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Sports Camp
Riley feels like the smallest kid at sports camp. In fact, he is. He just turned eleven in April, but most kids here are twelve, and a few are even thirteen—and gigantic. It’s hard enough for a shrimp like Riley to fit in. He just doesn’t want to be the weak link as his bunk competes for the Camp Olympia Trophy.
Riley knows he’s no good at strength and accuracy games like basketball and softball. But when it comes to speed and endurance events, like running and swimming, he’s better than he looks. He’s pretty sure he can place in the top ten—and bring in major trophy points—in the final mile-long swim race across Lake Surprise. But he doesn’t count on being followed by the shadow of Big Joe, the giant vicious snapping turtle of camp lore. Wasn’t that supposed to be a legend?
Riley knows he’s no good at strength and accuracy games like basketball and softball. But when it comes to speed and endurance events, like running and swimming, he’s better than he looks. He’s pretty sure he can place in the top ten—and bring in major trophy points—in the final mile-long swim race across Lake Surprise. But he doesn’t count on being followed by the shadow of Big Joe, the giant vicious snapping turtle of camp lore. Wasn’t that supposed to be a legend?
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
14 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 21, 2018
This book was good, I guess, but I wish it has girls in it!!!
June 18, 2013
Summer camp novel for the pre-teen set. Riley is away at a summer camp for the first time and though not an all round athlete he's able to hold his own in the endurance events. If books about summer camps, bad food, barfing and ghost stories are your cup of tea then this is the book for you. Probably perfect for those male reluctant readers.
September 8, 2012
Great overnight camp story about boys and for boys...full of sports competitions, and camp tricks and fun.
March 31, 2015
a quick little read about some boys at sports camp. Rich keeps the story going quickly with different twists and turns and mystery as well as the main theme of the cabins competition.
August 4, 2017
What a great book to read over the summer with my sports-crazy son!
Riley is heading to Sports Camp, and there's nothing more important than the Big Joe Trophy, for which cabins compete in a handful of sports--swimming, softball, water polo to name a few. Sure, Riley has a few middle-grade-y problems here and there...he doesn't quite fit in, he gets sick right before competing in what should be his best event, and he is worried about living up to the pressure put on him from other cabin-mates. But the focus is mostly on the trophy, and that makes for a good read.
This is a pretty thrilling for young readers, or at least the boy who was listening to me read this one.
Riley is heading to Sports Camp, and there's nothing more important than the Big Joe Trophy, for which cabins compete in a handful of sports--swimming, softball, water polo to name a few. Sure, Riley has a few middle-grade-y problems here and there...he doesn't quite fit in, he gets sick right before competing in what should be his best event, and he is worried about living up to the pressure put on him from other cabin-mates. But the focus is mostly on the trophy, and that makes for a good read.
This is a pretty thrilling for young readers, or at least the boy who was listening to me read this one.
January 23, 2018
This book is about a 12 year old boy who is sent to a camp, where he knows no one, and is seen as the runt. I really liked this book and how it incorporated many sports, to me this gave a competitive feel to the book that kept me wanting to read. The imagery in this book also helped the action come to life, it almost made me feel like I was playing the sports as well, which I liked very much. I would recommend this book if you love sports, because if you didn't have an interest towards sports I feel like you would have nothing to connect to and the reading would seem redundant.
December 20, 2024
I thought i would not like this book since i got it in a free little library, but it actually was pretty good. I really like the vibe of the summer camp setting. Some scenes are actually really cool and i loved the characters. When the book finished, i actually hoped the book would be longer and have some more scenes of the boys interacting. This is a simple book that you can read at any time and still enjoy it. I will give it 3 stars just because it didn't blow me away or anything, but i still liked it alot.
June 1, 2021
Medium boring
December 26, 2010
From April 2010 SLJ
When 11-year-old Riley Liston arrives at Camp Olympia, he quickly realizes that it’s going to be a long two weeks: as one of the youngest and smallest campers, he doesn’t have the strength that the older guys do in basketball and softball. Normally, he wouldn’t mind—he knows he’s a good swimmer and runner—but the cabins are all competing for the coveted Big Joe Trophy (named after the legendary snapping turtle that inhabits the lake), and Riley doesn’t want to be the person who takes the Cabin 3 Threshers out of the running. His concerns seem well-founded: during basketball and softball games the first several days, loud Barry berates Riley for his playing, and none of the guys goes out of his way to make Riley feel like part of the gang. But he perseveres, and friendships slowly develop as a few cabin-mates begin swimming laps each day in preparation for the Lake Surprise Showdown, the marathon swimming race that occurs the last night of camp. Despite bumps along the way—Cabin Four’s practical jokes on the Threshers; Riley’s nauseous run-in with some none-too-fresh fried chicken; spooky happenings that make the campers wonder if Big Joe is more than just a legend—the boys in Cabin 3 hold their own, and by the final night of camp, the question of which cabin will claim the Big Joe Trophy is anybody’s call. Wallace has a talent for capturing adolescent boys’ behavior in his stories, and while the plot is formulaic and some of the story requires suspending belief (a remarkable lack of adult presence as campers build fires late at night and fashion homemade cigarettes), the story has appeal. Each chapter ends with a Camp Olympia Bulletin, the daily newsletter that keeps campers apprised of upcoming activities and team standings. Purchase where sports stories by Matt Christopher and Dan Gutman are popular.
When 11-year-old Riley Liston arrives at Camp Olympia, he quickly realizes that it’s going to be a long two weeks: as one of the youngest and smallest campers, he doesn’t have the strength that the older guys do in basketball and softball. Normally, he wouldn’t mind—he knows he’s a good swimmer and runner—but the cabins are all competing for the coveted Big Joe Trophy (named after the legendary snapping turtle that inhabits the lake), and Riley doesn’t want to be the person who takes the Cabin 3 Threshers out of the running. His concerns seem well-founded: during basketball and softball games the first several days, loud Barry berates Riley for his playing, and none of the guys goes out of his way to make Riley feel like part of the gang. But he perseveres, and friendships slowly develop as a few cabin-mates begin swimming laps each day in preparation for the Lake Surprise Showdown, the marathon swimming race that occurs the last night of camp. Despite bumps along the way—Cabin Four’s practical jokes on the Threshers; Riley’s nauseous run-in with some none-too-fresh fried chicken; spooky happenings that make the campers wonder if Big Joe is more than just a legend—the boys in Cabin 3 hold their own, and by the final night of camp, the question of which cabin will claim the Big Joe Trophy is anybody’s call. Wallace has a talent for capturing adolescent boys’ behavior in his stories, and while the plot is formulaic and some of the story requires suspending belief (a remarkable lack of adult presence as campers build fires late at night and fashion homemade cigarettes), the story has appeal. Each chapter ends with a Camp Olympia Bulletin, the daily newsletter that keeps campers apprised of upcoming activities and team standings. Purchase where sports stories by Matt Christopher and Dan Gutman are popular.
December 20, 2012
Sports Camp
By Rich Wallace
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright © 2010
Welcome to Camp Olympia, an all boys summer sports camp and home to the largest, fiercest snapping turtle in the world!
Rich Wallace is well known for his sports novels filled with teen drama. For sports camp Wallace has stuck with the sports but gone rather light on the drama. He gives us a character who knows where he fits into the sports world right now but who doesn't necessarily know how to fit in with other boys, and we see him work his way into that.
This is a novel about summer camp, so of course there are going to be camp legends that all boys like to make up like ghost stories and ferocious animal stories. Wallace throws these in seemingly as an aside because they don’t really go anywhere. I really would have liked to have read more about “Big Joe” because it seemed like it would have been cool in a middle school boy kind of way, but alas it was not to be.
Needless to say, “Sports Camp” was a quick read, and it is a great book for 5th to 7th grade boys who don’t usually like to read.
By Rich Wallace
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright © 2010
Welcome to Camp Olympia, an all boys summer sports camp and home to the largest, fiercest snapping turtle in the world!
Rich Wallace is well known for his sports novels filled with teen drama. For sports camp Wallace has stuck with the sports but gone rather light on the drama. He gives us a character who knows where he fits into the sports world right now but who doesn't necessarily know how to fit in with other boys, and we see him work his way into that.
This is a novel about summer camp, so of course there are going to be camp legends that all boys like to make up like ghost stories and ferocious animal stories. Wallace throws these in seemingly as an aside because they don’t really go anywhere. I really would have liked to have read more about “Big Joe” because it seemed like it would have been cool in a middle school boy kind of way, but alas it was not to be.
Needless to say, “Sports Camp” was a quick read, and it is a great book for 5th to 7th grade boys who don’t usually like to read.
April 8, 2016
I picked to read the book "Sports Camp" because I like to read about sports, and the main sports that were played at the camp were basketball, softball, water polo, and swimming. The main character Riley, was not as strong as the other guys for basketball and softball and sometimes got picked on because he was weaker in those sports. My favorite part of the book was when the final swimming race took place to determine the Big Joe Trophy winner of Camp Olympia. Cabin 3 and Riley were in third place before this final race. Swimming was a very strong sport for Riley so he was hoping to prove to his teammates that he could help them try to win the gold medal. Riley paced his swimming very well, and he was able to gather the strength to sprint his way at the end of the race, and ended up in fifth place. With his strong finish in the race, he was able to increase the points for Cabin 3 and they became the winner of the Big Joe Trophy. For the boys in Cabin 3, working together as a team for the different sporting events not only helped them win the big trophy, but they also gained friendships and fun memories of Sports Camp.
April 17, 2013
Perfect read-aloud for the end of the school year. Riley is experiencing his first sleep away camp. He's younger and smaller than most of the boys on his "team"-but he's a strong swimmer! Fun look at camp: the bad food, competitions, and ghost stories galore.
"Riley feels like the smallest kid at sports camp. In fact, he is. He just turned eleven in April, but most kids here are twelve, and a few are even thirteen—and gigantic. It’s hard enough for a shrimp like Riley to fit in. He just doesn’t want to be the weak link as his bunk competes for the Camp Olympia Trophy. Riley knows he’s no good at strength and accuracy games like basketball and softball. But when it comes to speed and endurance events, like running and swimming, he’s better than he looks. He’s pretty sure he can place in the top ten—and bring in major trophy points—in the final mile-long swim race across Lake Surprise. But he doesn’t count on being followed by the shadow of Big Joe, the giant vicious snapping turtle of camp lore. Wasn’t that supposed to be a legend?"
"Riley feels like the smallest kid at sports camp. In fact, he is. He just turned eleven in April, but most kids here are twelve, and a few are even thirteen—and gigantic. It’s hard enough for a shrimp like Riley to fit in. He just doesn’t want to be the weak link as his bunk competes for the Camp Olympia Trophy. Riley knows he’s no good at strength and accuracy games like basketball and softball. But when it comes to speed and endurance events, like running and swimming, he’s better than he looks. He’s pretty sure he can place in the top ten—and bring in major trophy points—in the final mile-long swim race across Lake Surprise. But he doesn’t count on being followed by the shadow of Big Joe, the giant vicious snapping turtle of camp lore. Wasn’t that supposed to be a legend?"
February 10, 2013
For the reader who is a sports-fan, any kind of sports-fan, Sports Camp takes him or her away to two weeks in the summer where sports jocks of all kinds, shapes, sizes, and ages are pitted against each other to win the ultimate prize, The Big Joe Trophy. Riley Liston is one of the youngest and smallest at the camp, but he does his Cabin 3 teammates proud when he uses his prowess at swimming to seal their fate this summer.
Sports Camp takes on a kind of play-by-play tone with a recap in the form of a newsletter at the end of the day. Sprinkled in with the story are some ghostly legends about boaters who capsized and where never found, a 100 year-old snapping turtle who mythically lives in the lake, and Maynard, a returning camper ghost who comes back to 'visit'.
The ending is predictable, but heart-warming.
Sports Camp takes on a kind of play-by-play tone with a recap in the form of a newsletter at the end of the day. Sprinkled in with the story are some ghostly legends about boaters who capsized and where never found, a 100 year-old snapping turtle who mythically lives in the lake, and Maynard, a returning camper ghost who comes back to 'visit'.
The ending is predictable, but heart-warming.
September 25, 2010
Riley goes to sports camp for the summer. He is younger and smaller than a lot of the other campers. There are 6 cabins that compete in various sports for points and one cabin wins the trophy at the end of the summer. The book seemed to wander without knowing where it was going. Was it about the sports competitions, a boy trying to fit in with his peers and finding himself, or a book about summer camp with all the ghost stories attached. There were too many elements that didn't seem to flow together. The characters were not well developed but the action did keep going, with statistics on the competition listed at the end of each chapter.
October 20, 2011
I read the book Sports Camp. Its about people whogo to a camp. Then they play a lot of sports. They also have a lot of fun there at the camp. They play Alot of sports like football and other sports. Like Vollyball, Baseball, and soccer. Out of all the sports they play they liked baseball the most. I would read this book if you like sports.
But over all its a really good book. I gave it four and a half stars. If you like sports this book would fit you the best. But if you like the indoors Its probley not the best book for you. The Begining wasn't really catchy, it didnt grab your atention. But if you keep reading the book. It will get a lot better.
But over all its a really good book. I gave it four and a half stars. If you like sports this book would fit you the best. But if you like the indoors Its probley not the best book for you. The Begining wasn't really catchy, it didnt grab your atention. But if you keep reading the book. It will get a lot better.
April 13, 2010
This was a quick read and I enjoyed it. The story was a fun, play-by-play look at an 11-year-old's time at a sports camp. I can definitely see some of my reluctant readers picking this title up. It's short and appeals to the sports fan in everyone.
July 18, 2011
Eleven-year-old Riley Liston tries to fit in at Camp Olympia, a summer sports camp where he is one of the youngest boys.
Not the best book, but great for older boy reluctant readers, especially those into sports and competition.
Not the best book, but great for older boy reluctant readers, especially those into sports and competition.
September 23, 2010
I read this to add to a series of book talks I was doing. It was short, which will probably be a selling point - especially for boys - but pretty boring, overall. It would have been a better short story in a sports anthology than a novel.
August 21, 2013
This book was good. I would have liked if it was longer and in a series. Other than that, I enjoyed it.Riley went to camp Olympia and is not the best basketball or softball player. But, he's a good swimmer and runner. Using these, he helps his cabin to first place in points.
February 13, 2015
This book is about a kid who goes to sports camp and... plays sports. Good for most ages and anyone who likes sports.
Age group: 9+
Violence: Some pranks and stories about ghosts on the lake
Sex: None
Profanity: None
Alcohol etc.: Fake cigarette by one kid, otherwise nothing
Age group: 9+
Violence: Some pranks and stories about ghosts on the lake
Sex: None
Profanity: None
Alcohol etc.: Fake cigarette by one kid, otherwise nothing
October 2, 2015
I really liked this book. It was slow going early but the first page hooked me in pretty good. After it got through the first few chapters it got going and I started to fly through it. There was some really intense parts and some not as intense but it was still a really good book.
April 20, 2010
Not really my cup of tea, but I'm not a 4th or 5th boy who likes sports - and that's the clear audience for this book. It just might be perfect for them.
July 19, 2010
Fast read. Book talk it to boys and reluctant readers. Kids who have been to camp, and anyone who wanted to reach a goal or be accepted by peers will relate.
October 29, 2010
This is a great "boy sports book". It reads a little formula-like, but th4e characters are strong and boys and girls will relate to the need to fit in through sports.
January 1, 2011
This book was decent but did not have very much rising action. If you like sports, you would most likely enjoy this novel.
May 7, 2012
I would definitely like to attend this camp! The main character is a great swimmer.
October 31, 2013
In this book, you really connect with the main character and you will want him to succeed.
July 27, 2012
Riley's running and swimming help him fit in with the older cabinmates at sports camp.
December 16, 2013
I love this book. Rylee is a great swimmer and a good friend. I love that he never gives up. Even when hes losing. I wish there was a second book.
August 1, 2016
Clean sports read.
Language: None
Violence: None
Sex: None
Language: None
Violence: None
Sex: None
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews