SLIM DOWN CAMP

The miserable story of Sam Zimmer's stay at slim-down camp Thin-na-yet: his battles with fellow campers, on-and-off friendship with mixed-up fellow camper Belinda, his victimization at the hands of a bunk of younger (ten and eleven) campers, his bout with poison ivy, and his hostile conversations with the smooth camp head. There's also much grousing about the food or lack of it and the prison atmosphere created by the food restrictions. Sam's trials may accurately reflect life at fat camp, but as a story it's almost as dreary as the time he says he's having. The happy ending comes after Belinda runs away and Sam persuades his parents to pull him out of camp. She's found and taken home, but once the two have separately abused their freedom to gorge, they decide--by mail--to support each other in long-term diets. But this belated resolve comes as a diet-ex-machina at the end of a shapeless story.