Dan vs. Nature

by Don Calame

From screenwriter Don Calame comes another outrageously funny and raunchy tale of teen boys whose plans go awry — this time, on a survivalist camping trip.

Shy and scrawny Dan Weekes spends his time creating graphic novels inspired by his dream girl and looking out for his mom as she dates every man in the state of California. Then his mom drops a bomb: she and her latest beau, Hank, are engaged, and she’s sending her "two favorite men" on a survivalist camping trip to "bond." Determined to trick Hank into showing his true — flawed — colors on the trip, Dan and his nerdy germaphobe best friend, Charlie, prepare a series of increasingly gross and embarrassing pranks. But the boys hadn’t counted on a hot girl joining their trip or on getting separated from their wilderness guide—not to mention the humiliating injuries Dan suffers in the course of terrorizing his stepdad-to-be. With a man-hungry bear on their trail, no supplies, and a lot of unpleasant itching going on, can Dan see his plan through now that his very survival depends on Hank?

Genres: Young Adult, Humor, Fiction, Adventure, Teen, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary

375 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2016

About the author

Don Calame the author of SWIM THE FLY, BEAT THE BAND, CALL THE SHOTS and DAN VERSUS NATURE. He is also a professional screenwriter whose film projects include EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH and HOUNDED. Of his many prior occupations, he says his most satisfying was teaching elementary school for four years in Los Angeles, where he received the LAUSD District Intern Golden Apple Award and a Los Angeles Education Partnership Grant. He lives in British Columbia.

Reviews

[Pinky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third year in the book club White Pine! I'm so excited to read the books this year, I love all of the choices. I am hoping to read One Thousand Nights next if anyone didn't take it yet. I read this novel first and loved it so much, it was hilarious and interesting. It felt like I was watching a Nickelodeon Movie, it had a great balance between humor and survival. This isn't a book that I would normally pick up but I'm glad I did.

Dan wants to be a graphic novelist and talk to his crush, Erin. His mother, on the other hand, dates as many men as she can until she finds "the one." And she appears to have found him and his name is Hank. Dan's mom decides to send Dan and Hank on a camping trip without her so that they could get to know each other. Dan and his best friend, Charlie decide to scare of Hank during the camping trip. Running away from bears, embarrassing moments and hilarious commentary, will Dan be able to scare off Hank?

The entire time I was reading this book:


I couldn't stop laughing while I was reading this book. At home, I would read and my mom and sister were concerned for my wellbeing. At school, people thought I was going crazy. But I didn't care because this was so entertaining. I couldn't stop reading but I was forced to when it came to homework and assignments :(



I loved the characters so much in this book. Dan was hilarious, and I understand how he feels. He was easy to connect to and an awesome friend. Charlie is funny as well, he is a good friend but has crazy schemes. At points of the novel, I feel like I have so much in common with Charlie while in other parts I don't. Penelope is great, I love how she never hesitates to say what she's thinking and how open she is. She's a great character and I like her a lot.

I highly recommend this novel, it will have you in tears from laughing so much. It is a fun, crazy, fast-paced read and it will keep you reading til the very end (if no one interrupts you).

I'll be off and hopefully I can read another book soon!

[Trin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Picture Home Alone but in the woods, and instead of Kevin trying to stop criminals from burglarizing his house, he's trying to destroy some innocent dude simply for having the temerity to consensually bone his mom.

This kid and his friend are basically psychopaths.

This book is also remarkable for its commitment to the Nerdy Pixie Dream Girl fantasy. Here's her stunning debut:

I whip around and come face to face with one of the cutest girls I have ever seen in my life. She's got geek-chic black specs, has a blunt-cut hairdo, and is wearing a skintight Himura Kenshin T-shirt.

It's as if someone plucked the perfect girl from my mind and plopped her down in front of me. The kind of girl you dream about running into at Comic-Con.

The kind of girl who makes glasses look hot.

The kind of girl who will talk to you for hours about Hayao Miyazaki's films, and Fullmetal Alchemist, and the influence that medieval history has on Game of Thrones.

Ooh. Let me see if I can grasp what you're telling me -- is it that she's not like other girls?

If you love timeless gags like slipping laxatives into someone's food to give them explosive diarrhea, the classic "wiping with poison ivy" trope, at least three instances of riotous vomiting, a character spraying urine into another character's mouth, pages-long descriptions of farting into a sleeping bag, and the state of having an erection described as "wielding the Odinsword," then you'll love this book!

[Franny · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Gary Paulsen and Andrew Smith had a book baby, it'd be this book. I loved every hilarious minute of it.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars: The camping trip from hell that will appeal to teenage boys.

Dan Weekes is doing his best to survive high school. He takes refuge in his sketchbook where he creates graphic novels, starring the girl of his dreams, Erin. Strapped to his watch, is his father's broken Timex, the only thing he has from his father who vanished eight years ago. Since his dad left, Dan's mom has dated a string of bad guys. When his mom introduces Dan to Hank, he isn't concerned, but then when they announce their engagement, Dan's world trembles on its axis. Things get even worse when his mother send Dan on a week long survivalist camping trip with Hank. Dan insists that Charlie, his best friend, accompany him. Charlie and Dan cook up a plan to sabotage Hank so he will leave, but they aren't prepared for the mayhem that awaits them. Will Dan survive the wilderness?

What I Liked:
*Dan Against Nature is a book that will appeal to a certain audience, mainly teenage boys. Even though there is plenty of gross humor and embarrassing pranks, I still found myself giggling. If you like books that feature teenage boy narrators and you can handle boyish humor, this is a fun one to take on.
*The two man characters, Dan and Charlie, are the type of underdog characters you can't help but cheer for. They are small, scrawny, shy, awkward and bullied. Dan is a talented artist, while Charlie is a brainiac. Together they cook up and pull of some outlandish pranks and schemes all in order to get Hank, Dan's future step dad to run away. I was pleased to see by the end of their adventure, they both had grown and they were more confident. I also liked the way the situation with Hank was handled. I appreciated the growth and maturity.
*The humor is what make this book. Yes, it involves a lot of boyish pranks, and plenty of bodily humor such as vomit, farts, explosive diarrhea, etc. There is also the classic wiping your behind with poison ivy, and plenty more embarrassing situations that will have you laughing out loud. This book will definitely appeal to the teenage boy, but if you aren't afraid to take on a bit of crude humor and outlandish pranks, you will get a kick out of this.
*There is even a bit of a romance, though it isn't the typical swoony, melt your heart type. It is what you would expect from a romance when you have immature teenage boys involved. Still it was funny to see the two characters come together and bond over their shared interests.
*I liked watching the rag tag group survive in the wilderness. It ends up being a survivalist story, and even though the situation was dire at times, it always remained upbeat and funny.
*The ending is satisfactory, all the story lines are tied up neatly, and there is no cliffhanger or unresolved issues.
And The Not So Much:
*It is best to go into this one not expecting it to be realistic. Some of the things that happen in the wilderness get to be a bit far fetched: the bear, the exploding plane, the survivalist guide taking off with the mother to get it on, leaving the others behind, etc. As the story progressed it got more and more outlandish, until I was rolling my eyes, especially when it came out the bear.
*I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more development with the romances. I was hoping for more depth and so forth, but I am a girl, and I am not the select audience.
Some of the pranks get to be a bit much, and if you can't handle boyish, bodily humor, this is not a book for you.
*This is a book I would highly recommend reading on an ereader because the author includes a plethora of brainiac words that I had to look, and I have an expanded vocabulary. I guarantee the average teenage boy will have no clue when the encounter these words, and while they served a purpose, they are over the top.

Dan Vs. Nature is a book that will appeal to teenage boys, but any reader can enjoy it if you are willing to endure some crude humor. I found myself laughing at some of the ridiculous plights, and I was entertained even though I am not the target audience. The story falters a bit though with lack of realism, but it is still fun.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

At Reading Rants. http://www.readingrants.org/2016/01/1...

Don Calame, I love you.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 1.5/5
***Minor spoilers***

Dan is a fifteen year old boy whose focus right now is just on school, working on his comic, and trying to get together with Erin, a girl he's been interested in for years. His mother has had a history of bad boyfriends since his dad left her several years ago, but not for any fault of her own. She's finally found a guy she loves and who loves her back, Hank, and doesn't seem to have any of the terrible behaviour her other boyfriends had. They're now happily engaged, but Dan isn't happy at all. He doesn't have faith in the guys his mom dates anymore, and he thinks that even if Hank seems to be perfectly nice now, he must have something hidden about him that's a deal breaker. Since Dan doesn't want Hank to be with his mom, he and his friend Charlie come up with a plan to make Hank so uncomfortable with parenting through a series of pranks that will hopefully make him leave his mother. What makes it even easier is that his mom plans to send them on a wilderness trip that will allow them to bond before the wedding.

This was a book I read for a book club at my school, and if I wasn't obligated to read this (since we have to know all the books for the competition against other schools) then I never would have picked this up. I think I knew I would never like this, especially after peeking at a review or two talking about what this book was about. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for humour books but I just didn't find this book funny, it was just cringy. I couldn't really laugh at all the pranks they were pulling on a guy who was innocent and did nothing wrong except love Dan's mother.

I also didn't like the characters very much at all. The adults were okay, but the three main teenagers were pretty annoying. Dan let himself be manipulated by his friend Charlie way too much. Whenever he started feeling an ounce of guilt he just let Charlie talk him back into the plan. Charlie was just plain annoying. He spoke in the same phrasing as you would read in a professional lab report. No contractions, big words, and generally unpleasant. He didn't feel very developed either. If he was just an app on Dan's phone instead, I feel like the book wouldn't change very much. Penelope was similar to Charlie in terms of the way she spoke, which was pretty annoying, but at least she felt like someone who had a personality and could joke around.

Overall, this one wasn't my cup of tea. I'm not a big fan of watching innocent people suffer at the hands of two pretty stupid boys, so I couldn't really laugh at this one. The plot was just not my thing, and the characters were for the most part quite annoying. I think you would only like this book if you're into the whole pranking trope. It got better towards the end of the book which is why I rated it more than just 1 star, but for the most part the pranking ruined it for me. However, if you're fine with that then you'll probably enjoy this much more than I did.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5/5 stars*

One White Pine book down, nine to go. Full review here!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the books Beat the Band, Call the Shot, and Swim the Fly by Calame, I was well aware of his ability to capture the hilarious ridiculous absurdity of the high school boy. He did not let me down with Dan Versus Nature

[Cameron Fawthorp · Rating 5 out of 5]

9.2389/10.2 survival good

[Laura]

It feels unfair for me to rate this book, because it’s so extremely not my cup of tea, and I never would have finished it (...or started it) if I didn’t have to for class. (If I had to do a rating, it would maybe be...2 stars?)

It’s puerile, extremely gross, and at times offensive. It seems like it was written way earlier than 2016? I would have guessed like 2004.

The ending was sort of heartfelt and nice in moments? And I can imagine some teenage boys will love it. And it was a pretty fast/absorbing read. Those are all the nice things I can say about it lol.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Versus Nature is a relentlessly funny, mostly scatological adventure sprinkled with viscous bear attacks, a lightning storm, a snake near-miss, a poison ivy rash, a particularly private wasp attack, a plane explosion, two broken noses, and many, many intentional ouchies. And then there is Baby Robbie, the electronic baby Dan has to take on this adventure for 50% of his grade in Life Skills. Needless to say, whatever can go wrong out in the wilderness, does. And the hapless bunch, consisting of Dan, his soon-to-be-step-dad Hank, his best friend Charlie, a stunning and smart girl Penelope, her cougar mother Barbara, and the wilderness guide Max, do their best to survive, though not with a lot of pride and dignity. They scream a lot, pee their pants, catch each other in compromising positions, huddle together in their underwear, and make some pretty heart breaking confessions. But they also save each other's lives, develop crushes, hunt wild animals, outpace and outwit a giant, poor bear, and manage some beautiful moments in nature.

Calame packs a truckload of action and adventure, turning up the hilarity dial with each page. Just when you think things cannot get worse, they do. Just when you think Charlie has given up on egging (or forcing) Dan to carry out his plan to drive away Hank from marrying his mother, he comes up with the next phase of their horrible plan. But not all is pranks and mayhem. There are strangely poetic and poignant moments, and Calame writes these well; though heartfelt, they never seem too gooey or contrived.

The characters are truly enjoyable, even when they are being rather annoying. Perhaps my one tiny complaint is that Hank is incredibly patient and good, maybe a tad bit too much, making him seem a bit unbelievable. And Penelope's mom never evolves out of the caricature of an older woman who is sexually active, to the point that even Clint, who has a much smaller role in the book, seems more real than Barbara.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy other people's misery in the great outdoors and uber-smart teenagers bickering.

Thanks to LibraryThing and Candlewick Press for a free copy of the ARC for my honest opinion.

[Cherry (_forevermint) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this book with a huge grin on my face. The cover says it's "an outrageously funny and wickedly raunchy romp in the woods," and yes, yes it is. There were so many funny moments that had me laughing out loud and putting sticky notes next to all my favorite scenes. I enjoyed reading about each and every one of the characters which is something I rarely experience. Dan's misadventures in the woods were hilarious to read about and his character growth throughout the novel was great. I thought Charlie's character was a little over the top when I first met him, but he is the best obnoxiously intelligent and nerdy best friend that anyone could ever want. I loved Penelope as soon as she showed up, extremely straightforward and just as obnoxious as Charlie, seeing this trio try to survive in the wilderness was so entertaining. Man, I would love to see this as a movie, it would be hilarious!

And even though the course of events is a bit predictable, that doesn't stop Don Calame from throwing a few shocking surprises at the reader. The ending was cute and satisfying (though once again a bit predictable). However, this is definitely going on my to re-read list because it was so enjoyable and definitely made my day. If you're looking for an entertaining read, don't mind getting up close and personal with Dan and the ridiculous shit (literally) he gets himself into, and like comic books, bears, smart-mouthed teenagers and class projects that require you to take care of a life-like baby doll, then definitely pick this one up as soon as it hits the shelves!!

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Weekes has problems. He is constantly bullied at school; he is unable to speak to the girl of his dreams; and his mother is bringing home yet another boyfriend. The only problem he can do anything about is the boyfriend, so Dan and his best friend Charlie concoct a plan to drive the studly Hank away from his mother. The plan is launched during an ill-fated bonding wilderness hike Dan's mom plans for Hank and Dan. Hilarious schemes involving vomit and diarrhea abound, as well as a rampaging black bear, wilderness romance and caring for a malfunctioning electronic baby.

[Jacob Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
PUBLICATION: Candlewick Press, April 12th, 2016

Dan is sort of an outcast in his class. But even more so, his best friend Charlie is a know-it-all, smart mouthed outcast who is proud of it. Together, they get beat up. A lot. When Dan comes home from school one day to find his mother introducing him to yet another boyfriend, he thinks he's seen this picture before. However, Hank isn't her boyfriend - he's her fiance. And as a birthday gift, she books a trip to the middle-of-nowhere wilderness for both of them to get to know each other. After pleading his case, Charlie comes along too and together they hatch a plan so devious and so hilarious, that will send Hank running far, far away.

In today's society, people use the letters "LOL" to indicate that they are laughing out loud but in most cases, they aren't. Maybe they snicker, smile, or even exhibit absolutely no change in facial stature, but when I type LOL for this book, I mean it. This book has everything you could want: fast-paced, gut-wrenchingly funny, and characters that you just can't help but fall in love with. Calame is a screen-writer who helped write the movie, "Employee of the Month", and this book reads just like a movie. Never a dull moment in this novel as Dan and Charlie hatch the most hare-brained ideas of how to scare away Hank. From talking about small genitals, to copious amounts of self-love, to shooting Hank in the leg, this book is a no holds barred, whirlwind of a read.

However, as stated above, this book is listed as "Teens/YA" but personally, the material was a bit more adult in my opinion for an average teenager to read. Language and adult content abound, so if you're 18+, enjoy. My personal favorite was the TSA agent screening what Dan and Charlie tried to sneak in their bags for their flight to the wilderness. Again, an LOL moment. My wife gave me a strange look when I didn't stop laughing.

The ending was very nicely tied together too. I don't want to ruin whether or not their plan succeeds and Hank leaves Dan and his mom alone, but suffice to say, stick with this book and it won't disappoint from beginning, middle, and end.

[Kaitlyn Abshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Dan is used to all of the losers his mom dates and he isn’t surprised when they leave her…like they always do. When Dan comes home one day to find that the man her mother is dating (Hank) is now his soon to be stepdad, Dan decides that he must do everything in his power to stop the wedding from happening. When Dan’s mother presents him with a camping trip to take with Hank as his birthday present, Dan sees the camping trip as an opportunity. Perhaps if Dan can make Hank as miserable and upset as possible, maybe his future won’t be the sound of wedding bells.

I had high expectations for Dan Versus Nature. Ever since I have read Winger and Stand Off by Andrew Smith, books that involve male protagonist and disastrous humor definitely catch my eye. Dan Versus Nature did not disappoint. From the very first chapter, hilarity ensued. The pranks that Dan and his best friend, Charlie, formulate are seriously outrageous. With sour cream and onion body odor, forced projectile vomiting, doe urine, and more, the practical jokes and how they come to pass will have you rolling.

Dan Versus Nature was quite the quick read for me. The humor was constant and my attention did not waver. There was also some pleasant character development and development in character relationships, which is something I always appreciate. While this is my first book to read by Don Calame, it most certainly will not be my last.

[Book Concierge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dan is a 16-year-old student whose main interest is creating graphic novels. His best friend, Charlie, is a super-bright geek interested in photojournalism. When Dan’s Mom announces her engagement to her latest boyfriend – a dentist named Hank – Dan is unhappy but resigned. When Mom gives him a “survival week” experience to share (and bond) with Hank, Dan and Charlie concoct a plan to scare Hank away. But they weren’t counting on a bear stalking them ….

This sounded like a decent premise for a YA novel but Calame’s reliance on scatological humor and descriptions that only a 13-year-old boy will find funny just lost me. I couldn’t believe that Dan and Charlie would remain BFFs through all this; I didn’t buy Dan’s “true love” for Erin; I really didn’t believe in the totally inept adventure outfitters (especially Max running off into the woods to kanoodle with Barbara when the rest of his party – including Barbara’s daughter – were out in the wilderness with no life skills); he is, after all, responsible for their safety.

It should have been a fast read, but it didn’t hold my attention, and as I was reading while we were on a long cross-country trip, it took me a full week to finish it. I think my nephew would have liked it when he was in his early teens; at eighteen, I think he’s matured beyond this stage.

[Ameema S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book as an ARC from Penguin Random House.

I'm not going to lie, I expected it to be very predictable. It was so funny, it had me laughing out loud. It was a gross kind of funny, but really funny nonetheless. And it wasn't as predictable as I thought it was going to be, and I really enjoyed it. It was nerdy and silly, and goofy, and gross, and great! I wasn't expecting it to like it as much as I did. Even though it was a bit too predictable and gross (for me) sometimes, I found myself chuckling out loud still. It reminded me of an older version of I Want to Go Home (with a raunchier, grosser twist). It was a great wilderness adventure gone wrong!

[Tanya Procknow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a YA intended for guys. It says outrageously funny and wickedly raunchy. It was both. If you aren't too mature to find humor in B.O, farting, puking, wiping with poison ivy, a few bear attacks, a screaming, pooping baby-real-a-lot, embarrassing body conversations, plane crashes and so much more you may find it funny. This was the perfect brainless hilarious read I needed. In one spot I had to stop reading to catch my breath from laughing. It might also be the fact I have a teenage son and can see him pulling some of the same stunts.

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not like this is my first Calame book, so I should have known better, but there's only so many gross bodily function scenes that I can take. I did actually finish the book because Calame's Swim the Fly series is easily one of the favorites of my freshmen readers. I think it will appeal greatly to its target audience of reluctant teenage boys. It very much reminds me of The Parent Trap camping scenes with excessive diarrhea, vomiting, and swearing.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like your humor on the gross scatological side (and, honestly, who doesn't?), wait no more! Don Calame's lastest is hysterically funny, featuring poison ivy and wasp stings in sensitive areas, flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea, crazed bears, plane crashes, and life skills class baby models. Laugh out loud funny while being sweetly wonderful under all the craziness.

[Grier Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

How far are you willing to go to get rid of your would-be stepfather? Turns out pretty darn far... leading to some incredibly gross laugh-so-hard-you-cry moments, making Dan Versus Nature an easy read. I also loved the 5-dollar vocabulary words from a couple of the more scholastically-inclined characters. The only downside for me was believability issues from time to time. Overall a fun read.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not the target audience for this book, but I certainly see how it would appeal to teenage boys! Calame includes plenty of fart humor, gross out scenes, and action in what is essentially a coming-of-age, family story. Recommend to readers of any age who appreciate typical 13-year-old humor. They won't be disappointed.

[Kim Piddington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think HS boys will love this story about a romp through the woods- complete with vivid descriptions of bodily functions. There's also a tad of romance, adventure, and the dreaded step parent-something for everyone.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Jonathan]

I'm not sure who this book is for. I got it from a discard pile at a public library. It was marked as YA. The story is juvenile, but the content is rather adult. The front cover declares that the book is raunchy, and I think it lives up to that. Let me explain:

The story is juvenile in that the teenage characters are immature and behave in confounding ways. There is a lot of "potty" humor like you would expect in a book for younger boys (Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants). The book has vomit and farts and diarrhea. The humor, for the most part, is what you would expect for kids. The plot itself also reminded me of a Disney Channel Original Movie. A boy goes into the wilderness with his potential stepdad with the intent of scaring him away, but instead, they bond. There are moments in the story that are sentimental and honestly pretty moving. There's a whole bit about a wristwatch that I found particularly poignant.

When I say the content is adult, I start particularly with the language. There are multiple uses of the F word and some other curse words. There is also a lot of academic language and high-level vocabulary that little kids won't understand. Honestly, I don't think your average high schooler would understand much of the vocabulary, but that appears to be the intention. The book features several sexual references, and although none of them were offensive enough to make me quit the book, they were enough for me to say that this book is inappropriate for younger readers.

This book is like a PG-13 movie, but I guess it could be rated R depending on how the gruesome the violence was represented (and the degree of nudity displayed). Honestly, this book really reads like a script for a comedy film. I'm just not sure if it's an Adam Sandler family-style comedy or an American Pie kind of exploit. I guess it has a lot in common with that movie Without a Paddle, but I don't fully remember the plot of that one. It has Family Guy vibes.

The story makes many references to pop culture that you have to be specifically educated to understand. The narrator is into comic books and graphic novels, and many of his references are connected to geek culture. Most of these will hold up, but some might grow archaic, and if you don't know geek stuff, they'll go right over your head. Overall, I think the story makes too many cultural references and is likely to seem outdated pretty soon.

The book had plenty of story elements I liked. The main character remains fairly likable in spite of his behavior, and there is a strong supporting cast. I liked the slow reveals regarding the step-dad and how sometimes the author takes the story in the obvious direction while going in an unexpected direction at others, so you don't know what to expect. That kept the story interesting, and I do think it is funny, for the most part. The cover art and interior layout are excellent and worthy of note.

This isn't my type of book. I loved the survival aspects and the bones of the plot, and I would have loved to read a cleaned-up version of the same story. There were some really great character moments that could have been given more focus. I probably wanted something more like Where the Red Fern Grows. This book is just not to my sensibilities. Considering that I enjoyed it even still, I don't want to give it a low rating, but I can't say I really liked it. I didn't hate it, but it just wasn't for me.

Who is it for? I'm not sure. It's definitely not for kids. I wouldn't recommend it for teens either. By the time I think people would be mature enough for the content and the language, they are presumably too mature to appreciate the goofy and gross plot points. It's probably for folks who like raunchy comedies (as the front cover indicates), but those people are more likely to just watch movies and television. I'm sure there's an audience for this book; I'm just not sure who that audience is supposed to be.

[Christopher Cerwinka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Dan vs. Nature is about a young man named Dan who wants to become a famous graphic novelist and ask his crush Erin Riley out. His plans to do both tasks are suddenly hauled due to his mother finding her partner who happened to be a rugged outdoorsy dentist. Hank wants to spend time with Dan and organizes an outdoor camping trip in the woods of Idaho. Dan goes with his friend Charlie and attempt to sabotage the relationship. Penelope also tags along on their trip as someone who just wants a thrill in the outdoors. The group encounters very dangerous predators such as a grizzly bear, and even gets ambushed by a swarm of mosquitoes. The whole trip was seen to sharpen characters and make Dan connect with his new father out in the wilderness.

The book has many uses of humor throughout the story as comedic effect. The series of Dan getting unexpected scenarios happening to him such as getting explosive diarrhea or falling into a pit of mud make the story funny, and enjoyable to read.

The characters also experience development throughout the story. My favorite part was Dan connecting with his soon father in the wilderness. Another character in the story, Penelope. Penelope is seen as an attractive girl and complicates the trip for the whole group. However, in the bear encounter, Penelope shows great bravery an relentlessness by banging pots and pans together to eventually scare off the bear. The whole camping trip in the wilderness of Idaho make everyone bond with each other and help everyone out.

Overall, this story demonstrates that you need to know someone more than who he portrays himself to be. Dan spends more time with Hank to find his real self and bond over the trip. While this book had many attempts to bond and sabotage the relationship between Hank and Hank's mother, the whole experience led to both characters finding more about themselves and others than previously before. The book also has many funny instances of Dan to make the story more enjoyable to read.

[Dayton House · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don Calame, the author, creates an amazingly funny story about a boy, Dan, going through the hardships of love, new beginnings, and of course, Nature. This novel brings a middle school sense of humor such as fart jokes, terrible terrible pranks, and many other types of humor. I have never laughed so loud in all of my years of reading and I can now say that I have found a book that I can read over and over again and laugh every single time I read it. In the beginning, Dan’s father vanished 8 years ago and has not communicated with Dan since he left, due to his Dad vanishing, Dan’s mother has gone through a large amount of bogus boyfriends that maybe lasted a month or two. Dan gets introduced to Hank, his Mom’s new boyfriend who can do it all. He is a dentist, doctor, wildlife extraordinaire, etc. Dan soon finds out that Hank has already proposed to his mother, and Dan gains a hatred towards Hank from the start. Dan’s mother thinks it would be a good idea for Dan and Hank to go on a camping trip for them to further bond but Dan has a plan to torment Hank while going on this camping trip with terrifying pranks to change Hank's mind about marrying Dan's mother. From this book, I learned that people’s first impressions can be deceiving and you should get to know someone before you judge them. If you are a new high school reader, this is a great book to read due to it being relatable to most young people. Don Calame produces great books about young teen life and humor and these books will catch your attention because of how humorous they are. I would rate this book a 4.5/5 because it is a great book but it is lacking in some aspects. This novel has all the necessary components to make anyone enjoy reading a humorous high school story. It appeals to younger kids and can appeal to adults, bringing them back to when they were in high school and possibly bringing back memories of their own. I wish I could read it again for the first time and ball my eyes out laughing.

[BAYA Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Dan Weekes learns that his mother is engaged, he is shocked but not too worried. After all she has dated almost every guy in the state and eventually they all reveal themselves to be the losers they are. But somehow this new guy Hank seems to be sticking around. When his mother decides to send Dan and Hank on a survivalist camping trip to bond, Dan and his best friend Charlie conspire to expose Hank for the ignoramus he must surely be and much laughter ensues.

This book is powered by vomit and diarrhea. If readers are not into that kind of humor then this title is definitely not for them. There are not any deep issues explored in this book, and it is a fast paced tale full of poorly thought out, destined to fail hijinks crafted by Dan’s germ-phobic super smart best friend. This book was crafted as a prototypical guys read; it is difficult to imagine it speaking to those with more feminine interests. Penelope, the one prominent female character, is basically a mirror image of Charlie but slightly more socialized and a bit of a pixie dream girl. There is a possible love interest for one of the boys but she is not really a kick ass female character. The portrayal of Penelope’s mother as a woman just trying to get laid is also unappealing; sexist but not a complete deal breaker. This book is more PG13 than R and will be acceptable for most middle school shelves.

[addie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was an enjoyable and entertaining read, there were so many little things that bugged me about it!
1. It was boring to read all of Charlie and Penelope's unrealistic "smart people" conversations. I actually skimmed most of them.
2. Overall, the book was VERY predictable. Of course Hank isn't a "real" outdoors man. Obviously Dan would learn that he was wrong and end up liking Hank. And no surprise that the pranks kept backfiring on the boys.
3. The way some things worked out seemed way too cheesy. For example, Clint reprogramming the baby doll, Hank telling Dan that he wouldn't end up needing to change schools, Erin asking Dan out.....
4. The whole time, I thought the author was setting us up for Dan to realize that his obsession with Erin was ridiculous and decide to go for Penelope. I was a bit disappointed when he still ended up with Erin! He had never even talked to her in his whole life!!! Whereas he had actual conversations with Penelope...

That being said, I found it hard to put this book down!!! I was grimacing through the painful moments and rushing through the awkward parts so I wouldn't have to deal with it- however, pretty much THE ENTIRE BOOK was either awkward or painful. Or both. But it was all pretty funny and light. I enjoyed reading it!

[Vicky Voronina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Weekes isn't very supportive of his mom's dating choices, or at least he isn't now, after she's dated a million guys who just broke her heart and acted like jerks. When he meets Hank, a mountain man and a dentist, he knows that he will just be another ex of hers soon, until he finds out that the two are engaged, and his mom has decided that a survivalist camping trip will give Hank and Dan a great chance to bond. However, Dan knows better. Soon enough, Hank will show his true colors, and like all the others, he'll be a huge jerk. To make things worse, his mom want to move into Hank's house, far away from his school, and his long-time crush Erin. To stop this from happening, he takes his best friend Charlie on the trip with him, and they make a plan to pull a series of more and more embarrassing pranks on Hank until he decided to leave Dan and his mom well alone. They may not have counted on a cute girl joining their trip, but that's not stopping them. This all goes wrong when an angry bear follows them and they get separated from their guide. How is Dan going to scare Hank away when he needs him to stay for his survival?