The Blizzard Challenge

Olly isn’t enjoying camp. His rucksack is trying to kill him, and building a shelter gives him splinters. Why should he bother building shelters or foraging for food with his teammates? He’d rather be at home playing video games. 

But that night, a mysterious compass transports him to a high mountain range, where he must learn to survive on a glacier. There, he meets survival expert Bear Grylls. The only way home is to trek across frozen lakes and through deep snow drifts—and Bear can see a blizzard coming. Will Olly learn that trying your best can make all the difference, or will the challenge be too much? 

When Olly is first transported to the Arctic, he doesn’t want help, but he has no choice. Bear says, “We divide the effort, and we work hard. Together we will be stronger, and that gives us the best chance at staying alive.” Initially, Olly reluctantly helps and doesn’t always listen to Bear’s advice. However, Olly becomes more confident in his abilities, and eventually his attitude changes. For example, while making a shelter, Olly thinks, “His feet were still cold, but he would soon change his socks. At first, his arms ached more and more as they dug, but then suddenly they felt fine. . . And for the first time in his life, Olly felt proud of what he was making. Really proud.” 

Many readers will relate to Olly, who would rather play video games than build shelters. However, Olly’s change from a selfish, lazy boy to someone willing to work hard and care about others is admirable. Since the change is gradual and Olly makes mistakes along the way, his transformation is realistic and encouraging. With Bear’s help, Olly learns the importance of teamwork and perseverance. He also discovers that doing things properly matters. The story’s conclusion suggests that Olly will utilize his newfound skills at camp and throughout his life. 

The Blizzard Challenge has large text and illustrations that will appeal to readers and help them visualize the story’s events. Because the book is written in the UK, some terms will be unfamiliar. For example, instead of wasting time, Olly is “gassing.” Measurements are also expressed in kilometers, and some glacier-related terms may be new to readers. However, context clues make it easy to understand unfamiliar words. 

The Bear Grylls Adventure Series books can be read as standalones and do not need to be read in order. Each book focuses on a different child at the outdoor activity camp. Once the camper receives the magical compass, they meet the adventurer, Bear, in an amazing place and learn new skills and facts they can take back to their real life. Each book aligns with Common Core Standards, making it suitable for educational purposes. The book is also printed “in a reader-friendly font and design” to help those with dyslexia. Three pages of additional information about glaciers are included at the end of the book. 

The Blizzard Challenge is an entertaining book with a relatable protagonist, useful life lessons, and a positive message about teamwork. With Bear’s help, Olly realizes that “a strong team, good preparation, and a bit of effort, and you can manage almost anything.” During the adventure, Bear discusses Ernest Shackleton’s expedition to the South Pole, which may spark readers’ interest in the explorer. Readers can learn more about Shackleton’s expedition by reading Race to the South Pole by Kate Messner, Ice Wreck by Lucille Recht Penner, and Survival Tails: Endurance in Antarctica by Katrina Charman. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• None

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None 

Language  

• Olly overhears another camper call him a loser. 

Supernatural 

• Olly is in his tent, looking at the compass, when a fifth direction suddenly appears. When Olly leaves the tent, he isn’t at camp. Instead, he is “standing on rocky ground covered with bright white snow, surrounded by giant mountains.” 
• When Olly returns to camp, no one misses him because “everything with Bear had happened all in one night. Without the other two [tent mates] noticing.” 

Spiritual Content  

• None