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A Bear Grylls Adventure #1
The Blizzard Challenge
The first thrilling adventure in the brand-new collectible series for young readers from survival expert and Chief Scout BEAR GRYLLS.
Olly isn't enjoying activity camp. Why should he bother building a shelter or foraging for food with his teammates - he'd rather be at home in the warm and dry, where the sofa and the video games are.
But then Olly gets given a compass with a mysterious fifth direction. When he follows it, he's magically transported to a high mountain range where he meets survival expert Bear Grylls. With his help, Olly must learn to survive in sub-zero temperatures, including what to do if the ice cracks when you're crossing a frozen lake, or a blizzard sets in . . .
But can his adventure with Bear Grylls change Olly's mind about teamwork and perseverance? And who will Olly give the compass to next?
Each book in this fun new 12-book series from BEAR GRYLLS follows a different child on the outdoor activity camp. Once they are given the magical compass, they meet the inspirational adventurer in an amazing place and learn new skills and facts they can take back with them to their real life.
Olly isn't enjoying activity camp. Why should he bother building a shelter or foraging for food with his teammates - he'd rather be at home in the warm and dry, where the sofa and the video games are.
But then Olly gets given a compass with a mysterious fifth direction. When he follows it, he's magically transported to a high mountain range where he meets survival expert Bear Grylls. With his help, Olly must learn to survive in sub-zero temperatures, including what to do if the ice cracks when you're crossing a frozen lake, or a blizzard sets in . . .
But can his adventure with Bear Grylls change Olly's mind about teamwork and perseverance? And who will Olly give the compass to next?
Each book in this fun new 12-book series from BEAR GRYLLS follows a different child on the outdoor activity camp. Once they are given the magical compass, they meet the inspirational adventurer in an amazing place and learn new skills and facts they can take back with them to their real life.
128 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2018
26 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 24, 2017
I received a copy of this title from Allen & Unwin for review.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Olly is stuck on a wilderness camping trip with one friend and a bunch of kids he doesn't know and is less than enthusiastic about it. When he takes possession of a magic compass and finds himself on a survival trek through snowy mountains with Bear Grylls, Olly might just learn some things to make his time at camp a lot more fun.
The Blizzard Challenge is the first book in a projected series of twelve centred around well known survivalist Bear Grylls. The books follow the same format and are set around a group of children at a wilderness adventure school holiday camp. Each book introduces the protagonist child (in this case Olly) and a few of their friends - in book one we meet Jack and Omar, Olly's tentmates, as well as Sophie, a girl with a fear of insects - and highlights the protagonist's particular personal growth issue that needs working on, before whooshing the child off, by means of a magical compass, to a survival-based adventure accompanied by none other than the Ursa Major himself. The child is then magically transported back to the moment they left their normal life and puts the lessons learnt in their survival trek to good use before passing the magical compass on to the next unwitting victim.
These books are cleverly produced and will certainly hit the mark with their target audience. They focus on problems that children working in groups are likely to have - Olly, for instance, is a tad lazy and doesn't see why he should help out when others in his team don't listen to his ideas. The fact that by the end of the series, readers will have been introduced to all of the kids at the camp is a brilliant idea because it means the books are linked and will have familiar characters in them, but don't necessarily need to be read in order. The use of the magic compass injects a fun dose of fantasy into the tales and keeps them from being too dry and also provides the protagonists the opportunity to learn from a real-life survival skills master in a way that doesn't rely on basing things in reality.
The books are illustrated throughout in black and white and the font is big enough, and chapters short enough, not to be daunting to reluctant readers or those who struggle. The books would also be a great option for read-alouds to younger children who don't have the ability to read chapter books themselves yet, but are interested in longer and more varied stories. It's also encouraging to see that the characters in the books are of diverse cultural backgrounds and that this is reflected in the illustrations.
The only niggling problem I had with these books - and this is speaking from the viewpoint of one who has sat on the shelf of youth workers and teachers alike - is the fact that these children are swept off to the company of a strange man in a deserted place and forced to follow him around and spend the night with him. I realise that I might be being a bit hypersensitive here since it's hinted at that these sections of the book may be dreams or magic or whatever, but I did get a little bit of the creep-factor while reading the first book, when the young lad has to build a snuggly little ice cave in which to spend the night tucked up with a grown man who he doesn't know from Adam, without his parents' knowledge or consent. In the first book, the child also has to disrobe quickly in front of Bear after falling into icy water. There's also the slight weirdness of having a magic compass that brings him a new child every time. From an adult's point of view, there's something not-quite-right about it all.
I don't mean to throw shade on Bear - I'm sure he's a perfectly upstanding guy and has his Blue Card - but I would have thought that someone in the editing or planning process would have picked this up and suggested some very basic and unintrusive changes to the story that could retain the adventure and survival aspect of the story while teaching a hugely important survival skill of childhood: be extremely wary of any adult who wants to spend time on their own with an unrelated child without their parents' knowledge. Surely the Scouts themselves would have Child Protection Policies that disallowed one on one adult to child sleep outs, so I just find it a bit strange that the stories came out in this form.
Putting that aside for the moment though, the books are otherwise sure to be a hit with young readers who love "real-life" stories but aren't necessarily drawn to nonfiction.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Olly is stuck on a wilderness camping trip with one friend and a bunch of kids he doesn't know and is less than enthusiastic about it. When he takes possession of a magic compass and finds himself on a survival trek through snowy mountains with Bear Grylls, Olly might just learn some things to make his time at camp a lot more fun.
The Blizzard Challenge is the first book in a projected series of twelve centred around well known survivalist Bear Grylls. The books follow the same format and are set around a group of children at a wilderness adventure school holiday camp. Each book introduces the protagonist child (in this case Olly) and a few of their friends - in book one we meet Jack and Omar, Olly's tentmates, as well as Sophie, a girl with a fear of insects - and highlights the protagonist's particular personal growth issue that needs working on, before whooshing the child off, by means of a magical compass, to a survival-based adventure accompanied by none other than the Ursa Major himself. The child is then magically transported back to the moment they left their normal life and puts the lessons learnt in their survival trek to good use before passing the magical compass on to the next unwitting victim.
These books are cleverly produced and will certainly hit the mark with their target audience. They focus on problems that children working in groups are likely to have - Olly, for instance, is a tad lazy and doesn't see why he should help out when others in his team don't listen to his ideas. The fact that by the end of the series, readers will have been introduced to all of the kids at the camp is a brilliant idea because it means the books are linked and will have familiar characters in them, but don't necessarily need to be read in order. The use of the magic compass injects a fun dose of fantasy into the tales and keeps them from being too dry and also provides the protagonists the opportunity to learn from a real-life survival skills master in a way that doesn't rely on basing things in reality.
The books are illustrated throughout in black and white and the font is big enough, and chapters short enough, not to be daunting to reluctant readers or those who struggle. The books would also be a great option for read-alouds to younger children who don't have the ability to read chapter books themselves yet, but are interested in longer and more varied stories. It's also encouraging to see that the characters in the books are of diverse cultural backgrounds and that this is reflected in the illustrations.
The only niggling problem I had with these books - and this is speaking from the viewpoint of one who has sat on the shelf of youth workers and teachers alike - is the fact that these children are swept off to the company of a strange man in a deserted place and forced to follow him around and spend the night with him. I realise that I might be being a bit hypersensitive here since it's hinted at that these sections of the book may be dreams or magic or whatever, but I did get a little bit of the creep-factor while reading the first book, when the young lad has to build a snuggly little ice cave in which to spend the night tucked up with a grown man who he doesn't know from Adam, without his parents' knowledge or consent. In the first book, the child also has to disrobe quickly in front of Bear after falling into icy water. There's also the slight weirdness of having a magic compass that brings him a new child every time. From an adult's point of view, there's something not-quite-right about it all.
I don't mean to throw shade on Bear - I'm sure he's a perfectly upstanding guy and has his Blue Card - but I would have thought that someone in the editing or planning process would have picked this up and suggested some very basic and unintrusive changes to the story that could retain the adventure and survival aspect of the story while teaching a hugely important survival skill of childhood: be extremely wary of any adult who wants to spend time on their own with an unrelated child without their parents' knowledge. Surely the Scouts themselves would have Child Protection Policies that disallowed one on one adult to child sleep outs, so I just find it a bit strange that the stories came out in this form.
Putting that aside for the moment though, the books are otherwise sure to be a hit with young readers who love "real-life" stories but aren't necessarily drawn to nonfiction.
March 21, 2019
This is a great children's chapter book (short chapters, large text, a few graphics throughout, fun/fast plot)! I personally found the story engaging, exciting, and I was rooting for the kid to make it through his challenge the entire way. I learned a few survival skills too!
March 22, 2022
Another really fun read aloud! This was about a boy who goes to an overnight camp kind of begrudgingly and learns the value of hard work and team work as when he unexpectedly finds himself on an adventure with nature survivalist Bear Grylls.
I picked this one because recently we went camping in freezing temps over night and I thought the kids would find it interesting. Some good survival tips as well. We really enjoyed it.
I picked this one because recently we went camping in freezing temps over night and I thought the kids would find it interesting. Some good survival tips as well. We really enjoyed it.
April 3, 2024
Probably one of my faves so far out of this series. Reading Ollies shift in attitude and approach to the challenges he faces with Bear is perfect for young readers. Using books to help readers reflect and challenge their own approach to lifes ups and downs is something any parent desires. Bear is able to combine the imagination of a child, wisdom of a person who has lived life, and relevent life challenges children face everyday.
September 7, 2025
I don't know where to start , a really good book which is really good for people who like adventures. I really like the way survival skills are mentioned in a story like manner itself.. Really awesome!
December 17, 2020
It was a good book, I wish it would have kept the adventure going longer. I would give it 4 stars!
October 18, 2018
One of the first chapter books that my 7 year old voluntarily kept reading after he finished his nightly reading time!
January 31, 2018
Too old for my 5-year-old. Great message for ages 8-11. Frequent talk of all the ways you can die on a mountain in a blizzard.
July 14, 2018
Lost a star for not teaching the kid to drink his own piss.
September 12, 2018
Read to my five year old who really liked it, a lot of talk about how to die on a mountain which seemed a little harsh but a great end message about teamwork and keeping going when it all gets tough.
December 1, 2020
The book The Blizzard Challenge is a non fiction story because Bear Grylls himself took the adventure. This story is about a boy named Olly went to a camp for a week and went with some friends. While he was there they had fort building competitions, and other activities. On one of the nights Olly went to sleep and woke up freezing... he was on top of a tall mountain in the middle of know where. He had no clue how he got there or why he was there. When he got up and walked a couple feet while shivering he saw a man making breakfast over a little propane grill. They introduced each other and Bear the man that Olly met had some spare warm clothes and let Olly have them. They made their journey through the cold valley trying to find their way back home. Bear explained to Olly almost everything that he knew about the harsh conditions that they were in and ways to die and how to avoid that as much as possible. Find out more about the chilling story and what they did to get back home. If you like hard core adventure stories or other adventurous books by Bear Grylls, you are sure to like this one. I would rate this book a 9 out of 10 because these are the types of books that boost my drive for reading, but the book got a little confusing at times and you had to read further to figure out things from previous chapters. Overall its a great book though.
July 15, 2021
I bought this book series for the survival curriculum we are using for our homeschool year 2021-2022.
The first book revolves around a kid named Olly who has been sent to camp and is thrust into a group with two other kids, Omar and Jack. Olly doesn't want to be there and doesn't want to participate in the activities. They are supposed to build a den and he instead wanders off back to his tent. He is given a compass by another kid on his way back. Unaware that the compass is magic he is transported to the snowy mountains where he meets Bear Grylls. An approaching blizzard is coming and he and Olly need to figure out how to survive the storm.
This book is the first of twelve books that revolve around Bear Grylls. In each book has a similar format of a child being transported into a wilderness adventure with Bear and they teach basic survival skills as well as showing personal growth within the child.
Even though I have only read the first book, I am very happy with them. They are written in a cute way but also in a way that shows kids how to overcome challenges, whether they be location, situation or personal. The books appear to show kids how to resolve problems they may be facing in real life, i.e. laziness or a fear of creepy crawlies.
I am very much looking forward to completing the series with my kids. They themselves are already enjoying the stories.
The first book revolves around a kid named Olly who has been sent to camp and is thrust into a group with two other kids, Omar and Jack. Olly doesn't want to be there and doesn't want to participate in the activities. They are supposed to build a den and he instead wanders off back to his tent. He is given a compass by another kid on his way back. Unaware that the compass is magic he is transported to the snowy mountains where he meets Bear Grylls. An approaching blizzard is coming and he and Olly need to figure out how to survive the storm.
This book is the first of twelve books that revolve around Bear Grylls. In each book has a similar format of a child being transported into a wilderness adventure with Bear and they teach basic survival skills as well as showing personal growth within the child.
Even though I have only read the first book, I am very happy with them. They are written in a cute way but also in a way that shows kids how to overcome challenges, whether they be location, situation or personal. The books appear to show kids how to resolve problems they may be facing in real life, i.e. laziness or a fear of creepy crawlies.
I am very much looking forward to completing the series with my kids. They themselves are already enjoying the stories.
April 16, 2019
The Bear Grylls Adventure series is an exciting and engaging read. They teach not only survival skills but also encourage children to develop strong personality traits. In this book, the boy, Olly is at camp and not enjoying himself. He refuses to see the fun in any of the activities and deems them too much work. When the magic compass takes him high on a mountain with a snowstorm coming, he has to learn from Bear Grylls how to survive the wild and the lessons of hard work and persistence.
This was a very exciting book and I loved how it taught wilderness skills as well as positive traits like working hard and finding enjoyment in a job well done. My 5-year-old son enjoyed it and is excited to read more in this series! Reading level is appropriate for about 3rd grade (Lexile 640), but it is a fantastic read-a-loud for younger children.
This was a very exciting book and I loved how it taught wilderness skills as well as positive traits like working hard and finding enjoyment in a job well done. My 5-year-old son enjoyed it and is excited to read more in this series! Reading level is appropriate for about 3rd grade (Lexile 640), but it is a fantastic read-a-loud for younger children.
November 6, 2023
I read this aloud to my kids, ages 12, 9, and 6. They enjoyed it -- more than I expected. It was a quick read. They are excited about the next one, enjoying it and asking to read more, as they did with this one. I thought it was good for teaching some basics about surviving in a cold wintery environment. Some of the characters have poor attitudes/behaviors, but there are some lessons learned and character growth through the story, so that helps. There's also a time/space travel element thrown in with a compass that seems to have some special power to cause this. It's not really discussed in this book -- it just happens, and causes some confusion, in both the character in the story to whom it happens, and potentially in the reader. It's still a bit of a mystery so far. Will see how it plays out in the next book.
April 6, 2020
I really like these books. First of all, there are a set number of chapters per book. In fact, it is exactly TEN chapters.
They are really cool stories that relate to kids and are peppered with survivalist concepts.
This book is from the perspective of Olly, who just wants to stay inside and play video games... (me too!) but he is at a camp with other kids and is not having a great time. But the magic plot device (a compass) pulls him into Bear's world where he can learn to stick out touch times with his team. It's all useful and in the end (just like in every book) he grows and passes the compass to another unsuspecting child.
They are really cool stories that relate to kids and are peppered with survivalist concepts.
This book is from the perspective of Olly, who just wants to stay inside and play video games... (me too!) but he is at a camp with other kids and is not having a great time. But the magic plot device (a compass) pulls him into Bear's world where he can learn to stick out touch times with his team. It's all useful and in the end (just like in every book) he grows and passes the compass to another unsuspecting child.
March 28, 2025
So happy I stumbled across this series!! In each of these books, a kid has to overcome a fear, bad attitude or situation and by the end of the book Bear Grylls comes to the rescue to help them through it through some good old outdoor adventuring in the wilderness. Say what you want about the guy, but I loved the morals and information this little book packed. My son loved this first one! We will definitely be getting him others in the series. We read it aloud, but it was easy enough to read on his own. Can Bear Grylls please show up at our house and somehow help us get through our fear of laundry please?
November 7, 2020
A great book for primary school kids who love a good adventure story. Short and easy to read, with a gripping mountain adventure full of danger to keep you interested. I actually learnt a lot of survival skills in this short book, so if I ever get stuck on a snowy mountain I'll know the dangers to look out for.
It seems Bear Grylls isn't just an expert adventurer, but a good writer as well.
Both my son and daughter enjoyed this one too.
It seems Bear Grylls isn't just an expert adventurer, but a good writer as well.
Both my son and daughter enjoyed this one too.
January 22, 2024
This one is great because the main character does not listen or follow instructions. This is not my daughter's favorite, But I think that's because it hits too close to home.
We LOVE the Bear Grylls books! A lot like Magic Tree House they are fun fiction combined with nonfiction information. In the Bear Grylls adventures the children have not only a personal challenge to overcome but also an environmental one, learning survival skills along the way!
We LOVE the Bear Grylls books! A lot like Magic Tree House they are fun fiction combined with nonfiction information. In the Bear Grylls adventures the children have not only a personal challenge to overcome but also an environmental one, learning survival skills along the way!
May 16, 2020
An enjoyable, quick read where Bear himself appears as a character who helps the protagonist learn important skills which are then put to good use at a outdoor activity camp, and there is some valuable information relayed about surviving in a snowy atmosphere on a glacier here. Nothing amazing or memorable, but my son liked it enough to become interested in reading more of the series.
July 30, 2020
I appreciate the theme of teamwork and that it includes basic survival tips for extreme weather. However, even as a kid this would have been boring and oversimplified. There’s no explanation as to why the compass does what it does or why Bear is there or why they go to that particular weather pattern and place. They are fun, solid adventures though even if too simple and easy.
June 25, 2021
My kid's favorite books! The series was great - it goes through different kids at camp and each kid has a different adventure with Bear. Bear helps them overcome a fear and go back to camp more confident. My kids usually can't read any books with tension, but I think because the kids are building confidence and learning, they loved them!
January 27, 2025
3/4 stars. It’s written in print that’s easier for those with dyslexia to read which is cool. Personally, I liked the survival tips given throughout the book in a way that teaches the character (and you) how to survive a blizzard. My son didn’t really like the book but we’ll give another one a try and see how that goes
November 28, 2018
There is a nod to character building in the plot but my main takeaway was there are a million ways to die in the wild. It was the subject every other paragraph in the middle of the book. Quick read and a good adventure story for reluctant readers.
December 13, 2020
My 7 and 10 yr olds are loving this series! We’re a big fan of Bear Grylls and his shows. My kids learn so much from him, and these books are the same, teaching various lessons with kids out in the wild.
June 27, 2021
J had so much fun reading this aloud to me. It's a 3 for me, but a 10 for her, so we will give it a 4. 😉 It has some solid survival tips, as well as life lessons. We paired this with other Blizzard books and videos for a mini winter survival unit study.
July 6, 2023
I like Bear Grylls and Olly because Olly fell into the sea and he got a little tired and he got a mug of hot chocolate and he was so pleased he got it so he got two more of it and he got it so he was just waiting for him to finish his stuff so he can put it on his hands to get his hands warm❤️
January 10, 2024
I am 8 years old. I think this is a good book for people who like the mountains like he teaches how to live or be careful in the mountains so I think for people who like to take hikes and people who wants to have a mountain house if they could live in a mountains tell them to read this book.
June 15, 2025
A fun little read! I appreciate how much growth all the characters had and the theme of teamwork throughout the book.
But I found it unrealistic how quickly Olly just accepted his fate of suddenly being stranded on top of a mountain with a stranger lol
But I found it unrealistic how quickly Olly just accepted his fate of suddenly being stranded on top of a mountain with a stranger lol
September 16, 2017
Good wee adventure book for kids
Read this just to see what Bears kids books were like and I found it a good wee read. A wee adventure story with a good moral tale at the end.
Read this just to see what Bears kids books were like and I found it a good wee read. A wee adventure story with a good moral tale at the end.
December 10, 2018
This is a great elementary level book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews