Overnight camp provides a chance for your children to make some of the best memories of a lifetime.
There are books out there for children of every kind. This year, why not send your child to camp with a book that will inspire, delight and comfort them while they’re away from home? Today, we’re discussing 10 of our favorites.
10 Great Books to Take to Overnight Camp
The books you choose will depend on the age and interests of your child, so we’ve collected a wide range of greats for your children.
1. I Love Camp
If you have a young one who’s a little scared of venturing out to camp, sometimes a book is the best way to show them that it is an enjoyable experience, not a scary one.
“I Love Camp” details the basic joys of camp and frames them in the light of friendship, excitement, and adventure. You can read it with your child and let them bring it along to camp as a reminder of what’s possible.
2. Noah’s Swim-a-Thon
This book is a great one for kids around the age of 6. It’s especially great if your child is afraid of the water. Noah, the main character, conquers his fear of water and swimming and does it in a way that brings others along to have fun too.
3. Sam and Charlie (and Sam Too) at Camp
Children who are more curious about the particulars of overnight camp will enjoy this book. If they’re wondering about how the days will go, what kind of activities there will be, or anything else about the specifics, Sam and Charlie at Camp will help them to understand.
By following these two best friends through their time at camp, your kids will gather a concept of what their experiences will be like too.
4. Merlin’s Nightmare
This text is geared for older children who are starting to get interested in fantasy books. While this book isn’t necessarily camp-themed, it will provide a great respite from the hectic life of the campgrounds.
The mystical realm of Merlin will leave your child interested and engaged, excited to pull out the flashlight and hide under the covers to read this page-turner.
5. The Fault in Our Stars
This is a tale, popularized by the movie of the same title, written by John Green. This is a story about two high school students, brought toward each other by chance and faced with an impossible love story.
It’s a great story that details young love and loss in the face of difficulties in life.
6. Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival
For those little ones who are interested in true survival, this book might just be the best way to introduce them to the basic tools needed. While summer camp doesn’t usually require survival skills, sometimes kids think it will.
They’ll be confident in themselves after reading this survival guide, which will give them all they’ll need to know for the foreseeable future.
7. The Hunger Games
The movies were extremely popular, but the books were what started it all. The Hunger Games is an excellent series that will keep anyone turning the pages. If your child is around the ages of 15 to 17, there’s no doubt that they will enjoy the thrill of this book.
Even if they have seen the movies, there’s a lot to be learned from the books. Not only that, but this is an easy read that will probably be done by the end of the trip. The only bad part for parents is that the kids will force them to buy the entire series!
8. The House on Mango Street
For those in the same age range as The Hunger Games, “The House on Mango Street” is a fantastic coming-of-age tale that details the life of Esperanza, told through a series of beautiful vignettes.
The work is complicated yet easy to digest, perfect for the budding English major or Philosophy student.
9. The Maze Runner
This book is one of those that will probably be around for years to come, offering new interpretations as new generations read. “The Maze Runner” is an excellent book that has also been turned into a movie and is geared toward teens.
If your child is looking for a simple yet thought-provoking read, this one will do the trick. It’s a great blend of anticipation, excitement, and introspection.
10. The Giver
“The Giver” is another timeless book. It’s a great thing when literature can be geared toward young people while having a message that even most adults can appreciate and understand. This is certainly one of those books.
We recommend that you give it a read if you haven’t already. Not because there’s anything your child shouldn’t see within the pages, but because the point of the story is clear, relevant, and something you can talk about with your child. We won’t give you the trouble of spoiling it, but you can take our word.
Honorable Mentions: The Classics
Big stuffy books referred to as “the classics” are nothing to turn away. It seems that interest in these books has dwindled in recent years, but the pages still hold the same value as they always have.
Books like “Moby Dick” and “Great Expectations” used to be mandatory readings in school. But, as we all know, reading is much more fun when it isn’t mandatory, so the classics are often seen as boring. See if you can get your child to take an interest in the great classics of English literature — you won’t be disappointed.
Looking for Overnight Camp Programs?
Trying to find the right overnight camp for your child can be challenging at times because you only want the best for them. We totally understand that and have sought to gather a wealth of quality information on summer camps.
If you’re interested in learning more about overnight camp, we have everything you need.
