Dad Camp by Evan Porter

Dad Camp by Evan Porter is an inverse coming of age novel about how parents experience their children growing up. The author is a good friend of mine and I had this book on pre-order long before it launched because Evan is just such a good writer. He’s one of those rare people who can re-arrange words so that they are just…better. I was excited when he told me that he was going through with a novel.

But Dad Camp really exceeded my expectations.

What I Liked

First, I loved the twist on genre. The coming of age novel is a pretty classic genre. But Dad Camp takes the genre and asks…”ok, but what is it like to be the parent of someone coming of age?” It makes for a compelling story and taps into one of the main reasons we read stories at all.

Second, the book is just so well-written. The book moves along, but has this constant flow of details that kept me mentally in the setting. I went to exactly two camps as a kid, but with just a few details here and there, I could imagine *exactly* what the setting was.

Third, the structure and flow was creative and allowed for a lot of building out of the characters. There was a single, main narrative with predictable flashbacks and supplemental chapters.

Fourth, I liked how the plot moved back and forth between the Dads at the camp and the main father – daughter plot. The book was funny & insightful exploring the different “Dad avatars” out in 2024 America. It’s weird, heart-breaking, and funny.

What I Didn’t Like

Nothing. It’s awesome. There should be more books like Dad Camp. It’s not a mindless Beach Read, but it’s also not Serious Academic Literature either. It’s a fun, meaningful, memorable story that is absolutely worth a read.