Top Ten Tuesday: Super-Fun Summer Camp Books
It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! This week’s theme is best books for summer, which is a perfect chance to talk about beach reads… but I’m not much of a beach girl? I burn way too easily. So, instead, let’s talk about another favorite summer activity: summer camp!
Whether it’s the story of a first-time camp experience or simply the tale of camp attendance as a means to an end, excellent summer camp books capture the immersive experience of being away from home. They spin stories of unexpected friendships and wacky inside jokes. They remind us to celebrate being in nature and being part of a team or group.
I’ve included six middle-grade books and twelve young adult books in this list, so technically it’s my top eighteen, but I couldn’t help it. They’re all great books that made me feel big summer camp vibes.
Note: Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl in which bloggers share their top ten favorites in the week’s theme. Check out this week’s list of posts about summer reading!
Also: This post contains affiliate links that don’t cost anything for you to use but help support this blog. Thank you for shopping with them!
Super-Fun Summer Camp Books: Middle Grade
Here are six middle-grade books featuring summer camp adventures. From LARPing to twins swapping places to discovering a hidden world of magic, all these books immersed me in summer camp feelings and celebrated the unexpected friendships and adventures that a few weeks away from home inevitably bring.
Monster Camp by Sarah Henning
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: A girl signs up for what she thinks is a LARPing (live-action roleplaying) camp only to discover the other campers are actually monsters. Totally fun. The camp setting makes this a perfect summer read, but the monster elements would make this a good fall/Halloween season read, too.
Release Date: May 9, 2023
Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: A richly written novel in verse about twin girls who’ve grown apart and dare one another to switch places at summer camp. One twin has undiagnosed anxiety. I loved the relationship between the sisters in this one.
Release Date:
Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1) B. B. Alston
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come
What you need to know: Men In Black meets Percy Jackson, but better. Amari learns her missing brother was part of a supernatural organization (think FBI plus magic) which she joins after learning it can help her discover what happened to him.
Release Date: January 19, 2021
The Girls of Firefly Cabin by Cynthia Ellingsen
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: Four girls meet for the first time when they’re assigned to Firefly Cabin. Will secrets, competition, and other classic summer camp adventures bind them together as friends or tear their cabin apart? Perfectly captures and celebrates summer camp experiences.
Release Date: May 28, 2019
Chirp by Kate Messner
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: Not all summer camps are sleep-away– here’s one celebrating day camp for a girl whose family has just moved to a new town. Discusses grooming and consent in a clear, age-appropriate way. Great family elements.
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Ways to Grow Love (A Ryan Hart Story) by Renée Watson
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: The second book in the Ryan Hart series. Ryan braves her nerves about summer camp and changing friendships. A perfect blend of the power of resilience, friendship, and summertime fun.
Release Date: April 27, 2021
Super-Fun Summer Camp Books: Young Adult
Julieta and the Romeos by Maria E. Andreu
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: An elite writing summer intensive challenges Julieta to post her writing publicly. A mysterious collaborator begins contributing to the story. She’s determined to figure out which of the three boys she’s maybe interested in could be her online partner. Perfect for fans of Kasie West or Jennifer E. Smith.
Release Date: May 16, 2023
You Don’t Have a Shot by Racquel Marie
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: Soccer camp! Rivals to lovers! A layered story exploring romance, pride, and perfectionism. I loved the relationships between characters, and the descriptions of the soccer practices and games made me feel like I was right there on the sidelines.
Release Date: May 9, 2023
Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come
What you need to know: First love and Deaf pride… at summer camp. A book about embracing identity and finding the friends you didn’t know you needed. This one is at the top of my summer reading list.
Release Date: July 11, 2023
It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: Summer camp… horror! A research trip to Antarctica turns deadly when an unidentified something tries to kill the retreat members. One of the best books I read last year, and I’m not a big horror girl. Check my review for content warnings.
Release Date: September 13, 2022
Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: A homeschooled girl whose parents decide she needs more experience with peers attends the Connecticut Shakespearean Summer Academy in exchange for their permission for her early admission to Oxford. Competitive antics and rivals-to-lovers romance ensue. Great for fans of Lily Anderson.
Release Date: July 26, 2022
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: An intense summer program for aspiring web developers. A suitor in a potential arranged marriage. A girl who couldn’t be less interested in romance. All the fun of Sandhya Menon’s fluffy romance… at summer camp!
Release Date: May 30, 2017
You Have a Match by Emma Lord
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: When a DNA service reveals a younger sister, Abby signs up for summer camp to meet her unknown sibling. Packed with secrets about to burst and an adorable friends-to-lovers romance. My favorite of Emma Lord’s books so far.
Release Date: January 12, 2021
Have a Little Faith in Me by Sonia Hartl
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: Jesus camp… but not from a religious perspective. This one tackles issues concerning consent, celebrates girl friendships, and delivers a simmering summer romance.
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: Ballet camp! In Paris! Plus, a sweet romance and a quest to prove family lore that says her relative sat for a painting by Edgar Degas. Perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch.
Release Date: April 6, 2021
Last Summer at Eden by Christina Hergenrader
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review
What you need to know: It’s been a while since I’ve read this one, but I remember it being a fun read packed with references to camp songs and the emotional highs and lows of being in close quarters with strangers for weeks. It’s a Christian book and has a faith-positive message.
Release Date: March 1, 2017
The Honeys by Ryan LaSala
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come
What you need to know: This is one from my current summer reading list! When his twin sister dies after running all the way home from her summer camp experience, he vows to go to the camp himself and find out what happened to her. Looks creepy and intense. I’m excited about it.
Release Date: August 2, 2022
The Honeys by Ryan LaSala
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | Review to Come
What you need to know: Another one that just came out! A bookish girl forced into summer leadership camp. Girl friendships and an unexpected summer romance that may demand she learn to stand up for herself and, well, lead.
Release Date: May 16, 2023
What are your favorite summer camp stories?
Do you have favorite stories about summer camp? What books feel like summertime to you? Leave a comment and let me know! I would love to chat about them.
I’ve never been to summer camp (except girls’ camp with my church when I was a teenager, which probably doesn’t count), but I do like summer camp settings. I haven’t read any of these books, but there are several I’m going to take a closer look at, especially IT LOOKS LIKE US.
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I don’t know– I expect you had some of the classic camp experiences there? I went to ballet camp one summer, so I was hardly out in the woods myself. 🙂 I’m SO excited that you’re gonna check out IT LOOKS LIKE US. It’s soooo good! I hope you enjoy it.
Nice way to twist this week’s prompt! I hope you enjoy the ones you’ve yet to read 🙂
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/06/06/top-ten-tuesday-423/
Thank you! I hope so, too. Looking forward to your post!
Ah, summer camp! I loved mine. It’s always fun to read a summer camp book because it takes me back. Thanks for sharing!
Yes! I love the nostalgia of them. So much fun. 🙂
Summer camp is a super fun twist to this week’s prompt. 🙂
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Thanks, Lydia! I have been wanting to do a camp post for a while, so it was nice to be able to share it for TTT. Checking out your post now!