Pack your bags and grab your gear: you're going to Ninja Camp! Listen closely to the ninja master, who will teach you everything you need to know to become a ninja warrior-but it won't be easy. You'll have to be sly and swift, strong and speedy, and only then will you become a Ninja of the Night!
This fun and energetic book will delight and entertain kids and parents alike with its clever, rhyming verse and action-packed depictions of the coolest camp around. For fans of Ninja Red Riding Hood who are looking for a lesson in teamwork and cool stealth skills.
Sue Fliess ("fleece") is the bestselling author of Robots, Robots Everywhere!, I'm a Ballerina! and How to Trap a Leprechaun, and more than 35 other children's books including Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket, Mrs. Claus Takes the Reins, Mary Had a Little Lab, Beatrice Bly's Rules for Spies, and many Little Golden Books. Her books have sold over 850,000 copies worldwide. Her background is in copywriting and PR/marketing, and her essays have appeared in O Magazine, HuffPo, Writer's Digest, and more. Fliess has also written for Walt Disney.
Her books have received honors from the SCBWI, have been used in school curricula, museum educational programs, and have even been translated into multiple languages. The Bug Book was chosen for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library three years in a row and The Hug Book was selected to the Imagination Library Australia.
She's a member of SCBWI, Children's Book Guild of DC, and the Author's Guild. She does book signings, school visits, and speaking engagements.
When she's not writing, she is walking her two silly English Labradors or busy with her two teen boys. She really misses traveling. Sue lives in Northern VA with her family. Visit her at www.suefliess.com.
My three-year-old son, Benjamin, was thrilled when I opened my book mail to uncover this exciting story. Through rhyming dialogue from the Ninja Master and silly scenarios scattered among the pages, this children’s book invites kids to learn the skills and secrets of how to become a ninja warrior. The pages are filled with beautiful, bright-coloured pictures which kept my children intrigued from start to finish. Benjamin’s favourite part was the training for the ninja moves. It’s a super cute and highly entertaining journey that I thoroughly enjoyed reading with my children. My five-year-old daughter loved it too, so it is great for girls and boys.
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
HelloHello, friends! Our book today is Ninja Camp, written by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Jen Taylor, an imagining of an outdoor ninja training camp for kids.
Ninja Camp has begun! You must learn speed, stealth, and strength. You must be fierce and fearless. And above all, you must protect the Shadow Blade, the camp’s prized sword-in-the-stone. Following a team of five young ninjas and their counselor, the reader gets an idea of their training – that is, until the rival camp is seen making off with the Shadow Blade! What are these brave young ninjas to do?
Oh, I wanted to like this more than I did. Fliess’s stories are typically fun to read, full of bouncy rhymes and creative plot lines – and in truth, that applies here. The text is fun to read, and the opening training montage is pretty standard for the “so you want to be a ninja” genre. The issues arise in the visuals, specifically some questionable choices that are made regarding be use of weapons and violence. Children are seen using actual weapons: throwing stars, swords, nunchucks, etc. In fact, during the climatic battle, the rival children face off using these weapons, as well as implied martial arts blows and kicks, ending in the central character pinning another children down, BY THE NECK, with her nunchucks. It’s unsettling, and not the best message to send kids about conflict resolution. Making it worse is something other reviewers have also pointed out: while the cast of children is commendably diverse in skintone and body type, it is the sole white child that is the most talented, the most brave, and the eventual savior of the day, ending the story atop a rock, holding the Shadow Blade (again, a REAL SWORD that was used in a fight against other children) aloft as the various children of color pay deference beneath her. It does not make for a comfortable visual. And while I acknowledge that any book about ninjas will probably include some reference to fighting, I can think of a few excellent ones that do not then devolve into armed child-on-child violence. Not for us.
(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Why we chose this book: T is super into ninjas right now, and the description of Ninja Camp sounded like something I'd be happy to read to him. Running Press Kids provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mom's Review (V)
Ninja Camp is pretty much what the title tells you. A group of children is welcomed to ninja camp. They learn stealth, speed, and discipline. They compete with the neighboring camp in a capture-the-flag style game, but with a katana sword instead of a flag. At the end, they demonstrate their new skills and keep the sword in their camp. It doesn't sound like much, but it really is.
Ninja Camp is written in perfectly paced, well-crafted rhymes. I like a good rhyming narrative, such as the Llama Llama stories or Little Blue Truck, and this one hits the mark. The children's faces show varying degrees of confidence at the start (as well as varying shades of skin). They progress through the lessons at camp, with varying levels of competence, until engaging in a friendly competition with a rival camp from across the lake. The ninja kids from each camp try out their new skills against one another without hurting anyone. The focus here is on agility, skill, and self-control. Finally, once our "Ninjas of the Night" regain the Shadow Blade (the ersatz flag), but not on the first attempt, all children cheer and celebrate their newfound skills and confidence. The positive messaging prevails throughout this ninja-centric picture book.
Ninjas, self-confidence, self-control, and fun. What could be better for a ninja-loving kid like T?
Son's Review (T) (Age: 4) Mom: Do you have a favorite part? How did Ninja Camp make you feel?
Son: No. I just really like it! Happy. Because happy happy happy! (This is the current line of logic flowing through our house.)
Mom: Can you make a connection to any other books?
Son: Oh. Well, we have not read LEGO ninja books 'cuz you do not like it, but we have read one Ninjago book with you. (Way to call me out on refusing to read you stuff, kiddo.)
Mom: I like almost singing this book, do you like that? Do you like to sing?
Son: Yes...Yes, but my own pretend, fake songs.
Mom: Can you make a connection to anything you do now?
Son, with a huge grin: Tae Kwon Do! I wonder what the name of their ninja school is.
Mom: That's a good question. Would you want to go to ninja camp?
Son: Yeah. I would want to play capture the sword game.
Mom: What is a good time to read Ninja Camp?
Son: In summer because it's outside.
Mom: Who would like it?
Son: Cousin G because he's into ninja stuff!
Mom: And what is the most important thing to know about this book?
Kids will love this fun time at ninja camp. Kids will learn all the tricks from a ninja master who will teach them all they need to know about becoming a ninja warrior. They will learn about how to be sly, swift, and strong. Then if these are learned, they can become ninjas.
With a rhyming scheme, kids will learn from the ninja master how to protect the shadow blade. Not only learning how to be strong and stealthy, but they will also learn the ninja creed. When the kids find out their shadow blade is missing, they will have to catch the ninjas from the rival camp and reclaim their blade.
I loved every page of illustrations and that the main ninja camper is a girl. The expressions on the campers and the details of the ninja moves will get kids trying out the ninja camp skills as well.
This creative, energetic book will get kids off the couch and trying out all the ninja moves just like the characters in the book.
Do you want to go to NINJA CAMP? Do you think you have what it takes to defend the Shadow Blade from the rival ninja camp? Well, then this is the book for you.
My kids went crazy for this imaginative book by Sue Fliess, that’s full of rhyming rhythms, and simply perfect for reading out loud. And now I’m pretty sure I’m going to be hearing about these ninja skills for a long time: 😂 “Hide in shadows. Leave no trace. Be prepared to flee or chase.”
Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the fabulous illustrations by Jen Taylor, that add just the right amount of mystery and shadow (and fun) to match the ways of the ninja.
Thanks to @runningpressbooks for sending along this copy for my girls and I to read!
A fast-paced book about some young ninja learning the way of the ninja at camp. Cute book with great illustrations. The coloring was just gorgeous.
I especially enjoyed the rhyming and pacing of the book. While it appears kind of long at first glance, it actually goes by very quickly because it is so easy to get caught up in the fun rhymes.
Also, loved the diversity of the campers in terms of gender/sex and race. I hate when ninja picture books only feature boys. I can easily see both boys and girls liking this book.
This is such a fun book! Kids at a Ninja camp get into humorous situations while they learn the secret's of how to become a Ninja warrior! Great for boys and girls! Its action packed, has rhyming verse with bold and vibrant illustrations. My son and I read it several times! He now wants to go to Ninja camp! • Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy. • For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
@kidlitexchange #partner Thanks to the #kidlitexchange network and publisher @runningpressbooks for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own! This is a cute rhyming story, perfect for all those kids who want to be ninjas :) The kids practice new skills at Ninja Camp and then are put to the test when rival ninjas steal the Shadow Blade! The rhyming structure and beautiful illustrations are sure to inspire some creativity for your little ninjas in training. 😉
Childrens rhyming picture book. This is the story of "Ninjas of the Night," and "Ninjas of the Dawn," two rival ninja camps that are playing a fierce game of capture-the-sword. The Ninjas must train to succeed in battle, including stealth, sparring, and weaponry. The ninjas include both girls and boys with various shades of skin, and they work together to keep the sword on their side of the lake. A quick read that is especially fun for children who love martial arts.
I like this book because it's almost Ninja Camp and these little kids are getting ready to be a ninja, and then, one day, the sword is gone so they go on an adventure and they find more ninjas, and they are the mean ninjas. (They. Are. The. Mean. Ninjas.) And then they KAPOW! KAPOW! Tip-toe, tip-toe.
A fun book, perfect for my little ninja in training. Cute, colorful illustrations. We are currently doing a unit study in ninjas and samurai so this book paired perfectly. Highly recommended.
Ninja camp rhyming story about camper kids outsmarting ninjas. Lots of rhyme and fun as a young girl comes to camp. Fun illustrations and camp like theme.
Fun rhyming book about ninja camp, where the little ninjas learn to fight to protect the camp’s shadow blade. Good for kids who love books with ninjas, or camping. The illustrations are great too.
A camp where kids learn to be ninja, but with honor and respect because nobody knows what ninja were. The students protect their camp from a rival camp. Told in rhyme.
Ninja camp is here. The campers must learn the ways of ninjas and be able to protect the Shadow Blade from capture by the rival camp.
These little ninjas learn all positive things from their camp. Yes, they sneak, but they also have a code which tells them to be kind and honest and uphold what is right. The final part of the camp is basically a game of capture the flag (flag is the Shadow Blade sword) with another ninja camp during which they must put into practice the things they've learned at camp. It's a fun story in well-done rhyme that little would-be ninjas will enjoy.