How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer

by Taryn Souders

Top Three Reasons Camp Minnehaha is The Worst

1. The spiders (wayyyy too many legs)
2. King Arthur (a rampaging goat intent on my destruction)
3. Victoria a.k.a The Diva (an evil cabin mate obsessed with French beauty products and my humiliation)

Chloe McCorkle knew a summer camp where you had to learn a career was a bad idea. She tried to tell her parents, but they just had to go on vacation to Alaska and ship her off for two weeks. It's not ideal, but she's going to try to make the best of it. She might even learn some skills that will help her make money for the new bike she's been eyeing. But Chloe quickly discovers there's only one area at which she excels; she manages to get more demerits than anyone else in camp...

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Contemporary, Adventure

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2016

Reviews

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone once told me that money can't buy happiness. They obviously never had to ride a baby bike to the first day of middle school.
-opening lines

Chloe is determined to earn money this summer (maybe by babysitting). What she didn't plan for is her parents deciding to send her to career camp. There she will have the opportunity to see what it's like to be a cake decorator, athlete, scientist, or veterinarian. Well, Chloe knows for sure she doesn't get along with animals, by maybe she could work with the cake decorating thing. But, life has other plans... Between spiders, a goat named King Arthur, a rude girl named Victoria, and Director Mudwimple, Chloe's summer is looking ruined. But luckily Chloe meets a friend, a bouncy girl named Paulie (who Chloe nicknames Pogo), and finds out two of her friends from home are also there, Nathan (her secret crush) and Sebastian.

The story is told through Chloe's experiences and nightly journal entries. Chloe is relatable and the drama seems pretty accurate for a bunch of middle school aged girls living in a cabin together. Chloe's friendship with Pogo and the difficulties with the bully Victoria seem to be accurate portrayals of middle school relationships. Chloe doesn't always make the right choice, but in the end, she does the right thing. I read this quickly in one sitting and I think 4th through 8th graders will enjoy it.

[Christina Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read. Perfect for hot, lazy summers.

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chloe's parents are sending her to Camp Minnehaha for two weeks -- against her will. Things go from bad to worse when Chloe is attacked by a goat and stuck in a cabin with stuck-up Victoria, whose brother is a famous football star. Nothing during her time at camp goes her way, and the harder she tries to avoid trouble, the more it seems to find her.

This is a funny book about a girl's misadventures at summer camp. It boasts marvelously funny moments (fainting goats, anyone?), and tackles a couple of deeper issues along the way. Chloe has adventures, misadventures, and makes both friends and enemies at Camp Minehaha. She learns about self esteem and what truly matters in a friend.

If you're looking for an upbeat, enjoyable read for your child, this is a good pick. It's not earth shattering, but it's a fun book that will get your kids to smile.

Content: Clean

Source: I downloaded an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of this review.

My blog: Batch of Books

[Debbie Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packed with humor and heart, I loved this book. Chloe's voice is authentic to her age, and she's relatable to middle grade kids. Chloe is willing to work hard for what she wants (a new bike), resourceful, witty, and sensitive. From an unpredictable goat (named King Arthur), to bugs, a crush, a bully, and new friends, Chloe faces every summer camp challenge head on, while staying true to herself throughout. Her summer camp experiences brought me right back to my own childhood summers at sleepaway camp. I especially enjoyed the friendship between Chloe and Pogo, as well as the drama taking place inside the bunk. The author clearly understands the dynamics of how girls function when they all live together. Souders's writing style is easy-to-read and smooth with many laugh-out-loud moments, making this book a great choice for both reluctant readers and avid readers.

[Kerry Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Review from my son, 12-year-old Cole)

How to Almost Ruin Your Summer is about a girl named Chloe who has to deal with going to Camp Minnehaha while her parents are on an Alaskan cruise. She's not happy about being forced to face the horrors of Camp Minnehaha. Some of the things that happen to her are: a snotty prima donna girl who has everyone rooting for her, a goat bent on making the main character's life miserable, and a seemingly immortal spider.

I thought this book was hilarious and very true-to-life. I read it really fast, too.

I recommend this book for kids 7-13, boy and girls. You'll laugh a lot, I promise.

[Crystal Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a middle school counselor, I can say that this was a fun and easy read. I would suggest this to any student who may be going through a rough time so that they can learn to see the good in bad/frustrating situations.

[Lucia Galluzzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that it had lots of twists and turns I also think that this book is really funny.

[Donna Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable light read. I would read more by this author

[Kristy Tyree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good! The goat king Arther is so funny! I regimens this book alot.
It

[Christian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haaaaaaated this book. A tween girl, Chloe, is forced to go to a summer camp. The only thing she wants to do is take a cake decorating class so she can learn to bake and earn money for a new bike. A cruel bully named Victoria makes her life a living nightmare. She:

1) Feeds Chloe's beloved childhood plush toy to a goat
2) Belittles and mocks Chloe every chance she gets
3) Causes Chloe to miss the sign-up for cake decorating, takes Chloe's spot, and rubs Chloe's face in it.
4) Causes Chloe to have to take care of a goat. Lets the goat escape several times in the book, which leads to genuine life-endangering situations.
5) Dares Chloe to do something that causes Chloe to almost get kicked out of camp.
6) Steals the goat and leads it to a ravine during a tornado. Chloe rescues Victoria and the goat but Victoria is given credit for helping and is rewarded.

The message of the book is that the rich and powerful can and will destroy your life and if you try to fight back or exercise the smallest amount of leverage on them they will make you pay and they will be richly rewarded while you are punished, so don't even try.

There is no comeuppance for Victoria. She is celebrated and everyone claps for her. No one learns that she led the goat to the ravine. Chloe keeps quiet in exchange for a 'truce' in which Victoria will supposedly not be mean to Chloe next year.

The boy Chloe likes don't do anything at the end. There is no moment where he asks her on a date or tells her he likes her or anything of the sort. Some camp counselors we don't care about get engaged. Chloe decides to do pet sitting to try to earn money for the bike even though she doesn't like animals.

Hate. Haaaate. Hate Hate.

[Kaden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fr****** loved it.

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story about summer camp where everything that can go wrong will.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer is a realistic fiction novel by Taryn Souders. This book is a story of summer camp friendship, a very naughty goat and what happens when things just don’t go your way. The author did a great job trying to make the book very relatable.

The book is about Chloe a girl who is just like all of us who has to learn to accept and have fun with disappointment when things don’t go as planned at Camp Minenhaha, she learns to deal with bullying, adjustment and making new friends.

Chloe learns to think independently, to think to succeed and to think about others (Anaphora). Chloe realizes the importance of friendship and to have people that have your back no matter what and whenever.

She learns to try new things because you never know, you might turn out to love it. Chloe taught me something interesting throughout the book which I noticed, ACT ( acknowledge the other person’s feelings, compliment them, thank them) (allusion)

This is an action packed, quick fast, laugh out loud story that every young kid will enjoy and have a whole ton of fun reading. I recommend this book to kids from ages 8 and onwards for a better experience.

[Serine Majid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe knew that if she went to a summer camp that learns careers, she would have a bad time. But she had to go because her parents had to go on a cruise, so Chloe had to make the best of it. She was in a cabin with a really mean girl, and met a new friend named Paulie, but she named her Pogo (In her head, but not out loud). She had to deal with an invincible spider, a head butting goat, and a coach that keeps watching her for everything bad she does. If she gets 5 determents, she will have to be kicked. Will she survive with the head butting goat, the spider and her cabinet group? Will she get kicked out of the camp? Read to find out?

I loved this book because it was so fun to read and her actions were so interesting, weird, and cool. Well, I can't really say all the things that are good about this because, well, I think it will spoil the book.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's another cute book for kids who enjoy reading about the trials and tribulations of summer camp. Chloe's parents are taking a two-week cruise, so she's being sent to a career summer camp. She had planned on making money over the summer, so she could afford a new bike. Camp is putting a glitch in her plan. She decides to make the most of it and sign up for the cake decorating course, so she can get a job at the local bakery. Unfortunately, her nemesis sabotages her attempt to sign up, and the only spot left is in the veterinary course. She gets stuck caring for the goat who is also hellbent on sabotaging her fun at camp.

Not my favorite summer camp book, but a good choice for 4th and 5th graders.

[Heather Iseminger · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your child loves humor or has a tendency to attract catastrophe, this is the book for you. Author Taryn Souders develops her characters to reflect the real life issues and struggles of middle grade readers. Without a "preachy" tone, this book stands tall with a poignant lesson to worry less about what others think and to not "mind being a dork after all." Your son or daughter will love the main character's tenacity and wit throughout the book. How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer is an adventurous trip into all things summer camp. Don't miss it.

[Jennifer Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this middle-grade novel! The pacing moved quickly, and the conflict was age appropriate. It was easy for me to empathize with the main character, and I appreciated how she grew throughout the story. I found myself laughing out loud at times and was able to read through the book quickly.

I would recommend this book for kids who love baking, being outdoors, or working with animals (since one of the characters in the story is a funny goat). I would also recommend this book to parents who want their kids to read about relatable characters being independent in a safe environment.

[Edwin Cintron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe goes to a camp to get money for her new bike. Sounds simple right? But no the camp that Chloe went to is not normal. It looks busted up the first thing you see is the Re g Stration office where Chloe's parents sign her up looking worried. This book is so funny with all the stuff Chloe goes through at the same time frustrating because of one person, Victoria a sister of a NFL super star. But also this book teaches you how hard things can get but in the end it all works out.

[Sally Apokedak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camp and spiders and goats, oh my.

When Chloe is forced to go to camp, she is sure her summer is ruined. She is not the camping type. She doesn't like spiders, for one thing. Really. Does. Not. Like. Spiders. But once at camp, she finds out that spiders are the least of her worries.

This comedic mg, featuring a fainting goat, will draw in middle-grade readers and hold on to them to the end.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chloe is about to start middle school, and she desperately wants to buy a new bicycle to ride to school, instead of her hot pink Dora the Explorer baby bike. She wants to earn money by babysitting; but that scheme is thwarted by her parents who have booked a trip to Alaska, so they ship her off to camp while they are gone. She hopes to learn how to make outstanding cupcakes at camp to sell to a shop back home, but again her plans are thwarted.

[McKenzie Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick summer read. I love summer camp stories, and this book had an interesting twist on it, with the idea of a career camp and King Arthur the goat. 3.5-4 stars!
POPSUGAR 2020 (ADVANCED): A book with a character with a vision impairment or enhancement (a nod to 2020 vision) (Several characters wear glasses.)

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun book about summer dreams and an unexpected few weeks at camp, but also about finding yourself - even when you’d originally been determined to be grumpy about your situation. :-) Super cute with some definite laughs, and perfect for middle grade readers looking for a solid story during summer break!

[Bookworm4Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Chloe wants to do this summer is babysit so she can earn money to buy a new bike for school. But when her parents send her to camp Minnehaha, Chloe is sure she's in for a miserable two weeks. During this time she faces spiders, a crazy goat, and a mean girl who seems to have it out for her. How will Chloe manage to survive what is sure to be the worst summer of her life? Read "How to Almost Ruin Your Summer" to find out.

[Ty Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a good book and is about a girl that has trouble in camp but really needs to try and get into a cooking class for a job in her hometown so she can save up for a bike that she really likes. But she needs to survive a pants eating goat and a small fast spider

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is funny and fast-moving. Some of the things that happened would make me sit down and cry, but the main character just keeps going along ignoring the injustices against her. It seems unrealistic, but I think that kids would enjoy reading it.

Recommended for grades 4-6

[Chelsea crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, where do I start? Chloe is a brat at the beginning, but overtime she grew on me. There were a few laughs, a few scares, and a overall well written story. She was vary similar to what a real girl ages 9-13 is really like. I would recommend this book as a light and fun read!

[Quinn Ashlyn]

This book was really good. I loved all the humor and all of the things that made me laugh. I love King Arthur the goat. I loved in the end where the two girls who were enemies in the beginning became friends in the end. I would recommend reading this book.

[Kate Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty predictable. Cliche, even. Still, read smoothly and with enough action to hold a reader’s attention.

Did not appreciate the fat shaming of the camp director - not something we really ought to be teaching kids.

[Emily Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A super quick read that does get to page-turner level at times. I thought Souders saved too much of the change in character perspective till the last bit of the book - it didn't feel gradual enough to me. There's a fair bit of humor, which I enjoyed!

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just randomly picked this and it turned out to be good! The ending is very satisfying, which is a hard feat to accomplish! The characters are wonderfully crafted and are what give this story flavor!