lutheran Camp. Camp!!!!! Life was good! They invited me to visit, to take notes, to talk with campers and counselors.
The sequel got written.
CAT. BAT. People said that I should write a third book about Marcy and have her grow up and join the RAT race. I don’t think so!
I’m happy with the two books about Marcy . . . and happy that new generations of readers continue to meet her and go to camp with her.
—Paula Danziger