Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
It seems that every time I turn on the TV, there is some program about teen boot camps or wilderness survivals programs designed to straighten out even the most delinquent of teens. Todd Strasser, author of GIVE A BOY A GUN and CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE, has written a book that takes the reader inside the boot camp experience.
Garrett is from a rich family and goes to a good private school where he is a straight-A student headed for an Ivy League college. He has experimented with smoking pot, but he's definitely not a "pothead." According to his parents, his one unforgivable offense is his sexual relationship with one of his teachers, a woman eight years his senior. According to Garrett, his choices just don't reflect what they want from his life. He thinks his grades and the fact that he stays out of trouble should be enough for them, but because of Garrett's refusal to end his relationship with the teacher, his parents send him to Lake Harmony.
Lake Harmony's staff practically guarantees success. They promise to take any wayward teen and make them the child their parents always wanted to have. On the surface this sounds like quite a deal; however, the teens learn quickly what lies beneath the surface. Lake Harmony offers nothing but torture, brainwashing, poor living conditions, disgusting food, and limited parental contact. Teens in the program spend anywhere from one to three years suffering in this boot camp until most are finally released with broken, damaged spirits.
Strasser takes readers inside the camp where they meet Garrett, Pauly, and Sarah. Although Garret hasn't been there as long as Pauly and Sarah, the three form a special bond and vow to escape before the camp kills them.
While reading BOOT CAMP, I found myself gasping at the abuse and needing to set it aside to digest the horrors visited upon these teens. The details are vivid and raw, and, unfortunately, probably more true than anyone would like to believe. Just as many of Strasser's books do, this one will stay with you long after you finish the last page.
It seems that every time I turn on the TV, there is some program about teen boot camps or wilderness survivals programs designed to straighten out even the most delinquent of teens. Todd Strasser, author of GIVE A BOY A GUN and CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE, has written a book that takes the reader inside the boot camp experience.
Garrett is from a rich family and goes to a good private school where he is a straight-A student headed for an Ivy League college. He has experimented with smoking pot, but he's definitely not a "pothead." According to his parents, his one unforgivable offense is his sexual relationship with one of his teachers, a woman eight years his senior. According to Garrett, his choices just don't reflect what they want from his life. He thinks his grades and the fact that he stays out of trouble should be enough for them, but because of Garrett's refusal to end his relationship with the teacher, his parents send him to Lake Harmony.
Lake Harmony's staff practically guarantees success. They promise to take any wayward teen and make them the child their parents always wanted to have. On the surface this sounds like quite a deal; however, the teens learn quickly what lies beneath the surface. Lake Harmony offers nothing but torture, brainwashing, poor living conditions, disgusting food, and limited parental contact. Teens in the program spend anywhere from one to three years suffering in this boot camp until most are finally released with broken, damaged spirits.
Strasser takes readers inside the camp where they meet Garrett, Pauly, and Sarah. Although Garret hasn't been there as long as Pauly and Sarah, the three form a special bond and vow to escape before the camp kills them.
While reading BOOT CAMP, I found myself gasping at the abuse and needing to set it aside to digest the horrors visited upon these teens. The details are vivid and raw, and, unfortunately, probably more true than anyone would like to believe. Just as many of Strasser's books do, this one will stay with you long after you finish the last page.
