Boot Camp

by Todd Strasser

In the middle of the night Garrett is taken from his home to Harmony Lake, a boot camp for troubled teens. Maybe some kids deserve to be sent there, but Garrett knows he doesn't. Subjected to brutal physical and psychological abuse, he tries to fight back, but the battle is futile. He won't be allowed to leave until he's admitted his "mistakes" and conformed to Harmony Lake's standards of behavior. And there's no way to fake it. Beaten, humiliated, and stripped of his pride, Garrett's spirit is slowly ebbing away. Then he hears whispers of an escape plot. It's incredibly risky -- if he's caught, the consequences will be unthinkable -- but it may be his only way out.

In this tense, riveting novel, award-winning YA author Todd Strasser reveals what really goes on in highly secretive -- and notoriously dangerous -- boot camps, a stealth prison system where any teenager under the age of eighteen can be imprisoned at his parents' whim.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Abuse, Survival, Contemporary, Adventure

238 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 28, 2006

About the author

Todd Strasser is an American author of more than 130 novels for adults, young-adults, and middle graders.

His most recent novel is Summer of '69

Booklist review: "Drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll, those hallmarks of the summer of 1969, are all here, but there's so much more. In this loosely autobiographical novel, Strasser introduces 18-year-old Lucas, who is bright and sensitive but also a screw up…. The picture painted of the Woodstock music festival shows the dark side of peace and love, and the prevalence of drugs is on almost every page…The best part of the book, however, is the one that transcends eras: Lucas' introspection as he contemplates his place in the world."

Kirkus review: "Strasser perfectly captures the golden haze of youth and life on the cusp of adulthood. Readers fascinated with this time period will find much to enjoy... Vietnam, Woodstock, road trips, and acid trips: a sweetly bittersweet, surprising, even melancholy bildungsroman set against a world in flux. Groovy, man."

His most recent young adult novel is Price of Duty:
2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
“Compact and suspenseful, the novel raises important questions about war.” – Kirkus 
“This thought-provoking book is both welcome and imperative.” – Booklist * (starred review).
"Rather than attempting to sway the reader, it offers awareness." - VOYA 
“Tightly wound and compelling ... appropriate for an older middle school and high school audience. VERDICT: Highly recommended.” – School Library Journal 

Bio: Todd was born in New York City. When he was young his parents moved to Roslyn Heights, New York (Long Island). Todd went to the I.U. Willets Elementary school and then attended the Wheatley School for junior high and high school. His best subjects were math and science. He also liked to read, but he had trouble with spelling and grammar, and didn't do well in English. His favorite sports were tennis, skiing and fishing. Todd went to college at New York University for a few years, and then dropped out. He lived on a commune, then lived in Europe where he was a street musician.

All the while, Todd wrote songs and poems and lots of letters to his friends back home. Finally he decided to try being a writer. He returned to the United States and went to Beloit College where he studied literature and writing.

After college, Todd worked at the Middletown Times Herald-Record newspaper in Middletown, New York, and later at Compton Advertising in New York City. In 1978, Todd sold his first novel, Angel Dust Blues. He used the money to start the Dr. Wing Tip Shoo fortune cookie company. For the next 12 years, Todd sold more fortune cookies than books.

Todd now divides his time between writing books and speaking at schools and conferences. When he's at home, he likes to spend time with his children and dog, Cooper. He still likes to play tennis and ski, but his favorite new sport is surfing.

Reviews

[Airaology · Rating 3 out of 5]

There will be swearing. You've been warned.





WHAT THE FLYING FUCK.
WHAT THE FLYING FUCK DID I JUST READ.
WHAT THE FLIPPING FREXING SHITTING ASSHOLING MOTHERFUCKING FUCKITY FUCK FUCK.

So, it's 3.45 A.M, jus finished reading Bootcamp and I'm crying but not for the usual sappy sad reason. I AM FURIOUS.

WHAT ENDING IS THIS?
WHAT BULLSHIT ENDING IS THIS?

He endured all that fucking crap- all that beatings and humiliation and abuse and verbal assault and then the ending happened, the 'rewiring' what what what what what.

I HATE THE MOTHER. Oh my God. Your son is nothing i repeat NOTHING compared to half the people that populate this world. You ungrateful self centered attention grabbing WENCH. AND THE ENDING WHERE SHE GOES 'OH ARE YOU OKAY MY SON DID THEY BEAT YOU UP?' WELL YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK OFF BITCH. TOO LITTLE TOO LATE.

Let me be clear. I don't hate this book and I think that the author did his research (really well considering I want to tear this fucking place down) but the book was such a painful read. I had to put it down and not read it at all because it made me want to strangle the characters and not because they're annoying but because of pure hatred. Honestly, I just wanted to dive into the book and beat fifty shades of crap towards Jo and THAT STUPID FUCKING LITTLE PRICK ADAM OHMYDEARLORD IF MALFOY AND HITLER AND SATAN DECIDED TO ADOPT A BABY, ADAM WOULD BE THE BOY.

I AM SO CONFLICTED WHY GARRETT WHY MUST YOU GO BACK TO LAKE HARMONY HELL.

In the end, they broke him. It's so painful because he struggled a lot. He went through a lot and did (not) do things I wished he did (like kick Joe in the face)

Parents who feel like they don't have a choice but to send their kids to these types of places should be slapped and pinched and verbally assault them (but no punching because those leaves bruises!) Seriously. There will ALWAYS BE A CHOICE YOU JUST CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT, MUCH LIKE GARRETT'S TWO FACED WENCH

[Betryal · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's horrifying to read this book and come to realize that no matter how much you hear about the existence of boot camps, what occurs in them. I'm a Canadian and I've only heard of one in existence in Ontario and they're shutting the damn lot down after investigating it thoroughly. But aside from that...

The author of this book takes you into the reality of a boot camp. It's a hard story to swallow and I'm going to tell you how while I sat here reading it every nerve ending in my body jumped, every emotion ripped through my like a lightening bolt and I was nauseous and left somewhat traumatized by this story. I tell you now it's not a light read in any shape or form. Not one iota, but I do like that the author gets the word out there that 'let's face it folks it's all to damn real!'

Looking for angst? It's in this book. But if you're a sensitive reader? Stand back and move past this one. If you can take and your balls are brass and your tough as nails? Go for it.

In all I did enjoy this book, but now I'm ready to tackle something with a little less impact on my mental state of mind that's not too stable in thought pattern at the moment after this story.

Here's a link to the Youtube vid that pertains to this book if you'd like to take a gander:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJwY10...

[Beagle Lover (Avid Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boot Camp, 3.50 stars

First, the MCs: Garrett the major MC, Pauly, the wimp, Sarah, the beaten down girl that still has a fire inside of her, and Joe the sadistic "father" to Garrett and Pauly.

In the middle of the night, Garrett is taken from his home and "transported" to Lake Harmony, a camp that is presented to perspective parents of troubled or out of control teens under 18 years of age as a place where, through strong discipline and reeducation, the camp returns to the parents a "normal" child that they have always wanted.

But nothing is "normal" about Camp Harmony. It is a boot camp, not a reeducation camp. And the emphasis is not one that teaches strong discipline, but hardcore physical and mental abuse for the slightest infraction of the many rules the camp has in its "Bible." Joe, the "father" of the group of boys known as the Dignity group, is a horrendous, cruel and sadistic person who takes any opportunity to break Garrett of his "wrongs" with pure mental and physical abuse so bad that the boy ends up in the infirmary after a particularly vicious and brutal beating.

Pauly is constantly picked on by the stronger and meaner teens in his group, with Joe's blessing. Since Joe cannot be caught actually harming a camper, he has a select group of boys do it for him, and they do so eagerly to curry favor and advancement up the "levels" within the group that gives them more privileges.

Pauly and Sarah create a plan to escape from the camp by turning off the power to the entire camp and then setting a fire. When the fire trucks arrive, the three slip out past the gate and spend the next few days walking, hitchhiking, and dumpster-diving to attempt to get to Canada. They finally reach the southern shore of the St. Lawrence River and steal a motor boat and head across the river, but not before cleverly pulling the plugs from the bottoms of the remaining boats. As they set out towards Canada, Garrett notices that his two "transporters" are giving chase, not aware that their boat is slowly sinking until they are half way across the river.

Garrett and his friends reach the Canadian shore, and Garrett decides to turn around alone to save the two drowning people. The woman, Rebecca, is grateful, but the man, Harry, hauls Garrett back to Camp Harmony where Joe heaps untold abuse upon him once again.

The day after Garrett is back in camp, his parents arrive after learning from Pauly and Sarah, backed up by Rebecca, of what actually goes on at the camp. When Garrett's mother asks him is he was harmed in any way, he says "Yes, they did." Then he adds, "But I deserved it."

This book reveals the true nature of the possible 100 to 200 such "camps" throughout America that are making enormous amounts of money off parents grasping at any straw to have the "perfect" child. Some are actually government run, but most a privately operated and unregulated. Is this the manner that we should be using to correct troubled teens? This reader thinks not. How do you feel about such "boot camps?"

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know that these types of places are real and it makes me mad to think of parents sending their kids there and paying people to treat them this way.

I felt so sorry for Garrett. I think had his parents let him live up to his mind that things with Sabrina wouldn't have happened. I also think that there would have been lots of other ways for Garrett's parents to deal with things. By wanting to keep things "nice" they just brought on more trouble.

I loved that Garrett kept trying to buck the system, even at great cost to himself. I was glad that he took the out that came his way, but really wish that he wouldn't have done the right thing there at the end. I do admire him for making that choice knowing what was waiting for him.

The last part of the book broke my heart, but what was even worse was the last couple of pages. I find the parents actions to be too little too late and absolutely hated Garrett's last words. Life will never be the same for him and shame on his parents for it!

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book succeeds at being a vehicle for portraying life in a Boot Camp. It includes a list of references and everything.

Sadly, the story was tragically injured in the author's attempt to convey his message. The story jumps chronologically, losing chunks of time with nothing changing in the life of the narrator--I mean that it seams like one chapter is the day after another, but we're told it's months later. Also our narrator behaves rather inconsistently with his character, needing to be convinced to try an escape from the camp, for example. At the end of the story, the author wants us to see what it would be like if our narrator was successfully brainwashed, so he suddenly is. I realize this is a YA book, but teens are smarter than this.

The writing is nothing spectacular.

More compelling would be an oral history, interviews with several people with who went to different camps. Or perhaps a better story using the information from research.

We may have an accurate telling of things that have happened in boot camps, but we do not have any accurate depictions of teens.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garrett is dragged out of his bed in the middle of the night, handcuffed, and taken to Lake Harmony, a teenage boot camp, completely against his will. His parents sent him to this behavior modification camp in order to teach him respect and self-discipline.

Garrett is an extremely bright fifteen-year-old. School has never been a problem for him. In fact, he quite often gets bored. He can finish in three days what it takes most students a whole week to accomplish. So, he doesn’t always go to school. Instead he goes to museums or the park to play chess with the old men.

The main reason Garrett’s parents sent him to Lake Harmony though, is Sabrina. Sabrina was one of his teachers until his parents found out about their relationship. His parents got her fired, but didn’t want to go to the police because they didn’t want the story to go public. His mother is always afraid of how things will look to others. Garrett doesn’t stop seeing Sabrina and even begins to stay at her house overnight. His parents feel that Lake Harmony is the only way to break off the relationship.

At Lake Harmony, Garrett experiences isolation, torture, and both physical and mental abuse. His resists the attempts of the staff to brainwash him into thinking he is wrong about everything. Garrett doesn’t accept the fact that just because his parents are paying $4000 a month for him to be at Lake Harmony, they are right about everything.

It is clear Todd Strasser has done a lot of research on the topic of behavior modification programs for teens. There is an afterword describing some of what he discovered and more importantly, a reference list of materials he used to put together his research for the book. Even though the story wraps up a little too quickly and a little too neatly in the end, it is a story that makes you think.

If you want to know if Garrett can make it through with his self-esteem intact? Read BOOT CAMP by Todd Strasser.

[Dracolibris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abducted from his home in the middle of the night, Garrett is whisked away to an ultra-secret "boot camp" called Lake Harmony, where he discovers that his parents have sent him to be "reprogrammed" into a better, more malleable son that agrees with everything his parents have set before him. While there he encounters severe mental and physical abuse and realizes that while his own struggle to remain true to himself might be won, the lives of others could be at stake if he does not help them with a wildly desparate escape attempt.

This book is a sure fire set-up to get the reader angry at parents, adults and all unreasonable rules that teens might have to face in their challenge to grow up on beyond their childhoods. The author cites many resources in the back of the book that he used in researching the subject of the "secret prison system for teenagers" that exists in the US and I do not doubt that we should all be appalled by the conditions that exist at some of these places and the treatment to which teens have been subjected.

However, I took issue with the fact that Garrett, an otherwise brilliant teen, was actually sent to the camp for having an affair with his teacher, and he never quite reaches the point where he thinks this may have been A Very Bad Idea. Instead, as the reader is led through his thoughts and feelings about the boot camp, we see every possible excuse being worked out about why his sexual relationship with a person in a position of trust was "just a big misunderstanding" on his parent's part, why it is completely justified (they were in love), and why he can't ever think of the relationship as being wrong. Perhaps if he had been found guilty of petty larceny, joy riding, or some other "minor" offense he would have been a more sympathetic character in the end for me, but I disliked the author's use of one majorly bad situation (the student-teacher affair) to justify the rebellion against another (the boot camp).

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The protagonist of the book is 15-year-old Connor, who is sent to a military training camp—or, as the Americans might say, a boot camp for disturbed youth. His parents send him there because they don't like the fact that he's in a relationship with his former teacher, who is 10 years older. He must be taught respect, obedience, and how to behave improperly in front of his parents, all by Lake Harmony. Teenagers are mistreated mentally as well as physically at this camp, all in the service of their cruel scheme. After six months, Connor has come to the conclusion that he will never experience freedom again. As a result, he and two other children attempt to escape the camp and travel to Canada while keeping in mind the dire penalties that would follow a capture.

"To fight the monotony and boredom of TI, I begin to relive memories: the day I walked into math class and saw Sabrina for the first time, in a red short-sleeved dress, writing an equation on the blackboard...”
― Morton Rhue, Boot Camp

This horrible narrative still has me in a state of shock. I find it difficult to understand or even just believe that boot camps are a terrible reality in the US. They operate in secret to punish and discipline "troubled youths," hidden from prying eyes and the legal system. What qualifies a problematic youngster, to begin with? Someone who abstains from school or takes drugs? Perhaps a person who doesn't share their parents' worldview or who falls in love with the wrong person. The idea that every parent with the financial resources to send their children to one of these camps can just do it is absurd, to put it mildly. Due to the fact that children cannot exercise their rights until they are adults, there will be no consequences or legal action.

With this gruesomely detailed account of Lake Harmony's functioning and the spiraling decline of Connor's emotions, hope, and belief system, Morton Rhue kept me on edge from the very start of the book. Despite the very gloomy conclusion, it must reflect the unpleasant truth.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garrett is abducted by transporters in the middle of the night from his parents’ house. They take him to a facility designed to transform problem kids into model teens – docile, obedient, and perfect. Upon his arrival, Garrett learns that his parents have paid to have him taken away, and will continue to pay (for the next six months, at least), until his behavior improves – to their satisfaction – or until he is 18 (whereupon he can decide to remove himself from the facility). But, Garrett, like few of the others at Harmony isn’t a bad kid. He’s not involved in gangs or violence, he’s not completely disrespectful, he’s not a drug addict. He is, however, involved in a relationship with his former teacher – a woman who’s 8 years older than he is. That is the straw that breaks the camel’s back so far as his parents are concerned.

Harmony modifies teens' behavior through abuse and violence (and eventually brainwashing). The environment is bleak, and the other kids play a major role in handing out the abuse – they’re rewarded for reporting on one another, and for taking part in verbal and physical violence against other inmates. When the kids can’t take anymore, they break, they come to believe that the system is right, and eventually they adopt its practices as their own. Garrett resists this as much as he can, even though his defiance and refusal to cooperate land him in Temporary Isolation (TI) again and again. In TI, Garrett must spend most of his time lying on the floor, face down. During this time he is often beaten by other kids. Occasionally his captors allow him to sit up so that he may eat or defecate. This punishment often lasts a week or longer.

Two other kids, Sarah and Pauly, also notice Garrett’s difference. They are desperate to escape having been at Harmony for years to Garrett’s months. They finally convince him to come along with them and the three break out and head for Canada. Sarah and Pauly make it, but Garrett is caught by the transporters who have been engaged to follow and capture them (he rescues his captors when their boat sinks en route to the US/Canadian border). When we next hear from Garrett, he’s a new teen – polite, obedient, contrite. His mom arrives on the scene after hearing rumors of the abuse that kids have endured while at Harmony, and Garrett makes the sickening admission that he deserved everything he received. The end.

It was disturbing to read (and learn – in the Afterword) that places like Harmony really exist – and that parents are willing to leave their kids in the hands of strangers who will literally work them over into something new. Some of these places even exist in other countries where US authorities have no power/jurisdiction. Garrett sounds like he’s just a normal kid in most ways – one who was bored in school, whose parents weren’t available for him much, who experimented with his freedom like most kids do. He had what many people would consider an unusual (and perhaps disturbing) relationship with his teacher, but he was also extremely mature for his age. His parents, scared of the damage that news of his relationship would do to their own careers, made a rather extreme choice when they sent him to boot camp. Making that relationship public would likely have brought about its end.

This story had a genuine feel to it, and should shake readers up. It manages to horrify without being too terribly graphic (and thus, more objectionable). It also serves to educate readers about these mysterious and abusive boot camps.

[Joanna Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Boot Camp" by Todd Strasser is a great book for teens. It is a realistic fiction novel about Garrett's struggles with physical abuses at this boot camp that he is sent by his parents. One day, Garrett is handcuffed by a random man, and he arrives at a place where he hears people scream and yell. He starts talking to the guardians and gets beaten hard. Just for talking and asking questions, Garrett needs to get physically punished. Comparing this book to the documentary I saw about the military, they are fairly similar except the boot camp is worse. In the documentary, it just showed the militaristic training which is tough, but I expected to see it. The boot camp is different. Garrett didn’t even know why he had to be there. When I picked up this book and started to read, I could get right into the story. It started in the scene when he was getting handcuffed, which was a great start. I could easily pick up the beginning. The only part that I would fix in this book is the beginning of each chapters. There is a sentence giving a heads up about what each chapters are going to be about. These sentences in the gave out too much informations that it kind of spoiled the story about chapters. I recommend this book to people who likes to read about students, or if you have ever experienced the militaristic life, I would recommend this book to you. I enjoy reading books about students my age and I enjoyed reading this book.

[Dylan Schwemmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bootcamp is about a kid named garrett who is sent to a school for problem teens by his parents. I liked the idea of the book and that they have to escape but they could've done it differently. I liked the idea of Garrett being a trubbled teen and the fact that he was sent to thre school becouse he was dateing his techter, it was a diffretn story then what im used to. I didn't really like the characters and how they acted or how they talked like they were paranoid. I didn't like that ending of the book because it just ended abruptly and left it at a cliffhanger but i do like the fact that his parents were finally able to see what it was like for him to stay at a place like that for so long. I did and i didnt like the book at the same time it was cool the way they had the kids escape and all but i think they could have did it a different way. If i was going to escape would at least have someone waiting of the other side for my instead of just going for it. I would problem give this book a 4 out of 5 because it was cool and interesting but its like i said before I don't like the ending that could have did it better, but all in all it was a ok book and i would read it again but only if i had to.

[Karen Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todd Strasser takes on "behavior modification" camps -- those places parents send their out-of-control and/or disobedient children. Boot Camp is the story of Garrett, who finds himself handcuffed and taken by two "transporters" whose job it is to forcibly take children to Lake Harmony, where the full-color brochures promise that within 6 to 18 months, parents will get back the child they always dreamed of in place of the one they shipped off. Garrett believes he doesn't belong at Lake Harmony, and has a lot of trouble following the rules. Because of that, he is subjected to physical punishments and he is abused by the staff and other camp residents. Garrett's growing sense of hopelessness and isolation are well-written, and he and the other characters in the book will resonate with readers. The author's notes are important -- Todd Strasser makes sure he does his homework before he takes on a controversial topic (like he did in Give a Boy a Gun), so make sure you check those out at the end.

[Abby Mcclellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I would highly recommend for people who like a good adventure. Garrett is a fifteen year old boy who is smart, just not when it comes to making decisions. He was involved with his teacher who happened to be eight years older than him. One night Garrett is kidnapped out of his home and taken to a boot camp in New York, where he is going to be apart of some of the roughest mental and physical pain he will ever experience. He meets Paul and Sarah who are wanting to run away. They have a plan and everything, if you want to know if they all make it you need to read Boot Camp.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book........ Oh my goodness this book. Rip my heart out put it back together just to tear it apart again. Oh. My. Gosh. I can't say anything. I am speechless. I might edit this later and write a true review, but all I can say is if you were thinking of reading this book, think no more for I shall force this book into your hands.

[Booksandnici · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mein Herz is breakening kids.

[AB]

In some sort of plan of waking me up, my friend gave me this book saying that it would be a good fit for me.
When I was 17, just like Garrett here, my loving parents signed off on sending me to a bootcamp on the advice of a state counselor. Now, I didnt experience what Garret did, but in the eyes of my friend it was heinous nonetheless.

At the heart of it, its about a boy trying to rationalize what he is experiencing and trying to resist what he calls brainwashing. I was not sleeping with my teacher like Garrett here. Now true, I felt the same way at first. Life was rigidly set. I strained against what I felt was the injustices of the world. I thought I was in hell.
 Maybe I liberally quoted As flies to wanton boys...   in my own journal thinking I was smart. (English was the only class I ever went to).

There was no isolation room or pinching here. I wasnt mentally abused by the staff or by other cadets acting as their cronies. Sure there was yelling, but it didn't bother me. I very fondly remember scrubbing the floor with a tooth brush or mopping a driveway in the pouring rain.  Like Garrett, it was constantly drilled into us that we had to straighten ourselves out.

Now here comes the kicker. Does this make me feel like I was brainwashed? Maybe it was in one of my frequent "special watches" that I realized that maybe instead of resisting I should just man up and change. I stopped pushing back as hard and slowly sank into the martial routine. I began to enjoy it. I grew to love a regimented life and felt a real purpose in exercising. But the author's afterword did not strike a cord. The brutal ending of this book did not wake me up. Dont get me wrong, the discipline in this book was bad. No doubt stuff like this happened but not where I went. Maybe I am brainwashed but I can look back at it as another one of those life experiences I can spin a yarn from. There is no trauma to it. As the 'brainwashed' characters in this book like to puppet: maybe I would be somewhere bad if it wasnt for this experience . Maybe to Garrett I was brainwashed. I was thankful to my parents for sending me. It was the tough love I needed. That heavy guiding hand gave me a strong purpose in life. A clarity of mind that close to 8 years later I still have.

One year later, I came home with broad shoulders, 20 extra pounds of muscle, a tan deepened by exposure to the elements, and a martial swagger in tone and gait. Sirs and ma'ams littered my speech. I remember walking around with my chest puffed out and easily slipping into the "at ease" posture. I woke up of my own volition at 05:00 and ran. Did I stop drinking or smoking? Not a chance. But I stopped doing the stupid shit that would have led me to jail.

The martial swagger may have disappeared but the attitude remained. I don't have nightmares or cold sweats. I'm just your average lit pseud on the internet. This is just another teen fiction book. And this my blog post. And these opinions are strictly my own.

[Sarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Du kommst hier nicht raus, wenn du ihnen vorspielst, was sie haben wollen.
Du kommst hier erst raus, wenn du bist, was sie haben wollen"

Zum Buchinhalt

Der 15jährige Conner hat keine Ahnung, wohin ihn die beiden Fremden bringen, die ihn entführt, mit Handschellen gefesselt und auf den Rücksitz eines Autos verfrachtet haben. Das einzige, was er weiß, dass seine Eltern etwas damit zu tun haben müssen.
Am Ziel der Reise angekommen wird ihm sofort klar, wo er gelandet ist: In einem Boot Camp. Ein Schock! Schließlich ist Conner keiner dieser straffälligen oder drogensüchtigen Jugendlichen, die über keinerlei Werte oder Respekt verfügen und die typischen „Insassen“ einer solchen Einrichtung sind. Im Gegenteil, er ist ein hochintelligenter Junge, der trotz dieser Tatsache einfach nicht denn Erwartung seiner Eltern entspricht. Doch das kann sich ja ändern lassen… z.B. mit einem auf unbestimmte Zeit befristeten Aufenthalt in einem Boot Camp. Und mit dieser Entscheidung ändert sich Conners Leben grundlegend. Fortan ist er willkürlichen Maßnahmen extremer physischer und psychischer Gewalt ausgesetzt, die nur ein einziges Ziel verfolgen: seinen Willen zu brechen. Dabei ist jedes Mittel recht…

Meine Meinung

Bereits auf den ersten Seiten war ich schockiert über die Zustände in Lake Harmony (Harmonie, das ich nicht lache^^). Eigentlich war mir in etwa schon bewusst, wie die Zustände in Boot Camps aussehen, aber meine Vorstellungen wurden bei weitem übertroffen. Von Anfang an werden die Jugendlichen systematisch niedergemacht, gedemütigt und blamiert, um deren Willen zu brechen.

Tja und hierfür ist jedes Mittel recht…Die Betreuer sind knallhart und scheinen absolut kein Gewissen zu haben, geschweige denn ein Fünkchen Mitleid oder Nachsicht. Im Gegenteil die Campinsassen (ist meiner Meinung nach passender) werden wegen nichts angebrüllt oder bestraft. z.B. Wenn nicht das sagt wird, was die Betreuer in dem Moment hören möchte. Dann kommt man auf die Isolationsstation, wo sich die Jugendlichen mit dem Gesicht auf dem Boden legen müssen und nur aufstehen dürfen, wenn sie aufs Klo gehen oder etwas essen. Außerdem werden ihnen immer wieder die gleichen Sätze an den Kopf geworfen:

„Du hast es dir selbst zuzuschreiben, dass du hier bist.“, „Alles was du in deinem Leben getan hast, war falsch.“, „Du kommst hier niemals raus, wenn du nicht lernst, Autoritäten zu respektieren.“, „Du musst lernen, dankbar zu sein. Deine Eltern haben dich hierher geschickt, um dich zu retten. Du hast ihnen sehr viel zu verdanken.“ (S.61)

Doch nicht nur die Betreuer sind so grausam. Auch die Jugendlichen untereinander machen sich gegenseitig fertig. Jeder will am besten da stehen und ist sich daher der Nächste. Ich würde sogar fast so weit gehen und behaupten, dass eine gewisse Hierarchie unter den Bewohnern herrscht. Klassische Rollenverteilung: Die Starken dominieren die Schwachen und nutzen jede Chance die Unterlegenheit zu demonstrieren. Vor allem die, die schon länger im Camp sind als Conner, haben alle Lake Harmony Parolen übernommen (glauben sie auch wirklich) und beten sie ständig herunter -> Gehirnwäsche.Aber genau das ist es, was erreicht werden soll. Die Jugendlichen sollen gehorsam sein und gehorchen (am besten keine eigenen Meinung). Allerdings, wer jetzt glaubt, dass derjenige der sich von Anfang an anpasst besser behandelt wird, hat sich geschnitten. Dieses Verhalten wird überhaupt nicht gern gesehen.

„Du machst dir was vor, wenn du denkst, du kommst hier raus, wenn du dich an die Regeln hältst und denen sagst, dass du dein früheres Verhalten bereust. Das reicht nicht. Du musst das wirklich glauben. Du musst überzeugt davon sein, dass du Unrecht getan hast und dass man dich deshalb zu Recht hierher geschickt hat. Die wollen die umpolen. Denen kannst du nichts vormachen.“ (S.74)

Eine ganz zentrale Rolle in diesem Buch spielt das Thema Gewalt. Körperliche und physische Misshandlungen gehören quasi zur Tagesordnung dazu. Allerdings nur indirekt durch die Betreuer. Diese machen sich die Hände nicht schmutzig. Nein, dafür benutzen sie die Gehirngewaschenen Jugendliche. Manchmal wird ein Übergriff sogar ganz bewusst provoziert, indem sie bei einem Vergehen, die komplette Gruppe (oder wie sie es nennen „Familie“) bestrafen. Sie ziehen einige der bereits gesammelten Punkte ab, wodurch alle eine Stufe nach unten gesetzt werden. Und das ein rotes Tuch für alle. Vor allem für diejenigen, die schon 1 Jahr und länger im Camp sind, denn jede höhere Stufe, bringt einen ein Stück mehr in Richtung Freiheit. Dieses Verhalten macht einen doch nur sprachlos. Einfach unmenschlich und verachtend.

Genauso schockiert haben mich jedoch nicht nur die Zustände im Camp, sondern vielmehr auch die Gründe, warum die Eltern ihre Kinder sie dahin geschickt haben.
Conner z.B. ist nicht der Mustersohn und verhält sich nicht so wie sie es seine Eltern möchten. Hinzukommt noch, dass er sich nicht an das Verbot hält, sich nicht mehr mit seiner 10 Jahre älteren Lehrerin zu treffen. Sarah wiederum wurde von ihrem Vater hierher geschickt, weil sie sich nicht der Gemeinschaft der Mormonen anschließen wollte. Und zum Schluss wäre da Pauly: Sein Vater hat ihn nach Lake Harmony geschickt, weil er zu schmächtig und unmännlich ist. Hallo?! Geht’s noch! Klar sollte man Respekt vor seinen Eltern haben und hören bzw. annehmen, was sie einem sagen, doch eine eigene Meinung zu haben ist schließlich auch wichtig.

Apropos Eltern. Auch diese werden ganz bewusst manipuliert. Alle 6 Monate gibt es einen Tag der offenen Tür bzw. Besuchstag. Vorher werden die Jugendlichen natürlich instruiert, damit alles völlig harmlos aussieht und keiner etwas von den Zuständen und Erziehungsmaßnahmen mitbekommt. Es wird nur das gezeigt, was zu sehen sein soll. Richtig scheinheilig (Wird einem aber schon am Anfang bewusst, durch die Namen der verschiedenen Gruppen bzw. Familien: Würde, Wahrheit, Treue, Höflichkeit). Aber auch davor hat Lake Harmony seine Mittel, wie es seinen guten Ruf beibehält. Verschwiegenheitserklärungen müssen unterschrieben werden, sodass keiner außer den Betreuern und Eltern weiß, wo das Kind hin ist.

Zum Schluss noch etwas positives (nicht, das ihr zu geschockt seid): Das Buch ist wirklich äußerst spannend und interessant geschrieben. Es gab kein Moment an dem die Story irgendwie abgeknickt ist. Danke hierfür Morton Rhue. Sein Schreibstil ist wirklich super. Schön flüssig zu lesen, sodass die Seiten nur so dahin fliegen. Zusätzlich sind die Kapitel so unterteilt, dass am Anfang jedes Kapitels ein Gebot bzw. einen Camp Regel steht, die einem gleich einen Blick verschafft, wie es im Camp zugeht.

Mein Fazit

Ich habe es nicht bereut „Boot Camp“ gelesen zu haben, obwohl ich es für mich größtenteils einfach nur erschreckend war. An manchen Stellen standen mir echt die Tränen in den Augen. Dass es diese Erziehungsanstalten in Amerika tatsächlich gibt, wusste ich zwar, doch dass dort nicht nur schwer erziehbare Jugendlichen von ihren Eltern hingeschickt werden, war mir neu. Ein Kind nach Maß, oder wie? Ob die überhaupt über die Zustände Bescheid wissen? Würde mich wirklich brennend interessieren! Jedenfalls war die Story spannend bis zum Schluss. Ich konnte einfach nicht aufhören zu lesen. Außerdem hat mich das ganze sehr sehr nachdenklich gestimmt. Boot Camps sind für mich keineswegs nur Erziehungsanstalten. Für mich sind sie schlichtweg Gefängnisse, in denen Kinder nach Maß herangezüchtet werden sollen. Und da muss sich jeder fragen: Will man das?

[✼ Hollie ✼ · Rating 3 out of 5]

[SUBTLE SPOILERS!]

That ending was both so infuriating and heartbreaking, I physically felt my body deflate while reading it. Sure, it was perhaps a little anticlimactic given everything the main character goes through and believes in, but that’s what made it so impactful.

Not to mention Lake Harmony is based on real (current) institutions. That in itself is its own horror story.

[Mayra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich hatte am Anfang keine Erwartungen. Da die Bücher die man in der Schule liest sonst ziemlich schlecht geschrieben sind. Ich war aber überrascht wie gut das Buch verfasst war. Wie die Gefühle, Erinnerungen und auch Vorgänge im Kopf durch das Camp beschrieben wurden. Es war spannend und hat eine gute Struktur.

[Ali Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read more at http://rainbowreviews.wix.com/reading free or on Instagram @RainbowReviewsKC

Gut Instinct Rating - 5
Story Line - 5
Writing Style - 4
Characters - 4
Excitement Factor - 4
Believability for type and topics - 5
Similarity to other books - 3
Cover art - 3
Title Relevance - 3

When Garrett's parents think he's out of control, they hire transporters to pick him up in the middle of the night and take him to Camp Lake Harmony. Lake Harmony is basically boot camp for "troubled teens." Lake Harmony is hell. And because Garrett is only sixteen, he'll either have to figure out how to please the masters for early release, wait until he's 18, or... try to escape a top-security prison for teens.

You may like this book if you like the following sub-genres:

Mental Abuse
Physical Abuse
Reform Camps
Coming of Age

HOLY SHIT seems to be the best phrase to describe my experience with this book. I said it numerous times, and wrote it once at the very end following the reading of the afterword. (Insert: HOLY SHIT! here.) I would've loved to have given this book a 5-star, but I had some issues, mostly minor... but the title really wasn't pleasing. We don't really get the idea that this is boot camp (which is why I didn't categorize it as a boot camp, but a reform camp) until close to the end. I would've much rather the title been Lake Harmony: Reform Camp or something other than Boot Camp. It sounds more like a military story as opposed to a reform camp, which is what Lake Harmony is. The cover art didn't really flatter me either since majority of the book, the apparel requirement for Garrett, is flip flops. Having a military-grade boot there is only applicable to a small part of the book, so I wasn't real pleased with that either. Two three's for art and title brought the book down from a 4.29 to a 4 (not that it's a horrible rating, but it was enough to drop the score from 4-stars to 4.5 stars).

The characters were really concrete, but they were almost too concrete. I felt like there wasn't a lot of variance in the characters. And maybe that's the reform camp setting talking to me, where everyone is expected to act a certain way, but had it not been for Mr. Sparks, Sarah, and Pauly, this would've gone down to a 3. Everyone was so similar, so it could become tiresome if you're someone who needs lots of color in their books. But, with the addition of these three characters, I think we saw the three levels of staff members and outside acceptance, as well as the three levels of level-one-campers. (That will hopefully make more sense once you've read the book.) There was a lot of changes for Garrett, which likely saved this from being a 3, or less. We saw a lot of personalities come out of Garrett, including the way he thinks, which I thought was the most valuable component to this story.
This book was so believable, it was unbelievable. And I can't/won't/don't want to say anything else, but... this definitely makes sense when you're reading.

This book, sadly, is similar to other books. I think I've read 2-3 books this year that have a very similar plot line. It doesn't make it a bad book, but the less unique something is, the more we are tied down to re-reading the same story with a few different characters. I think the aspects of this book were probably more deliberate. The author seems to really research his characters before he fully unveils them, which I think is fantastic (it lead to me not even being able to read Give a Boy a Gun by him, but this book was happily more catered to my reading needs). So in the case of this book, the characters made this book different from the others I've read. Sure, there's a hero, and a bully, and the "loser," and the girl (or the guy... in this case, it's a girl). All these things are applicable, but the way in which they were discovered, discussed, and displayed were different from the rest.

The writing style was fine. I wasn't overly impressed with anything here or there. It would've probably been given a 5 if there weren't paragraph-breaks to break up the story within the chapters, but that's not the end of the world. It wasn't a challenging read, and at times, I felt like it become too repetitive. I maybe would've been more interested in a diary perspective in place of some of the things that were routine in the story line. But again, it didn't break the book. The book was still powerful and exciting (most of the time, again... given the repetitive nature, sometimes you could doze out of a few pages).

[Mark Hennion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would hope that any reader at some point in their life journey encounters a book that forces them to face new things in life and shows them an alternative perspective than their own. Oftentimes, it is the mark of an important book (or film) when such a work can stir such strong emotions in us as to make us want to mobilize and tell others about our experience (the smallest reaction) or go out and get involved (the biggest reaction).

Boot Camp is such a book.

The summary of the book is quite sufficient; a wealthy teen is signed over to a "boot camp," or a juvenile/youth paramilitary program which takes legal custody and responsibility for the teen and then sets off to "reeducate" or otherwise coerce compliance toward the program and parent's expectations.

The result is nothing less than outrageous. Google this phenomenon and you will be greeted with thousands of heartbreaking stories. Are their valid arguments as to the need and justification of these programs? That's up to the individual, but oftentimes, just like real prison, the abuses and continued obfuscation of completely illegal and inhumane conditions prevail. As a veteran of the US Army, I saw enough of this jail-house mentality in basic training, and by extension I could see how easily this would translate to slightly empowered teens who are given authority by the camp overseers to torture non-conforming individuals.

As a book, I share the complaint that several of the readers have listed here: the main character Garret truly does not resist or defend himself. I entirely understand the author's motivation in showing an extremely intelligent character attempting to outsmart the system, the need to create a sympathetic protagonist, as well as allow for the system to be shown in its hideous fullness.

What I entirely despised was that during the escape the protagonist jeopardizes his newly found freedom to stop the bounty hunters from drowning, and in turn gets re-apprehended himself. Again, I understand the author's motivations: without returning to the camp, the devastating climax/conclusion and important message stood to be lost.

The idiom "can't put the book down" applied with this, quite literally: I started this book and did not once put it down until I finished it. There afterwards I raced to the internet and confirmed so much of this book's truth-inspired ugliness. The result is nothing less than devastating. I commend Todd Strasser for choosing incredibly difficult subjects and for not selling short the story in exchange to bring it in line with YA expectations.

I don't find this story a cautionary tale: I find it more akin to Uncle Tom's Cabin and other books that eliminate the ignorance of the reader and beg those in power capable of mobilizing to put an end to this barbaric institution.

Garret during confinement says it best "Because until you turn eighteen you are not considered an individual. And you have no rights. It's insanity" (Kindle 45%).

[Leah Good]

Oof. I don't have a rating for this one. After watching a few YouTube mini documentaries on reform schools in the United States, I went in search of a fictional take on them and found Boot Camp. This is not a story for the faint of heart.

Summary
Garret is 15 years old. With a brilliant mind, tall stature, and early maturation, he looks and acts older than he is. When he resists ending a relationship with an adult woman, his parents, fearing for their reputation, send him to a reform school. Garret soon finds out, it's more of a concentration camp than a school.

Thoughts
I wish the author had chosen a different trigger than an adult/minor relationship to get Garret dumped into the reform school. It felt like the reader was meant to sympathize with the relationship and ... no. Not okay.

Setting that aside, the fictional reform school in this story mimiced the reality from the YouTube documentaries in brutal relief.

Garrett himself is a compelling character. He courageously sticks up for himself and others and gives careful consideration to what he is and is not willing to sacrifice. He doesn't shy away from making hard calls.

Finally, this is NOT a story to go into if you're looking for a happy ending. Try Dirt Road Home if you want that. I like to imagine that Garrett receives counseling, support from his friends, and love from his parents to help him process the trauma he experienced, but that isn't part of this book.

Content
Language: There was probably some, but it didn't stand out to me, so not as much as most stories in this category.
Romance: A large part of the reason Garrett was sent to reform school is because of his relationship with an adult woman. For most of the story, he clings to memories of the relationship as he endures horrors. None of his memories are described in detail.
Violence: Garret is subjected to frequent beatings, isolation, and insults. Other boys threaten, and eventual stab him, with shivs.
Religion: One of the girls at the reform school is there because she refuses to conform to her family's Mormon beliefs. Garrett is not religious.

[Danielc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boot Camp, by Todd Strasser, is a fantastic novel. The novel includes an amazing plot, intriguing characters, and strong use of literary elements such as syntax, diction, and figurative language. I sincerely enjoyed this novel. It was a great read that kept me wanting to turn the page and never set the book down until I finished it. Even when I was done reading I was thirsting for more. What really brought me into the book was the strong character representation shown by Garret. Garret is a strong willed and quick-witted teen who is an intellectual. I love his character so much due to his smart witted-ness. Every page is filled with his smart and sarcastic comments that never seem to cease. With this funny and strong main character the book is so much enjoyable to read.
The main plot of this story is Garret Durrell is a very rambunctious teenage boy. He dates his school teacher who is eight years older than him, disobeys his parents, and does drugs. According to Garret's parents he has gone to far and is sent to Lake Harmony, a teenage correction facility, Here Garret sees that Lake Harmony is not a normal correction facility. The place is run by monstrous adults and other teens who physically and mentally torture him. Everyday Garret looks for a way out until one day he sees his opportunity.
I really liked the setting of this book. Lake Harmony is a teenage correction facility. From the outside it looks like a normal place run by normal adults. But once you enter you realize its run by irresponsible adults who would love to torture the teenagers entering. On top of that we see that the adults let the top tier teens do what they please to the others as long as the do a couple of favors for the adults. The setting sets up interesting conflicts that Garret must maneuver in order to survive.
I really connected to Garret. I felt as if I would have reacted and thought like he did in many situations. His teenage mind allows for him to display unique syntax, and diction. With Garret's teenage mind his diction was pretty low and easy to read through. It made the book much more enjoyable to read. The syntax was very interesting too. He would use long flowing sentences when in deep thought but when in action he used short out of place and quick thinking thoughts that were very interesting to read. Since Garret is a teen he also made interesting comparisons when using figurative language. He once compared a guard to a troll, which I thought was a interesting choice and something a teenage mind would create.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel. It was very intense and I could not put it down. I loved the setting, plot, and main character. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

[Ryan Lum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked from the summer reading list, this book most definitely get 3 out of 5 stars for it's striking, electrifying, dazzling, and phenomenal storyline. This novel really will get to a person because its just so detailed that the reader can just imagine what is going on each scene in the novel. The book is primarily based on a boot camp named Lake Harmony which takes in disobedient teens and molds them into respectable young adults that there parent may be proud of. Lake Harmony is a boot camp that is allowed to use force or any method they may feel appropriate in order to help troubled teens. The novel begins with the main character Garett being kidnapped straight from his own bed and driven to a unknown location and begins his time at lake Harmony. Once there he is constantly beaten for any disobedience or the slightest remarks. While at lake harmony, Garett participated in social gatherings and his advisors constantly demanded that he try to change himself or he would immediately receive punishment such as T.I ( Temporary Isolation). I personally love this book because it can remind us about how luck we are sometimes and how we take some things for granted. For example, the main character Garett was a suppose genius and he had the brightest future but he stopped listening to his parents, skipped school because he felt anything he would miss could be made up within a day, also date a women 8 years older then him. Garett destroyed his parents trust and ergo he lost everything with his parents. In the end, the camp seemed to have worked but I feel that it took all the personality and expression from Garett. The conclusion ended in an abrupt way with the character losing himself and it was actually interesting. The protagonist at first seemed to be his own person with his own feelings and smart comments but by the end he was thinking and talking the way the camp wanted and agreed to there methods. the conclusion of the story end with his parent coming in and asking did he ever got hit in any way by the camp and he responded " I..I.. Yes, sir, they did."........."But___" ....."But....I deserved it,sir." This just really blows my mind because the methods that the camp used in the book was unethical and completely uncalled for. No body deserves to get hit and nobody deserves any sort of punishment such as the ones that happened in the book.

(THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ)

[Nick Franzwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Franzwa
Ms. Nagel
E102
14 October 2016
Book Review of Todd Strasser’s Boot Camp
In Boot Camp, Todd Strasser tells the story of a boy named Garrett who is abused after he is sent to Lake Harmony’s Boot Camp by his parents for disrespecting them. The reader followed Garrett on his journey to try and escape this horrible place. At first when Garrett arrives he doesn't know what to do and follows along. Eventually though he ended up meeting a character named Paul of who is also a prisoner of the Boot Camp as well. This is where the journey of escaping starts for the both of them.
As Todd Strasser takes the reader further into the story, Garrett is just starting to find out the tortures of where he has been sent. Throughout the first few months of being at Lake Harmony Garrett is taken to TI (Temporary Isolation) multiple times. TI is where you are forced to lay on bare concrete for a week straight. Now why was Garrett forced to do this? There really isn't any reason at all as to why Garrett was forced to go here other than the twisted mind of his instructor named Joe. As for Joe and every other instructor at Lake Harmony, they are all shameless. They are never actually nice to you in the slightest and bash you mentally and sometimes physically as much as possible. After being sent to TI multiple times, Garrett meets Paul. Paul is a very afraid character and is saved by Garrett from a group of kids who tried attacking him. After being friends for awhile, they eventually plan an escape. I don't want to give too many more spoilers, so I will just way that the two boys eventually try to execute their escape although I will not spoil if it went for them well or not.
I gave this book five stars on GoodReads because of the amount of action that is packed into the story and how interesting it all is the whole way through. Just reading about a teenager being sent to a Boot Camp really gets my attention and Garrett planning his is escape and actually executing his plan is very interesting to read about. I would mainly recommend this book to the ages of thirteen and up because it has a lot of beating scenes in it which could be terrorizing for a youngster to read about.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Peterw712 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boot Camp is a young adult realistic fiction novel chronicling a teen named Garrett, who is kidnapped in sent to a disciplinary camp by his parents, where he is abused and stripped of his dignity. He makes an escape plan with 2 other campers, and sets out for Canada.

The writing style of this novel is great. The author uses a lot of dialogue between characters, which adds interest to the novel. It helps me picture a movie in my head, and it gives personality to the characters. The author also uses flashbacks for background information. We see how Garrett met Sabrina, and how his parents “humiliated” him, although it seems that Garrett gets his feelings hurt easily.

I agree with the review by Dracolibirs. Garrett’s character is not sympathetic. His relationship with his teacher is wrong, even if he is “in love”. He claims that his teacher is the only one who understands him, shares his interests, and that he has trouble identifying with kids his age. However, his parents have already given him the best by sending him to a prestigious private school, whose curriculum and student body should accommodate his personality. His complaints and decisions are merely a way to rebel against his parents, as teens often try to do. Garrett constantly makes up excuses for his wrongdoings. When he steals his parent’s money, he says that other kids have a higher allowance than him. When he skips school, he says that other kids skip way more than him. When he does drugs, he says he is one of the 70% of teens who has tried pot. Even if boot camp was a bit of an extreme measure for Garrett, he never took responsibility for his actions, and that might have prevented his parents from panicking. I am also concerned with the effect that this novel will have on teens. It sends the message that parents make the wrong decisions for their children, and teens might find a way to justify their disobedient behaviour.

One thing that I praise about the novel is the particular scene when Garrett and his friends are fleeing. This part had my heart pounding because they were succeeding at the impossible – escape from Lake Harmony.

[Peter Wang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boot Camp is a young adult realistic fiction novel chronicling a teen named Garrett, who is kidnapped in sent to a disciplinary camp by his parents, where he is abused and stripped of his dignity. He makes an escape plan with 2 other campers, and sets out for Canada.

The writing style of this novel is great. The author uses a lot of dialogue between characters, which adds interest to the novel. It helps me picture a movie in my head, and it gives personality to the characters. The author also uses flashbacks for background information. We see how Garrett met Sabrina, and how his parents “humiliated” him, although it seems that Garrett gets his feelings hurt easily.

I agree with the review by dracolibris. Garrett’s character is not sympathetic. His relationship with his teacher is wrong, even if he is “in love”. He claims that his teacher is the only one who understands him, shares his interests, and that he has trouble identifying with kids his age. However, his parents have already given him the best by sending him to a prestigious private school, whose curriculum and student body should accommodate his personality. His complaints and decisions are merely a way to rebel against his parents, as teens often try to do. Garrett constantly makes up excuses for his wrongdoings. When he steals his parent’s money, he says that other kids have a higher allowance than him. When he skips school, he says that other kids skip way more than him. When he does drugs, he says he is one of the 70% of teens who has tried pot. Even if boot camp was a bit of an extreme measure for Garrett, he never took responsibility for his actions, and that might have prevented his parents from panicking. I am also concerned with the effect that this novel will have on teens. It sends the message that parents make the wrong decisions for their children, and teens might find a way to justify their disobedient behaviour.

One thing that I praise about the novel is the particular scene when Garrett and his friends are fleeing. This part had my heart pounding because they were succeeding at the impossible – escape from Lake Harmony.

[Ingrid Tong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boot Camp by Todd Strasser is about a boy named Garret who gets abducted from his home and sent to a boot camp called Lake Harmony. The book is horrifying and sadistic because the content itself is very real and incidents that happen in the book may happen to many teens every day. The staffs at the boot camp are very strict and hard on the residents. They strip them of their dignity and brainwash them into becoming the perfect child by using many forms of abuse. Garret doesn’t think he deserves to be at the boot camp but also doesn’t stand up for himself throughout numerous abusive and torturous situations.
The idea itself was unique but the book was surprisingly very well written. My initial thoughts were that the book was not going to be anything special but as I read on, the depth of the story really plays with your heartstrings. You rarely hear about what goes on inside boot camps and you don’t really get the whole picture. The book was successful in describing the life inside a boot camp and often made me cringe at the revolting types of abuse used on teens.
What made me interested in the book was that it was written in first person. This was effective because it really gave you an idea on how the protagonist, Garret, felt being sent away. Often he would be put into situations where all he could think about were his childhood memories and gives you insight on how certain events in his life has changed him. The author was successful in pulling me into the mind of Garret.
Todd Strasser also included a list of references and a general history of boot camps at the back of the book, clearly showing where he got the information and the ideas from. The way he incorporated it in a story was innovative but in terms of the flow of the story, it was sometimes confusing and choppy. The beginning dragged on for a bit until you almost reach the end when conflict starts to happen. However, I did love the ending of the novel because it was not your typical happy ending which was effective in giving me a wake-up call on some of the issues that happen in our society. The ending really makes you wonder how humans are capable of such violence without any sympathy.

[Ruhama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garrett has been unwillingly kidnapped and sent to boot camp to 'renounce his former life'. He had fallen in love with his teacher, and the two started a relationship, which his parents disapproved of, and felt sending him off to Lake Harmony was the only way to get his attention and get his life turned back around. But Lake Harmony is anything but harmonious, and despite what the brochures promise and outline, it is a cruel place where counselors 'encourage' other campers to torture (without leaving marks) new campers, the food is hideous, yet they have to run miles every morning, and sending a kid off to TI (Temporary Isolation) for days on end is not unheard of. Garrett can't believe he actually is here, and truly believes he doesn't belong. He resists all the mind-numbing exercises and eventually is tagged by two kids who have a plan to escape, and they want him to come along. Will it be worth the risk to do so?

Strasser has written another powerful novel about an ill in society, particularly among teenagers. Like his other novels, Strasser hasn't shied from the truth and paints an accurate picture of what happens at 'boot camp', which he explains is a real phenomenon across the U.S. (and beyond) in his author note. Garrett is a well developed character, who reveals his full story over the course of the novel, and has a surprising twist at the end. This reads quickly, especially once readers get to the planned escape. Each chapter starts with a line from the Lake Harmony brochure, giving a clue as to what will be discussed within the chapter. This is very well written, and may be disturbing to read, but definitely is great food for thought.