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hollowspine 's review for:
Dan Versus Nature
by Don Calame
The last thing Dan wants is to deal with another one of his mom's lying, deadbeat, loser boyfriends, but usually they disappear all on their own. Until his mom brings home Hank, her new fiancè. Now Dan has to act fast to prove that Hank is just as untrustworthy and unmarriageable as every guy who's come before. So when his mom presents him and Hank with a week-long survival retreat vacation, Dan's friend Charlie helps him come up with the perfect plot to send Hank running for the hills.
But, nature has a lot more in store for Dan than a few awkward confessions and pranks. When Dan, Hank, Charlie and the rest of their unfortunate group realize that they're stranded in the woods with a very hungry, very angry bear, figuring out who is the biggest liar is the last of their worries.
The story is filled with body fluid humor, Parent-Trap/Home Alone style pranks, and awkward moments and is sure to find an audience among teens who loved Captain Underpants when they were younger. While I personally didn't love the fact that the only two girls in the story are definitely Manic Pixie Dreamgirls, at least they never ended up actually needing any of the boys in the story to save them, or correct them, as is common, and never described themselves as 'different from other girls.' The story was bolstered by some pretty natural development in Dan and Hanks relationship, and respective dad issues. However, Charlie was annoying from first to last and I could have seen his character develop a bit more, at least into a less irritating mansplainer.
CHS Pick 10/19
But, nature has a lot more in store for Dan than a few awkward confessions and pranks. When Dan, Hank, Charlie and the rest of their unfortunate group realize that they're stranded in the woods with a very hungry, very angry bear, figuring out who is the biggest liar is the last of their worries.
The story is filled with body fluid humor, Parent-Trap/Home Alone style pranks, and awkward moments and is sure to find an audience among teens who loved Captain Underpants when they were younger. While I personally didn't love the fact that the only two girls in the story are definitely Manic Pixie Dreamgirls, at least they never ended up actually needing any of the boys in the story to save them, or correct them, as is common, and never described themselves as 'different from other girls.' The story was bolstered by some pretty natural development in Dan and Hanks relationship, and respective dad issues. However, Charlie was annoying from first to last and I could have seen his character develop a bit more, at least into a less irritating mansplainer.
CHS Pick 10/19