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Families in my library first introduced me to the Bear Grylls Adventures for Kids series when they asked if I carried them. I knew who Bear Grylls was, mostly through social media exposure, and more recently, from seeing him connected to The Chosen, but I had never really read or watched his work. So when I went looking for his children’s books, I was surprised.
At first glance, I was disappointed. The illustrations are cartoonish, and the font struck me as awkward and ugly. I almost dismissed the series as another shallow attempt to catch young readers’ attention. But I knew many of my boy readers (especially those who insist that they hate reading) needed stories that move quickly, have an adventurous setting, and are accessible while we build their stamina. So, I gave them a try.
And then, I learned something that entirely changed my opinion: the books are printed in Open Dyslexic font. This carefully designed font uses weighted letters to help them “stay put” on the page, reducing the visual movement that can make decoding difficult for dyslexic readers. Suddenly, what I had thought of as “ugly” became, in fact, a loving act of accessibility. Coupled with short chapters and a quick pace, these books are structured to support comprehension and stamina for readers who struggle. I am confident that I can use these books to build trust with that reading group and that in time, we can help towards more sophisticated reading.
The more I read, the more impressed I become. The series follows a simple but effective pattern: a child at camp receives an ordinary-looking compass. When the need arises, that compass transports the camper into a survival scenario alongside Bear Grylls himself. In the first two books, Blizzard Challenge and Desert Challenge, readers experience harsh climates, genuine dangers, and real survival skills, including learning to eat scorpions and maggots. These touch on a specific camper’s personal fears and insecurities. With Bear’s no-nonsense but caring guidance, each child discovers courage and capability they didn’t know they had.
These books remind me a little of Kate Messner’s Ranger in Time series, where a magical object launches the adventure. But here, the stories are grounded in the kinds of real-world survival strategies that Bear is known for. At the end of each story, the child returns to camp, changed by the adventure, and passes the compass to another camper—setting up the next installment.
Bear’s presence in the stories feels much like his persona on television: kind but firm, never sugar-coating reality, yet always meeting kids where they are. The tone balances encouragement with practicality.
One mother recently told me her son doesn’t like to read, but it’s a goal for them this year. Together, we went to the shelf where these books live, and we agreed that maybe he just hadn’t found the right shelf yet. For readers like him, this series can be a turning point. Books like this can help a reluctant reader fall in love with reading through adventure, build stamina, and grow into longer and more complex books over time.
I still don’t care for the illustrations, but the stories themselves are worthwhile. And the audio books are very well done. For reluctant readers, especially boys drawn to action and challenge, Bear Grylls’s Adventures for Kids series is an excellent place to begin. I have three sets in my library and have just acquired the middle-grade chapter books as well.