CAMP UTOPIA AND THE FORGIVENESS DIET

Sixteen-year-old Bee Stern is sent to Camp Utopia, a fat camp, where she meets many teens just like herself. Narrator Shannon McManus brings Bee delightfully to life. On the road trip from Baltimore to California Bee and her beautiful older sister, Jackie, bond and argue while Bee tries the "Forgiveness Diet," hoping that she needn't go to camp. McManus artfully depicts sibling rivalry and the added tension when Jackie's "loser" boyfriend joins them. Ruden and McManus realistically cover many teen issues including appearance, parents, crushes, and self-acceptance as Bee learns that not ALL of her problems stem from her weight. The kids' conversations about craving rich food and sweet Starbucks drinks is a dose of reality that all listeners can relate to. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2014]