Escape from Camp Boring - Tom Mitchell

Will always seems to be attached to his phone; you could even say he was addicted to it.  When he is caught again on his phone in class, it's the last straw for his mum who sends him to a rewilding camp over the half-term break, a technology-free week that promises to reform children by banishing their phones and returning them to nature.  Will tries to deceive the camp leaders by handing over his old Nokia phone whilst hiding his tech phone along with his brother's portable charger, but is rumbled by fellow camp member, Alexa, so his plans are foiled.  The camp is even worse that Will expected and, just when he thinks things can't get any worse, he discovers that what he thought was his brother's portable charger, is in fact his portable hard-drive containing all his artwork which he needs to submit to college before Will's return or he will fail his course.  Will knows that if he doesn't get the work home in time, he will ruin his brother's life so, along with Alexa, as well as Ellie and Zed, he begins a journey through the woods in an attempt to do the right thing for once.

Will, as the main character, is clearly living his brother's shadow.  Robbie seems to be the perfect son (as Will sees it) and, by comparison, Will feels that he spends most of his life unintentionally messing up!  Being banished to the rewilding camp is the ultimate punishment for a boy who can't even get through dinner without being tempted to see why his phone has pinged.  Yet the thought of missing out on the trip to New York with his dad gives him enough of an incentive (although not enough to stop him sneaking contraband in!) to get him through camp.  As a character, he doesn't set out to get himself into trouble, it just seems to happen, but now he has the chance to make a change and to do the right thing for his brother ... but can he succeed without messing up again?

I suspect that thought of this camp will fill most readers (regardless of their age) with fear: a week without access to technology (not even a TV in sight!); I have to admit that I even I come close to breaking out in a sweat at the thought!  The camp itself, however, fills me with utter dread!  The sound of the dormitories, the activities and the cooler, not to mention Faulkner, are guaranteed to ensure that every reader does as they are told with their devices in future! (I'm not going to say any more as I don't want to spoil it for you!). The assembled campers are a very eclectic bunch and not a group who would usually mix; my favourite, however, has to be Zed and his knack of talking about himself in the third person - he made me giggle!  In fact, there are lots of giggles in this book and you'll find yourself chuckling along right the way through the book.

This is a great read, full of laughs, an rip-roaring adventure through the woods and a lesson to us all that technology can most definitely get us into trouble!

Escape From Camp Boring is due for release on the 8th July.