Review: Surviving Summer Camp by Paul Breau
Growing up is hard enough without bugs, brothers, raging rivers, and the occasional need for geometry.
Surviving Summer Camp by Paul Breau takes one very reluctant outdoorsman, sends him to summer camp with his two brothers, and promptly removes nearly everything he considers essential to survival - video games, comic books, comfortable surroundings, and, perhaps most importantly, a reliable supply of snacks.
Eddy would much rather stay safely indoors than deal with bugs, sports, hiking, and other kids. But what begins as his idea of the worst summer imaginable becomes a fast-paced wilderness adventure filled with sibling squabbles, laugh-out-loud moments, genuine danger, and some unexpected opportunities to discover what he's capable of. Breau keeps the humor front and center while quietly working in themes of responsibility, problem-solving, courage, and family.
In this review of Surviving Summer Camp, I'll look at the humor and adventure, the lessons tucked beneath the chaos, and why this middle-grade story could be an especially good fit for reluctant readers ages 8-12.
Surviving Summer Camp: An Action-Packed Adventure for Reluctant Readers Ages 8-12 By Paul Breau
Series: Step-By-Step series
on July 2026
Genres: Middle-Grade
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 222
Is your child a "reluctant reader"? Turn screen time into reading time with a high-stakes adventure they won't want to put down.
Eddy had the perfect summer planned: Zero responsibilities. Zero brothers. And enough video games and snacks to last until September.
But one "unfortunate" mistake changes everything. Now, Eddy is being shipped off to summer camp with his two brothers—a bossy know-it-all and an annoyingly cheerful goody-goody. For a kid who hates the outdoors, this is the ultimate nightmare.
And then, it gets much worse.When an overnight hike goes horribly wrong, the brothers are separated from their group and lost deep in the wilderness. With no maps, no cell service, and—worst of all—no snacks, they must face raging rivers and the dangers lurking in the shadows.
To survive, Eddy will have to dig deep and become the one thing he never thought he could be: A hero.
Why parents (and kids) love Surviving Summer Camp:
Fast-Paced Action: Built specifically for the "TikTok generation" with plots that move at lightning speed.
Short Chapters: Perfect for building confidence in readers aged 8-12 who struggle with dense text.
Relatable Humor: A "laugh-out-loud" survival story that feels like a modern-day Holes or Hatchet.
Brotherhood Stakes: A heart-pounding journey about family, courage, and overcoming the odds.
Fans of Gary Paulsen and Jeff Kinney will find their next favorite obsession in this Pacific Northwest adventure.Give your middle-grader the gift of a book they’ll actually finish. Grab your copy of Surviving Summer Camp today!
Reader Resources
Review at a Glance
| Best For | Ages 8-12, especially reluctant readers and kids who enjoy fast-paced adventures |
| Expect | Summer camp chaos, wilderness survival, sibling squabbles, problem-solving, and lots of kid-friendly humor |
| Themes | Courage, responsibility, family, teamwork, overcoming fear, and discovering your own capabilities |
| Reading Vibe | Funny, energetic, adventurous, and increasingly suspenseful |
| Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Interested in learning more about the types of books I feature? Visit my How I Choose Books page for a behind-the-scenes look at my selection process.
Quick Take: Surviving Summer Camp is a fast, funny wilderness adventure for ages 8-12, particularly well suited to reluctant readers and kids who enjoy sibling humor, outdoor mishaps, and ordinary characters discovering they're capable of extraordinary things.
Things to Know: Surviving Summer Camp includes wilderness danger, getting lost, sibling arguments, frightening encounters, and situations where the children must think quickly to stay safe. The tension is balanced by plenty of middle-grade humor, including jokes about farts, boogers, underwear, and other kid-approved gross-out moments. The overall tone remains funny and adventurous rather than frightening, with positive messages about courage, responsibility, problem-solving, and family.
Let's take a closer look at what made this book stand out.
My Thoughts
Eddy and I would probably get along just fine. He is perfectly happy indoors with his comic books, video games, and a never-ending supply of snacks. The outdoors, on the other hand, is filled with dangers - bugs, wildlife, physical activity, and roving packs of children who want to do horrifying things like play basketball and soccer.
Paul Breau has a lot of fun with Eddy's dramatically miserable view of summer camp. Bugs, other kids, forced activities, overnight hikes, sibling aggravation - every new experience seems to confirm that Eddy was right to fear the place. The humor is pitched squarely at middle-grade readers, with farts, boogers, underwear, and the "butt-crack of dawn" all getting their moment. It's silly without feeling as though the story is trying too hard to be silly.
But Surviving Summer Camp becomes more than a collection of funny camp disasters. When the adventure turns genuinely dangerous, Eddy has to stop complaining long enough to think. One of my favorite aspects of the story was watching him draw on things he'd learned without ever realizing they might someday matter. For Pete's sake, the poor kid has to use geometry to help solve a life-threatening problem. What kind of summer vacation is this?
That's also where Eddy's growth feels earned. He doesn't suddenly become fearless or transform into a completely different kid. He's still Eddy. He's frightened, annoyed, and frequently out of his comfort zone, but he learns that responsibility isn't something reserved for adults. When people he loves need him, he's capable of keeping his head, solving problems, and doing difficult things despite being afraid.
The sibling relationship gives that growth even more weight. The brothers irritate one another, argue, and know exactly how to push each other's buttons, but when circumstances become serious, the family bond matters more than any of it. Eddy discovers that having people in your corner is far better than trying to face everything alone.
And then there are wonderfully ridiculous survival details such as tying underwear to trees to mark a trail. That's what I think Breau gets particularly right: the lessons about courage, critical thinking, responsibility, and family never require the book to stop being fun.
In Conclusion
Surviving Summer Camp is exactly the kind of middle-grade adventure that can remind kids that reading is supposed to be fun. It's fast, funny, just dangerous enough to keep the pages turning, and filled with the kind of humor that should have young readers laughing when adults aren't quite sure why.
I especially recommend it for reluctant readers ages 8-12, kids who enjoy survival adventures and sibling comedy, and anyone who likes seeing an unlikely hero discover what he's capable of. Eddy may not come home loving the great outdoors, but he does come away knowing a little more about courage, responsibility, family - and perhaps the unexpected usefulness of geometry.
Before we wrap up, here's a little more about the author behind the book.
Meet the Author
Learn more:
Website | Amazon | Goodreads
Where to Buy
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Giveaway
Paul Breau has graciously offered to give one lucky reader a paperback copy of Surviving Summer Camp! The giveaway is open to readers in the United States and Canada. Enter below for your chance to win. Good luck!
Prize: One paperback copy of Surviving Summer Camp
Eligibility: United States and Canada
Ends: August 21, 2026
Please note: Entering this giveaway does not subscribe you to the Friday Finds newsletter. KingSumo may send emails related to your giveaway entry, including entry confirmation and giveaway reminders.
Happy reading-and thanks for supporting authors, reviewers, and independent bookstores.
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