Back to Nature

Gr 2-4–Ruby loves her well-ordered life. But lately, Ruby’s home has grown chaotic with the anticipation of a new baby, and she feels forgotten. To remedy this, Ruby’s dad takes her and the rest of “The Invincible Girls Club” on a tech-free camping trip. Classic camping fun and catastrophes ensue, while Ruby’s mom and grandma prepare a big surprise for the girl at home. Comic-style illustrations are infrequent, but highlight key events and show the ethnic diversity of the characters. The “Invincible Girls Club” series fits into an important niche on the upper end of difficulty for the chapter book range. The story is sweet and positive, if a bit more predictable than it needs to be for the intended audience. Back matter introduces the reader to several real-life “Invincible Girls” who have done remarkable things related to the outdoors and the natural world, along with a list of ways for readers to be more invincible, too. The author also shares her own experience as a camper and staff member at a summer camp.