Hattie, The Happy Little Camper
After years of taking her human family on summer vacations, a little camper is left alone in a backyard, feeling sad and lonely.
Hattie is a happy little camper. She has extra-cozy beds, sturdy little tires, and colorful tin siding that gently pings when it rains. Each summer Hattie’s human family hitches her up and drives out from their city home to a campsite in the woods. Hattie enjoys these vacations with her family, and she especially loves watching the children laugh and play. Hattie keeps her family warm and safe and dry.
But as the years pass, the children grow up and move on to busy lives. No one has time for camping trips or Hattie anymore, and she is left all alone in the backyard. As seasons come and go, vines grow around Hattie; she’s dusty, dirty, and a little run-down. Now woodland animals make their homes inside her walls. Hattie doesn’t mind. She likes the company but it’s not the same as keeping her human family safe and warm. She misses them. She misses the children and their laughter. Will Hattie ever know that love and happiness again?
| Interest Level | Kindergarten - Grade 3 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 1 |
| Dewey | |
| Lexile | 660L |
| ATOS Reading Level | |
| Guided Reading Level | L |
| Publisher | Sleeping Bear Press |
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Available Formats | Hardcover (9781534113466), PDF (9781668972052), ePub (9781668971932), Hosted ebook (9781668972175) |
| Copyright | 2026 |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| Dimensions | 10 x 10 |
| Graphics | Full-color illustrations |
Author: Danielle Davison
Danielle Davison spent most of her childhood reading books, painting rocks, wandering outdoors, and imagining herself as the characters in her favorite children’s books. She grew up in southern Iowa and Minnesota, where she dreamt of one day becoming a children’s book author. Danielle earned degrees in Psychology and Social Science before graduating from Hamline University with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her first picture book, The Traveler’s Gift, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. She lives in Maple Plain, Minnesota, with her family and a menagerie of pets and can often be found wandering in the woods where her own Hattie, the Little Camper lives.
Illustrator: Alyssa Russell
Alyssa Russell is an illustrator living in Austin, Texas. Her work is inspired by being a “deep feeler,” loving intensely, laughing loudly, and having a good cry. She loves to express her emotions in the characters she draws, making them feel alive. When she is not illustrating, Alyssa enjoys cooking a good meal, enjoying the ambience of a cute cafe, or taking a nice walk around her neighborhood.
| Author/Illustrator biography |
| Contributor Note |
| Endnote |
| Original artwork |
| Full-color illustrations |