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The Safety Pin
Summer Camp Stories is a new children's picture book series, based on true stories. The series subtly introduces children to the summer camp experience while teaching important life lessons and promoting great values.
The Safety Pin (Book #1) is a fun, zany and educational adventure with a universal message. The story is told with rich vocabulary and is beautifully illustrated by award winning illustrator Victor Guiza. Inspirational quotes are embedded in many illustrations to educate, entertain, and stimulate conversation. The story has great rhythm and you will enjoy reading the book to your child as much as they enjoy hearing it from you.
In a nutshell, David and Elliot were great camp friends. They lived far away from each other during the school year, but every summer they looked forward to reuniting at the bus stop that would take them to camp in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. One Sunday David and Elliot walked to morning prayers. David brought a safety pin with him from the bunk. Everyone at camp had safety pins. ( If you don't know why everyone at camp had safety pins, you will need to read the book). During morning prayers David took the safety pin out of his pocket and started to play with it. First, he opened and closed the safety pin. Then he started to rub the safety pin against his cheeks. A few minutes later....Holy Moly! You won't believe what happens next!
Based on a true story.
Join David and Elliot as they make new friends and learn important life lessons in the Summer Camp Stories series (Ages 6+)
To learn more visit www.summercampstories.com
The Safety Pin (Book #1) is a fun, zany and educational adventure with a universal message. The story is told with rich vocabulary and is beautifully illustrated by award winning illustrator Victor Guiza. Inspirational quotes are embedded in many illustrations to educate, entertain, and stimulate conversation. The story has great rhythm and you will enjoy reading the book to your child as much as they enjoy hearing it from you.
In a nutshell, David and Elliot were great camp friends. They lived far away from each other during the school year, but every summer they looked forward to reuniting at the bus stop that would take them to camp in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. One Sunday David and Elliot walked to morning prayers. David brought a safety pin with him from the bunk. Everyone at camp had safety pins. ( If you don't know why everyone at camp had safety pins, you will need to read the book). During morning prayers David took the safety pin out of his pocket and started to play with it. First, he opened and closed the safety pin. Then he started to rub the safety pin against his cheeks. A few minutes later....Holy Moly! You won't believe what happens next!
Based on a true story.
Join David and Elliot as they make new friends and learn important life lessons in the Summer Camp Stories series (Ages 6+)
To learn more visit www.summercampstories.com
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2014
About the author
Elliot Sloyer
4 books13 followersElliot was born on the front seat of a 1964 Chrysler New Yorker as it sped through the streets of Brooklyn, New York. The exact location of his birth remains a mystery to this day.
At the age of seven, Elliot boarded a bus to Camp Massad in Tannersville Pennsylvania. He was kicking, screaming and crying because he was homesick. It was on that bus where he composed the song - "I Want To Go Home". The song had a total of five words. Unfortunately he didn't copyright the song, because that song would go on to become an international sensation - sung by thousands of homesick campers over the next forty years. Elliot stopped crying about a week after getting off the bus, when he realized - he actually loved summer camp. He loved the sports, the swimming, the singing, the bug juice, trip days, overnights, canteen, and the smell of camp on rainy days. And mostly, he loved the camp friends that he made over the years. He happily boarded that same bus for the next ten summers, until Camp Massad unfortunately closed its doors.
Elliot has been telling summer camp stories to children ever since - always to smiles and looks of wonderment, and usually to the question - Did that really happen??? The stories are fun, a bit zany and... the stories really happened!!!
On a professional level, because Elliot never copyrighted the song "I Want To Go Home", he was forced to work in the investment management business for the last 30 years. Luckily, he loved that as well. Elliot founded several firms, has served on corporate boards, and has been involved in civic and charitable organizations.
While bicycling across the USA with his son, (somewhere around Marfa, Texas) Elliot realized that although he enjoyed what he did professionally, his work did not add any collective joy to the planet. So what to do??? That's when the idea hit him (better an idea than a truck). He decided that writing a fun and a bit zany children's picture book series could add some additional joy to the world and make people smile. The Summer Camp Stories series was born.
The goal of the series is to tell some memorable stories, teach important life lessons, and promote great values. The stories also subtly introduce children to different aspects of summer camp life.
The Safety Pin is Elliot's first published book, and the first book in his Summer Camp Stories series.
Elliot lives with his wife and three children in Stamford, Connecticut.
At the age of seven, Elliot boarded a bus to Camp Massad in Tannersville Pennsylvania. He was kicking, screaming and crying because he was homesick. It was on that bus where he composed the song - "I Want To Go Home". The song had a total of five words. Unfortunately he didn't copyright the song, because that song would go on to become an international sensation - sung by thousands of homesick campers over the next forty years. Elliot stopped crying about a week after getting off the bus, when he realized - he actually loved summer camp. He loved the sports, the swimming, the singing, the bug juice, trip days, overnights, canteen, and the smell of camp on rainy days. And mostly, he loved the camp friends that he made over the years. He happily boarded that same bus for the next ten summers, until Camp Massad unfortunately closed its doors.
Elliot has been telling summer camp stories to children ever since - always to smiles and looks of wonderment, and usually to the question - Did that really happen??? The stories are fun, a bit zany and... the stories really happened!!!
On a professional level, because Elliot never copyrighted the song "I Want To Go Home", he was forced to work in the investment management business for the last 30 years. Luckily, he loved that as well. Elliot founded several firms, has served on corporate boards, and has been involved in civic and charitable organizations.
While bicycling across the USA with his son, (somewhere around Marfa, Texas) Elliot realized that although he enjoyed what he did professionally, his work did not add any collective joy to the planet. So what to do??? That's when the idea hit him (better an idea than a truck). He decided that writing a fun and a bit zany children's picture book series could add some additional joy to the world and make people smile. The Summer Camp Stories series was born.
The goal of the series is to tell some memorable stories, teach important life lessons, and promote great values. The stories also subtly introduce children to different aspects of summer camp life.
The Safety Pin is Elliot's first published book, and the first book in his Summer Camp Stories series.
Elliot lives with his wife and three children in Stamford, Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 2, 2015
I was very lucky and won a copy of this wonderful book. It will be a gift for my granddaughter's 8th birthday. I read the book and was totally enchanted with the story and the lovely illustrations. I know this will be a cherished book !
March 10, 2021
Not just a kids book. Really good
June 27, 2014
Picture book received complements of the author
When Mr. Sloyer contacted me about "The Safety Pin", I was excited to receive a book that's signed for the kids at my school. As a teacher, I'm always happy to win children's books. Since I live in a rural area, I wasn't sure that the story about going to summer camp would relate to my kids but I was willing to check it out.
I enjoyed the story of the two friends who look forward to seeing each other every year at camp. I think the artwork in the book is relatable and enjoyable for kids. There are some nice "character" quotations placed in the pictures. I think the story of swallowing a safety pin is one that every kid can have fun with.
The problem, for me, came when the boys headed to prayer services. Because I work in a public school, I won't be able to donate the book to our library as I had planned. What I find a shame is that minus that scene and some religious quotations in the artwork, the book would work perfectly in a public school. The story could have come from any kind of summer camp; it didn't have to be a religious camp. I'm sure that kids who read the story will enjoy it. What kid doesn't like to read about watching for 5 days to make sure the safety pin passes?
When Mr. Sloyer contacted me about "The Safety Pin", I was excited to receive a book that's signed for the kids at my school. As a teacher, I'm always happy to win children's books. Since I live in a rural area, I wasn't sure that the story about going to summer camp would relate to my kids but I was willing to check it out.
I enjoyed the story of the two friends who look forward to seeing each other every year at camp. I think the artwork in the book is relatable and enjoyable for kids. There are some nice "character" quotations placed in the pictures. I think the story of swallowing a safety pin is one that every kid can have fun with.
The problem, for me, came when the boys headed to prayer services. Because I work in a public school, I won't be able to donate the book to our library as I had planned. What I find a shame is that minus that scene and some religious quotations in the artwork, the book would work perfectly in a public school. The story could have come from any kind of summer camp; it didn't have to be a religious camp. I'm sure that kids who read the story will enjoy it. What kid doesn't like to read about watching for 5 days to make sure the safety pin passes?
July 21, 2014
What a fantastically fun afternoon read.
I just read this story with my nephews Jordie and Cam, ages 5 and 6.
We love this story! The friendship between the boys is special. It was very nice how Elliot looked after David and made sure he got help.
Elliot is the kind of friend that every parent wants their child to have, someone who has their back when they are in need and away from home.
I couldn’t help but reminiscence about my camp days and feel nostalgic.
Not only is the story fantastic but the illustrations are beautiful! I love the expressions on the delighted children’s faces. I love the look of the log cabins, and the flags from every country that adorn the walls.
I loved the fact that after someone learned what happened to David they said, “Holy Moly” or Holy (some type of pasta).
The only drawback of the story is that I can’t stop my nephews from saying Holy (some type of pasta); you’ll have to read the story to see what I mean.
Holy crap!
Great story with many value lessons to be learned. Looking forward to getting the rest of this children’s book series.
I just read this story with my nephews Jordie and Cam, ages 5 and 6.
We love this story! The friendship between the boys is special. It was very nice how Elliot looked after David and made sure he got help.
Elliot is the kind of friend that every parent wants their child to have, someone who has their back when they are in need and away from home.
I couldn’t help but reminiscence about my camp days and feel nostalgic.
Not only is the story fantastic but the illustrations are beautiful! I love the expressions on the delighted children’s faces. I love the look of the log cabins, and the flags from every country that adorn the walls.
I loved the fact that after someone learned what happened to David they said, “Holy Moly” or Holy (some type of pasta).
The only drawback of the story is that I can’t stop my nephews from saying Holy (some type of pasta); you’ll have to read the story to see what I mean.
Holy crap!
Great story with many value lessons to be learned. Looking forward to getting the rest of this children’s book series.
April 26, 2015
As I understand this book is based on true events, how delightful to pass on while reading The Safety Pin to small children. It is a very colorful and beautifully illustrated story of two good friends interacting, and caring for each other while in Summer Camp. While the setting is basically outdoors there is a thread concerning health, safety and a visit-to-the-doctor running through its entirety. This makes for a wonderful read to hospitalized children as well as those involved in any kind of ongoing treatments, I believe. Speaking from experience in caring for the young in certain life-support situations, I would highly recommend remembering this story (and those like it) to afford some measure of comfort in what is an unfortunate and a very frightening time. This book provides a cheerful break and is a wonderful series...
So delighted to have had the chance to share this as a gift from GReads.
So delighted to have had the chance to share this as a gift from GReads.
April 26, 2015
After receiving a signed copy of this lovely book as a Goodreads win, I was thrilled to be able to share this with my six year old niece and reading it together we had some super laugh out loud moments. The book has delightful illustrations and the language used is very funny, ideal for early readers. The safety message that is cleverly contained made her little six year old eyes widen and we found ourselves saying Holy Macaroni all day! A super 5* book to delight any child.
June 19, 2014
This is a cute and quirky children's book with positive underlying messages about friendship, God, camp, etc. I especially liked the author's fearless exploration of the consequences of swallowing things that aren't food.
August 9, 2015
Good book with wonderful illustrations. Purchased book to see if appropriate for a six year old niece. This will be good for next summer before she goes to summer camp if she chooses to go.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews