Best Books for Sleepaway Camp

For tweens and young teens, going away to sleep-away camp is often the first real step toward independence. Making new friends, learning new skills, and breaking away from old routines may wind up being the highlight of an adolescent’s summer.

Even the most experienced camper, however, sometimes finds herself feeling a little homesick, especially during down-time. That’s when a few engrossing, entertaining books come in handy as both a distraction and something to share with cabin mates.

Series and Sequels
Some of the best books to take to camp for both boys and girls are series, because once you get hooked on an author, set of characters, and storyline in the first of a series, you’ll be eager to start to start the next book. If your tween or teen has a favorite author who is coming out with a new book over the summer, you might want to order it ahead of time online and then give it to your teen when he or she is packing up for camp. Your camper will automatically have something to look forward to on that first rainy afternoon or quiet time.

Books for Tweens

Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli (Harper Collins, 2003)
Star-gazing, pizza-eating, skateboarding science geek, Will is a teen whose world is suddenly tipped on its side, and he realizes that life is all about not knowing what comes next. 

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Harper Collins, 2006)
This popular series, books, one through 13, are available in paperback and full of mishaps and dark humor about a wacky set of adventuresome orphans.

Hatchet (Aladdin, 2006), Brian’s Return (Laurel Leaf, 2001) and the Francis Tucket (Yearling, 2006) series by Gary Paulsen
These books combine history and adventure with teen-aged protagonists, and are especially popular among boys.

Inkheart (Scholastic Chicken House, 2003) and The Thief Lord (Chicken House, 2006) series by Cornelia Funke
These books invoke supernatural powers and will delight fantasy fans and all readers who like an exhilarating plot and larger-than-life characters.

Books of Ember by Jeanne DePrau (Yearling, 2008)
The stories take place in the dark city of Ember, a spooky place with no natural light and a dwindling population.

Hoot by Carl Hiassen (Yearling, 2006)
In this adventure story, teenagers band together to save the natural world.

Series for Teen Girls
They may be the equivalent of “chick lit” for teens, but most girls enjoy reading series about the social and love lives of fictitious girls. Books in these series are somewhat formulaic, but for a girl missing home and best friends, there’s a certain comfort in knowing how the plot will unfold and the certainty of a happy ending. Popular books in this category include:

Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty (Three Rivers Press, 2003)
A funny, candid sequel to Sloppy First, the story follows the adventures of misfit, Jessica, the summer before her senior year of high school while she’s enrolled at a super-competitive academic camp in New Jersey.