The Test Campers

PURCHASE ON AMAZON
Published April 2023

READ MORE: BEHIND THE SERIES

SHEA NATURE CAMP SERIES: BOOK #2

After saving the Shea property from Bret's dad in Up to Bat for Nana's Place, Jami Shea and Bret Collier are looking for test campers to experience the new Shea Nature Camp on Florida's Sanibel Island.

Miri and Jacob Puckett of Hamel, Kentucky, are invited to Shea Nature Camp—for free. Folks in their small, struggling town deep in the Appalachian Mountains judge them for attending "a rich kids camp," but for Miri and Jacob, it’s an adventure of a lifetime. Even so, as they arrive on Sanibel as test campers, they wonder if they’ll fit in. Soon they can't imagine ever leaving.

With their new friends Jami and Bret, Miri and Jacob’s days are filled with visits to the nature platforms, kayaking, swimming, shell hunting, biking, and eating Nana’s famous cookies. They meet Humphrey, the cookie-dough-loving alligator that lives on Nana’s property, and Carson, Nana and Jami's friend who knows a lot about baseball. No doubt about it: test camp is a huge success.

For Bret, Nana's place feels more like home every day. Carson looks out for him almost like a real dad and even gives Bret a glimpse into his secret past. When Bret discovers his own dad is going "off the grid" and his parents divorced without telling him, he needs his new friends more than ever.

Back in Hamel, life is a struggle for Miri and Jacob's parents. Dad still can't find a job and the cafe where Mom works is closing soon. In comparison, Sanibel seems like paradise. While they're dreaming about ways to help their hometown, Miri and Jacob get an invitation they can't pass up.

FOR READERS IN GRADES 3-6
Sharing God's love through stories & fun!