THE BUDDY TRAP

After Cam hits a plateau in his flute playing, and his music teacher recommends a summer off, his parents send him to a camp where his insecurities and attempts to fit in make him an easy prey to tentmate Buddy's bullying. In order to prevent Buddy from damaging his flute, Cam becomes a double agent during a war game. Rivalry between Buddy and Cam's team leader Jason escalates and the pranks get out of hand, culminating in Jason setting a fire in the drought-stricken camp. As the boys' efforts to control the fire fail, Cam realizes that his betrayal of self is partially responsible; he goes for the help that saves them. There is much to dislike here—the innuendos about Cam's Korean origins, the offensive depiction of an overweight nurse, a stereotypical alcoholic Vietnam vet cast as Buddy's abusive father, and other incompetent, irresponsible, and uncaring adults—as well as children who could be distant cousins of the boys in Lord of the Flies. These poorly developed characters serve mostly to advance the author's agenda; the camp setting is not credible; and the plot jerks along until everything falls too neatly into place. A story that fails to engage, and that has far too many false notes. (Fiction. 8-12)*justify no*