Fat Camp Commandos: Go West

Fat Camp Commandos

by Daniel Pinkwater, Andy Rash (Illustrator)

In this sequal to Fat Camp Commandos, the fat-camp dropouts are back--ready to raise a ruckus at a western dude ranch!

It's not enough that Ralph and Sylvia Nebula along with their dear friends, Celtic and Mavis Goldfarb have absconded from fat camp. It's not enough that they've perpertrated pranks on the people of Pookooksie. Oh, no! These rapscallions, these anti-social tubs of lard, won't stop there. Now, they are primed to challenge the great traditions of our nation, the very things we have learned as children in dark movie theaters and in front of the TV during the four o'clock John Wayne spaghetti western. Yes, that's right, they're headed to the Great American West.
Don't their parents know better? Apparently not. They're letting loose the same three kids who sacked Camp Noo Yoo as if they were Attila and his Huns.

Genres: Childrens

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that task has passed to his wife Jill Pinkwater.

Reviews

[Madison Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Kids fighting diet culture 🫡 Will be in my future office.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sequel, Ralph and Sylvia leave another fat camp (one their parents tricked them into attending) to join Mavis on a cowboy ranch. Mavis wants to stop a conflict between the cowboys at the ranch and the fat camp attendees -- and there are space aliens, too. I didn't like it as well as the previous book, but it's still fun.

[Joshua Gross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, there's some reviewers out there who just didn't get it. They're appalled by the idea of fat children protagonists. While this one didn't quite have the subtle depth of the first one, this one was funnier. It also told the story of two rival groups coming together for the good of all and resolving their differences (sort of). And I was pleased about the reference to Fatmen From Space, who actually seem to pop up quite a bit in Pinkwater's books.

[Kasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is probably the dumbest book I have ever read. And it's really strange too, but there is a new york times review on the front that said how funny it was and I just didn't really get it.

Aside from the fact that it really wasn't funny, the topic of overweight children is a pretty sensitive one, and I felt uncomfortable in general for any overweight child that might pick up this book.

[elstaffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pull quotes/notes
"We were getting our first impression of Horny Toad through the car windows.
It was a town that would disappoint you, even if you weren't expecting anything." (26)

"'The Jalapeño Kid, Wild Bill Hockup, Six-Finger Jack, Black Schwartz, and the Urps are all retired lawmen or bad men,' Mavis said.
'Some of us are both.' one of the Urps said." (41)

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun!! Pinkwater is always wonderful, but you either get him or you don't. If "Deepdip Cha-cha's Fun Ashram for Kids" sounds like a place you'd like to check out, lasso up this book! Not quite as good as the first adventure of the commandos, but a totally worthy read.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why was I reading a children's book?

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this, I believe, hundreds of times. Permanently instilled a desire/love for corn muffins in our whole family. Again, I say, genius!!

[Shelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not as funny as the first one, but still a good read. The ending left on a cliff hanger. I hope if Daniel Pinkwater writes a third book he adds more of the humor he had from book one.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of reminders of what happened in the last book, which to me slowed it down a little. Still good over all message.

[Stven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Pinkwater, almost always a hoot! This one is a light toss of half an hour, some good silliness but no laughs out loud -- thus below his average, but above that of the world at large

[Zana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, absurd, nutty, and a lot of fun.