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Bot Camp
Twelve-year-old Daniel is obsessed with combat robotics — because duh, who isn’t? So when his plucky lifter-bot snags him a spot at Bernard Barker’s legendary Bot Camp, Daniel short-circuits with excitement. Meeting his tech-innovator hero will be a dream come true!
His mom says he should try to make friends, but Daniel won’t have time for that. Bot Camp is a high-voltage competition and only one kid will win the ultimate becoming Bernard’s apprentice.
Unfortunately, from the moment Daniel steps into the fully automated, AI-powered training complex, nothing goes to plan. The other participants are brilliant, but Daniel’s teammates are totally useless. He’ll never impress Bernard at this rate.
So while the others relax for the night, Daniel convinces his team to sneak into the workshop to fix their bot. But when the labyrinth-like facility mysteriously goes into lockdown, Daniel finds himself in real danger and only his teammates can help.
His mom says he should try to make friends, but Daniel won’t have time for that. Bot Camp is a high-voltage competition and only one kid will win the ultimate becoming Bernard’s apprentice.
Unfortunately, from the moment Daniel steps into the fully automated, AI-powered training complex, nothing goes to plan. The other participants are brilliant, but Daniel’s teammates are totally useless. He’ll never impress Bernard at this rate.
So while the others relax for the night, Daniel convinces his team to sneak into the workshop to fix their bot. But when the labyrinth-like facility mysteriously goes into lockdown, Daniel finds himself in real danger and only his teammates can help.
165 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 7, 2025
3 people want to read
About the author
Paul Clarke
1 book1 followerScreenwriter and author with a love for science, technology, and all things robotic.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 18, 2026
Smart and exciting middle-grade read
Smart and exciting middle-grade read. Daniel is really into bot competitions and designing his own robots. Unfortunately, his mom is struggling financially after his dad abandoned them. He sees a way to help his family and his passion for robotics, win the bot wars and a spot at techie, Bernard Barker’s acclaimed Bot- Camp. Once he meets his hero, Bernard, he hopes to snag the coveted opportunity to be Bernard’s apprentice. No biggie. Everything seems to be going Daniel's way, when everything goes wrong. Bernard’s facility is invaded and Daniel's team of misfits must use their skills and teamwork, which is not their strong point, to save their benefactor and his trade secrets. It was fun to watch Daniel and his team grow into friends and respect each other. The author did a good job of making the characters believable, their dialog age appropriate and their nerdiness authentic.
Smart and exciting middle-grade read. Daniel is really into bot competitions and designing his own robots. Unfortunately, his mom is struggling financially after his dad abandoned them. He sees a way to help his family and his passion for robotics, win the bot wars and a spot at techie, Bernard Barker’s acclaimed Bot- Camp. Once he meets his hero, Bernard, he hopes to snag the coveted opportunity to be Bernard’s apprentice. No biggie. Everything seems to be going Daniel's way, when everything goes wrong. Bernard’s facility is invaded and Daniel's team of misfits must use their skills and teamwork, which is not their strong point, to save their benefactor and his trade secrets. It was fun to watch Daniel and his team grow into friends and respect each other. The author did a good job of making the characters believable, their dialog age appropriate and their nerdiness authentic.
January 16, 2026
A Rousing Adventure
Bot Camp: Time to kick bot! by Paul Clarke is a rousing middle-grade adventure that is sure to please both child and parent. Kids will love its energy, fast-paced plot, and characters with whom they can identify; parents will appreciate the subtle lessons it teaches, especially in a world gone mad with avarice. In Bot Camp, we see flawed people (kids and adults alike) who learn to work together for a common purpose and who learn that to be different is an asset, not a liability. What better lesson could there be to prepare for an uncertain future? And besides, the bots are way cool!
Bot Camp: Time to kick bot! by Paul Clarke is a rousing middle-grade adventure that is sure to please both child and parent. Kids will love its energy, fast-paced plot, and characters with whom they can identify; parents will appreciate the subtle lessons it teaches, especially in a world gone mad with avarice. In Bot Camp, we see flawed people (kids and adults alike) who learn to work together for a common purpose and who learn that to be different is an asset, not a liability. What better lesson could there be to prepare for an uncertain future? And besides, the bots are way cool!
December 26, 2025
"If you want to win, you need ruthless efficiency."
Daniel doesn't really have any friends, but he's passionate about robotics and bot competitions. Daniel has his heart set on winning a spot at billionaire Bernad's elite bot camp. All he has to do is win the local bot wars competition against his fierce rival, Mary, and her machine, Big Bertha. This underdog story isn't just about Daniel's big dreams of wowing Bernard; it's also about teamwork, leaning on others' strengths, and learning to step up as a leader.
Daniel's story pulls the reader in because he needs to win, and he doesn't just win from the get-go. His victories are earned, not handed to him. This story and watching Daniel face up against difficult challenges give readers a front-row seat to both the thrills of competition and the real-life challenges of becoming a good teammate and leader.
The author has made battle bots exciting because they play a pivotal role for both Daniel and the plot. The action, especially battle scenes, feels cinematic and very exciting, just like a Spy Kids movie.
This book concisely presents numerous lessons, yet packages them in an engaging way. There are many themes to grasp and learn from, such as friendship, teamwork, loyalty, empathy, and leadership, without feeling like they overwhelm the plot.
Daniel has never had many friends, let alone been the leader of a team, but he steps up when it counts to save the day. It's easy to root for him. He rises to the occasion, but he's not the only one. The author has created a diverse set of characters that are all brilliant in their own way. There are many ways to be a genius, creative, and/or good at something. The author naturally weaves in diversity without it feeling forced. Each of the many kids at bot camp has their own, albeit quick, backstory. They feel real and not reduced to a single defining characteristic.
The villain is exaggerated enough to feel fun and fitting in the story, just like the bad guy in Sonic or Minions.
The writing is surprisingly visual and accessible. Even readers not familiar with battle bots or robotics (like me) can follow the action and understand what is going on. It's easy to get swept up in the excitement of the action, just like Daniel does in the story.
This book will definitely make you want to watch a bot battle! It's a great book for readers interested in robotics, battle bots, or simply a fun, quick book full of adventure. Parents and teachers, in particular, will appreciate the positive messages seamlessly embedded throughout.
I received an Advanced Review Copy (or ARC) on Reedsy Discovery
Daniel doesn't really have any friends, but he's passionate about robotics and bot competitions. Daniel has his heart set on winning a spot at billionaire Bernad's elite bot camp. All he has to do is win the local bot wars competition against his fierce rival, Mary, and her machine, Big Bertha. This underdog story isn't just about Daniel's big dreams of wowing Bernard; it's also about teamwork, leaning on others' strengths, and learning to step up as a leader.
Daniel's story pulls the reader in because he needs to win, and he doesn't just win from the get-go. His victories are earned, not handed to him. This story and watching Daniel face up against difficult challenges give readers a front-row seat to both the thrills of competition and the real-life challenges of becoming a good teammate and leader.
The author has made battle bots exciting because they play a pivotal role for both Daniel and the plot. The action, especially battle scenes, feels cinematic and very exciting, just like a Spy Kids movie.
This book concisely presents numerous lessons, yet packages them in an engaging way. There are many themes to grasp and learn from, such as friendship, teamwork, loyalty, empathy, and leadership, without feeling like they overwhelm the plot.
Daniel has never had many friends, let alone been the leader of a team, but he steps up when it counts to save the day. It's easy to root for him. He rises to the occasion, but he's not the only one. The author has created a diverse set of characters that are all brilliant in their own way. There are many ways to be a genius, creative, and/or good at something. The author naturally weaves in diversity without it feeling forced. Each of the many kids at bot camp has their own, albeit quick, backstory. They feel real and not reduced to a single defining characteristic.
The villain is exaggerated enough to feel fun and fitting in the story, just like the bad guy in Sonic or Minions.
The writing is surprisingly visual and accessible. Even readers not familiar with battle bots or robotics (like me) can follow the action and understand what is going on. It's easy to get swept up in the excitement of the action, just like Daniel does in the story.
This book will definitely make you want to watch a bot battle! It's a great book for readers interested in robotics, battle bots, or simply a fun, quick book full of adventure. Parents and teachers, in particular, will appreciate the positive messages seamlessly embedded throughout.
I received an Advanced Review Copy (or ARC) on Reedsy Discovery
January 24, 2026
Bot Camp-Paul Clarke first impressions: the cover is absolutely adorable, and when I opened this, I loved the paragraph starting font used and the title font. Very on par for a children’s novel. Bravo.
While I don’t typically read middle-grade novels, I appreciated how quickly the action started. For an adult reader, it almost feels like jumping straight into the middle of a story or the next installment in a series—an approach that’s clearly designed to engage younger readers right away. The fast-paced opening is sure to catch the attention of most middle schoolers, and the story’s high energy immediately pulls readers into Daniel’s world of robots, competitions, and high-stakes challenges. The bot fight scenes were vivid and action-packed, and easy to picture as they unfolded.
I appreciate the author’s references to Aang and Wall-E, and I remember my teens watching these when they were younger, though the newer generation probably wouldn’t know what these are. Even so, the story itself is very visual and easy to follow, even if you aren’t familiar with robotics or bot battles. It also weaves in themes of teamwork, problem-solving, and learning to rely on others, which adds heart to the adventure. I also liked how the novel showed the way a real child’s daily life would go, including interactions with family, friends, and bullies alike. The author didn’t make Daniel’s life peachy, but showed real, human interactions alongside the adventure.
This was a fun read.
While I don’t typically read middle-grade novels, I appreciated how quickly the action started. For an adult reader, it almost feels like jumping straight into the middle of a story or the next installment in a series—an approach that’s clearly designed to engage younger readers right away. The fast-paced opening is sure to catch the attention of most middle schoolers, and the story’s high energy immediately pulls readers into Daniel’s world of robots, competitions, and high-stakes challenges. The bot fight scenes were vivid and action-packed, and easy to picture as they unfolded.
I appreciate the author’s references to Aang and Wall-E, and I remember my teens watching these when they were younger, though the newer generation probably wouldn’t know what these are. Even so, the story itself is very visual and easy to follow, even if you aren’t familiar with robotics or bot battles. It also weaves in themes of teamwork, problem-solving, and learning to rely on others, which adds heart to the adventure. I also liked how the novel showed the way a real child’s daily life would go, including interactions with family, friends, and bullies alike. The author didn’t make Daniel’s life peachy, but showed real, human interactions alongside the adventure.
This was a fun read.
February 15, 2026
Twelve-year-old Daniel is elated to be meeting his idol, Bernard Barker, at his bot camp on a remote island where he hopes to compete to become Bernard’s apprentice. However, things go south when the facility is taken over and the AI bots that run the facility begin attacking the computer system in order to gain access to Bernard’s data. It’s up to Daniel and his team of other kid bot enthusiasts to stop the villains behind this breach and save the day.
Bot Camp is an action-packed sci-fi adventure story for kids. It’s intense and high stakes while still being age appropriate and sends a message to nerdy kids that your interests can come in handy in the right situation. You just need the courage and determination to do the right thing.
A full review and interview with the author will follow.
Bot Camp is an action-packed sci-fi adventure story for kids. It’s intense and high stakes while still being age appropriate and sends a message to nerdy kids that your interests can come in handy in the right situation. You just need the courage and determination to do the right thing.
A full review and interview with the author will follow.
October 2, 2025
Bot Camp is a fun book about a boy named Daniel who wins a bot-fighting competition. His big win snags him an invitation to a famous billionaire's bot camp at an advanced training location in the middle of nowhere with dozens of other kids. As things go horribly wrong, Daniel is an easy to root for underdog. The characters are diverse and there's plenty of action sprinkled throughout the story. The book's themes of friendship, teamwork, and loyalty make for a wonderful mid-grade read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews