What do you think?
Rate this book
Fat Camp
At a summer camp for overweight teenagers, high school student Cam Phillips finds support from her cabin mates and love from a fellow camper as she battles her weight and her perceptions of food and exercise. By the author of Fat Chance. Original. 35,000 first printing.
225 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Deborah Blumenthal
33 books142 followersDeborah Blumenthal is an award-winning journalist and nutritionist who now divides her time between writing children's books and adult novels. She has been a regular contributor to The New York Times (including four years as the Sunday New York Times Magazine beauty columnist), and a home design columnist for Long Island Newsday. Her health, fitness, beauty, travel, and feature stories have appeared widely in many other newspapers and national magazines including New York’s Daily News, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Woman's Day, Family Circle, Self, and Vogue.
Blumenthal lives in New York City.
Blumenthal lives in New York City.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 7, 2021
Short book, but it made me want to go to fat camp for the fun outdoor activities.
August 14, 2022
i was at the library and randomly saw this book and checked it out. This is book is honestly not that bad, but in my opinion there was no plot at all.
May 3, 2019
I was pretty sceptical in the beginning, but it turned out not to be that bad and made me realize some things and answered some questions I didn't even know I had.
November 6, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
For many teens, going off to summer camp is something of an adventure. There are new friends to be made, new experiences to try out, exciting adventures that await. For others, camp doesn't sound like such fun. And for a smaller, more rare group, summer camp is the equivalent to prison--especially for someone like Cam Phillips. She's being sent off for the summer to Camp Calliope, which is, for all intents and purposes, a fat camp. Her mother wants Cam to stop her "self-destructive" cycle, her father just wants to keep the family peace, and Cam, well, Cam doesn't seem to have much choice in the matter.
Ever since she can remember, Cam has been pudgy. When she was younger, it didn't really bother her, but now that she's a teenager and can see the repulsive way she looks in a two-piece bathing suit, she knows it's not the way she wants to live her life. But she's tried self-control, she's attempted Weight Watchers, she's even gone the route of self-bribery. Nothing seems to work for long, and now her parents have decided that a summer filled with controlled portions of food, plenty of rigorous exercise, and the fresh, clean air of the outdoors is just what she needs.
For Cam, though, Camp Calliope represents something else. What other group of people, anywhere in the world, is discriminated against like overweight individuals? And then, on top of the discrimination, are asked outright to change? So now it's no more french fries, no more ice cream, no more best friend, Evie, who is away at Tennis Camp meeting gorgeous instructors and equally hunky players. Instead, she finds the other camp residents to be a strange mix of overweight, underweight, and everything in between. There's Carla Valentine, who at 5'10" and 120 pounds seems like the least likely to need a fat camp. There's Summer, who is determined to succeed with her weight loss at any and all costs. There's Faith Masters, the only girl who Cam can imagine becoming friends with. And then there's the counselors, and the guy who takes them on hikes, and the one who oversees the rowing, and on and on and on. Last but not least, there's Jesse, the only boy that Cam might be attracted to. Girls and guys don't mix very often at Camp Calliope, but she just might be able to squeeze in some alone time with Jesse.
For Cam, going away to fat camp might not be what she expected after all. There might be weight loss, there might be a healthier style of living, but more importantly, she just might realize that looks aren't everything. For Cam Phillips, Camp Calliope might be filled with friends, fun, and adventure after all.
For many teens, going off to summer camp is something of an adventure. There are new friends to be made, new experiences to try out, exciting adventures that await. For others, camp doesn't sound like such fun. And for a smaller, more rare group, summer camp is the equivalent to prison--especially for someone like Cam Phillips. She's being sent off for the summer to Camp Calliope, which is, for all intents and purposes, a fat camp. Her mother wants Cam to stop her "self-destructive" cycle, her father just wants to keep the family peace, and Cam, well, Cam doesn't seem to have much choice in the matter.
Ever since she can remember, Cam has been pudgy. When she was younger, it didn't really bother her, but now that she's a teenager and can see the repulsive way she looks in a two-piece bathing suit, she knows it's not the way she wants to live her life. But she's tried self-control, she's attempted Weight Watchers, she's even gone the route of self-bribery. Nothing seems to work for long, and now her parents have decided that a summer filled with controlled portions of food, plenty of rigorous exercise, and the fresh, clean air of the outdoors is just what she needs.
For Cam, though, Camp Calliope represents something else. What other group of people, anywhere in the world, is discriminated against like overweight individuals? And then, on top of the discrimination, are asked outright to change? So now it's no more french fries, no more ice cream, no more best friend, Evie, who is away at Tennis Camp meeting gorgeous instructors and equally hunky players. Instead, she finds the other camp residents to be a strange mix of overweight, underweight, and everything in between. There's Carla Valentine, who at 5'10" and 120 pounds seems like the least likely to need a fat camp. There's Summer, who is determined to succeed with her weight loss at any and all costs. There's Faith Masters, the only girl who Cam can imagine becoming friends with. And then there's the counselors, and the guy who takes them on hikes, and the one who oversees the rowing, and on and on and on. Last but not least, there's Jesse, the only boy that Cam might be attracted to. Girls and guys don't mix very often at Camp Calliope, but she just might be able to squeeze in some alone time with Jesse.
For Cam, going away to fat camp might not be what she expected after all. There might be weight loss, there might be a healthier style of living, but more importantly, she just might realize that looks aren't everything. For Cam Phillips, Camp Calliope might be filled with friends, fun, and adventure after all.
Read
March 17, 2011In Deborah Blumenthal’s “Fat Camp” tells about all the drama’s that go down between teens. Camp Calliope was a camp where most likely parents would send their overweight children to. Well one day, one parent decided to send their daughter, Cam, to this camp to control her weight, exercise, and the amount of food that enters into her body. Well Cam didn’t want to go to this camp.
When Cam got to the camp she was nervous and scared because she wasn’t really good at making friends. As she got there, a girl walked up to her and her name was Faith Masters. Faith Masters was her best friend through all of her time that she stayed at the camp. Faith Masters was a girl from Texas who really made Cam comfortable and able to enjoy herself at the camp. She also made her control herself about her eating habits because ice cream and French fries were her favorite food.
As Cam started to get used to the camp, she saw the cutest guy ever walk by her at the camp. His name was Jesse. He was the only reason she liked staying at the camp; a whole eight weeks. If he wasn’t there she would be having an attitude the entire time just wanting to be home. Cam and Jesse were very similar and had a lot in common. As the weeks went on, Cam and Jesse started to come closer together and became more than friends. So in the end, Cam enjoyed her eight weeks of being at fat camp because she got the guy and she also lost the weight.
When Cam got to the camp she was nervous and scared because she wasn’t really good at making friends. As she got there, a girl walked up to her and her name was Faith Masters. Faith Masters was her best friend through all of her time that she stayed at the camp. Faith Masters was a girl from Texas who really made Cam comfortable and able to enjoy herself at the camp. She also made her control herself about her eating habits because ice cream and French fries were her favorite food.
As Cam started to get used to the camp, she saw the cutest guy ever walk by her at the camp. His name was Jesse. He was the only reason she liked staying at the camp; a whole eight weeks. If he wasn’t there she would be having an attitude the entire time just wanting to be home. Cam and Jesse were very similar and had a lot in common. As the weeks went on, Cam and Jesse started to come closer together and became more than friends. So in the end, Cam enjoyed her eight weeks of being at fat camp because she got the guy and she also lost the weight.
Read
April 17, 2011In Deborah Blumenthal’s “Fat Camp” tells about all the drama’s that go down between teens. Camp Calliope was a camp where most likely parents would send their overweight children to. Well one day, one parent decided to send their daughter, Cam, to this camp to control her weight, exercise, and the amount of food that enters into her body. Well Cam didn’t want to go to this camp.
When Cam got to the camp she was nervous and scared because she wasn’t really good at making friends. As she got there, a girl walked up to her and her name was Faith Masters. Faith Masters was her best friend through all of her time that she stayed at the camp. Faith Masters was a girl from Texas who really made Cam comfortable and able to enjoy herself at the camp. She also made her control herself about her eating habits because ice cream and French fries were her favorite food.
As Cam started to get used to the camp, she saw the cutest guy ever walk by her at the camp. His name was Jesse. He was the only reason she liked staying at the camp; a whole eight weeks. If he wasn’t there she would be having an attitude the entire time just wanting to be home. Cam and Jesse were very similar and had a lot in common. As the weeks went on, Cam and Jesse started to come closer together and became more than friends. So in the end, Cam enjoyed her eight weeks of being at fat camp because she got the guy and she also lost the weight.
When Cam got to the camp she was nervous and scared because she wasn’t really good at making friends. As she got there, a girl walked up to her and her name was Faith Masters. Faith Masters was her best friend through all of her time that she stayed at the camp. Faith Masters was a girl from Texas who really made Cam comfortable and able to enjoy herself at the camp. She also made her control herself about her eating habits because ice cream and French fries were her favorite food.
As Cam started to get used to the camp, she saw the cutest guy ever walk by her at the camp. His name was Jesse. He was the only reason she liked staying at the camp; a whole eight weeks. If he wasn’t there she would be having an attitude the entire time just wanting to be home. Cam and Jesse were very similar and had a lot in common. As the weeks went on, Cam and Jesse started to come closer together and became more than friends. So in the end, Cam enjoyed her eight weeks of being at fat camp because she got the guy and she also lost the weight.
December 23, 2008
I liked the dialogue in this book. It read true to life and it flowed naturally. The characters felt a bit cliche, although that may just be me since I have no clue how people behave at fat camp.The biggest reason I gave this book only 3 stars is because I thought the author was saying "Oh, you're fat AND don't have a boyfriend? Go to fat camp where you can loose weight and hook up with a guy you may be romantically compatible with and discuss how being fat makes you feel"
I don't know. I may be reading too much into the dialogue, but I hated how Jesse and Evie's relationship seemingly centered on how they felt fat and weird next to their fit,succesful families.
I don't know. I may be reading too much into the dialogue, but I hated how Jesse and Evie's relationship seemingly centered on how they felt fat and weird next to their fit,succesful families.
Read
January 20, 2015To be honest, I started reading this book to distract and calm myself from the death of a character from the previous book that I read. I expected this book to be childish - which it kinda is, to me anyway - but it is also really engaging. Especially since I am trying to lose some weight myself, I enjoyed Fat Camp. Best thing about this book (to me)? It makes me feel more motivated to lose weight! I'm going for a run first thing tomorrow morning, for sure.
February 14, 2011
Bought this book in a clearence sale for my classroom library. It's a really quick read (I read it in a couple of hours) but does have a good message about being happy with yourself and not focusing on the outside. It does have a couple of swear words in it but besides that, it's a great book for pre-teens/teens
December 3, 2012
This novel is a nice, quick, humorous read that deals with the serious subject of being overweight. There was a nice honesty to the book, and hits dead-on for this subject. At the end, there was a sweet parting scene where they all are about to leave the camp. I liked the campers/characters as they connected with one another.
September 30, 2008
This was a mildly entertaining book about a girl who goes to a summer camp to lose weight. Unlike most stories on this subject, the girl seems to gain maturity and insight over the summer and learns to be a happier person.
July 9, 2012
an okay read. it reminded me alot of the show "huge". i really liked the ending where she was talking about the before picture and how she looked so sad vs. the way she looks in the mirror now. i can identify with that since i've been going through my own journey.
January 14, 2008
This book is EXCELLENT. The title makes it seem like a weird book, but Cam's story is great anyway.
March 21, 2010
Wow, apparently I've read this book twice, with absolutely no recollection of it the second time.
July 15, 2008
its weird so u might not like it.
February 23, 2009
I myself have worked at two weight loss camps and can totally relate to this story. It is hilarious and sad.
May 22, 2009
I totally loved the book. I wish there was a sequel
March 6, 2014
I really like this book.
February 17, 2014
Liked it.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews