Jelly Belly

by Robert Kimmel Smith

Ned Robbins is so fat from eating his Grandma's cakes and pies that his parents send him to Camp Lean-Too where his favorite pastime becomes looking for and eating forbidden foods

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Juvenile, Historical Fiction

155 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Robert Kimmel Smith began dreaming of becoming a writer at the age of eight, when he spent three months in bed reading while recovering from rheumatic fever. He enrolled in Brooklyn College in 1947, and served in the U.S. Army, in Germany, from 1951-1953. In 1954 he married Claire Medney, his editor and literary agent. They have two children: Heidi (1962) and Roger (1967). After writing advertising copy from 1957 to 1969, Robert Kimmel Smith became a full-time writer in 1970.

Reviews

[Izze Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good. The Grandma shows forgiveness because she forgives Ned after the hurtful words he said. She also shows love because when everyone else was mean to Ned about his weight, she showed Ned and proved to him that she will love him no matter what he weighs.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this the first time in fifth grade......I know this because I found my fifth grade teacher's name in the front cover. I kept the book and I'm not sorry. She wasn't ver nice. But I did enjoy the book then and now. I read it recently to the kids. We were looking for something with less substance than Call of the Wild (yuck).
My kids thought it was funny to find out how the boys stashed junk food at fat camp, and the whole book just made me hungry. I'm sure that wasn't the author's intended reaction....nonetheless. Jelly Belly was a good story about how for most of us, nothing is going to work better than work itself when trying to lose weight.

[Johnny G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific book for studying social issues. Ned's choice to TRY and lose weight is the hardest part for him, and without giving any spoilers, I want any future reader out there to know that the book is worth reading on so many levels. I read this one about...30 years ago, got an autograph from Robert Kimmel Smith somehow, and am so glad I picked it up again. Really terrific for 4th/5th grade readers. Funny, on-point, thematic, and, of course, has problems that must be faced.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best Fat Camp Book Ever. I borrowed this one from my church library and just never returned it. Sorry, Mrs. Bergin.

[AlohaMyPikachu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book perhaps 20 years ago. I remember I got it at a Goodwill or one of those thrift stores. To this day it remains one of my favorite kid books. I recently thought about it and decided to pick it up again. I'd read it so many times as a kid, so almost no part of the story was foreign to me, however, I enjoyed it immensely all the same.

It's nice to read the reviews and know I'm not the only one that's now an adult who re-read this book and liked it just as much now as we did back then. I'm not sure what it is about this book that keeps it timeless. Perhaps it's the theme of being overweight and trying to lose weight. Of being an overweight kid that gets picked on. Of being a kid that has parents that want to help, but the kid thinks the parents are being unreasonable. I'm not sure. All I know is that the author wrote a great book.

The reader can really feel for Ned. Even while reading it again after all these years, I sat feeling sorry for poor Ned, who has to sit at the dinner table every evening watching his family eat an awesome-smelling/tasting meal while he has to sit and eat healthy, but unappealing food.

However, crazy as this might sound, one can understand why the author put these important scenes in. It showed a Ned before and then after.

In addition to this, I like how the author writes in a message. Ned talks to his older brother, and they find similarities in their situations. Ned wants to lose weight, his brother wants to run track and cross-country a little better. I know it might sound corny to the cynical, but I liked what the author did. True, the message and lesson probably weren't as subtle to an adult reading the story. I do remember as a kid the whole parallel situation going right over my head.

With that being said, I think as a kid the thing I took away from this book is to never give up. That parents aren't horrible. Anger and getting angry at our loved ones doesn't help. And most of all, if WE, the individual, put our minds to something, positive things can happen. Kids reading this can also feel Ned's struggle and perhaps relate to what he went through. Especially with the war on childhood obesity that is being waged currently.

I've gone on too long, but as one can see, I enjoyed this book. I encourage any parent trying to find good, wholesome and positive books with no violence and kids understanding about right over wrong, etc, to get this book for your child or children.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathaniel Robbins is an overweight kid trys to lose weight, but can't. His parents send him to a camp to lose weight in the summer. He tries his hardest to not eat, but still manages to do it. He only loses a few pounds at the end. But at home he manages to pull himself together to lose enough weight to be healthy.

There is a text to self connection to Nathaniel and myself. When I tried to learn how to swim in a camp, I never tried to actually learn. But once it was over, I managed to learn how to do it on my own. Same with Nathaniel. He tried losing weight at the camp, but failed. However when he was alone at home, he managed to eat more healthy and lose weight.

I would give it 4 out of 5 stars mostly because of the fact that it is funny, but not very thrilling to read. While you can get a good laugh or so, you never feel like the your there as the characters since the book is not very descriptive when it comes to the story. But it is still enjoyable to read and never really gets boring because of how funny it is. If you need a good laugh than it is recommended. But if you want a more complex story, you should look for another book. If your a reader that just needs to laugh, Jelly Belly is a great book for you.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book (in addition to Writing and Selling Science Fiction) whose title I've forgotten for years and only remembered today.

I'm rating the book four stars based on my nine-year-old self's opinion of it; I have no idea what I'd rate it as a seventeen-year-old with somewhat more "sophisticated" tastes. (I also read Jelly Belly--and The Kid Who Ran For President--in a thrift store, so it's not as if I brought it home and re-read it over and over, as with The BFG or Chester Cricket's New Home, for example.)

I still have no idea what to rate Writing and Selling Science Fiction...

[Manaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I thought about this book is that it was very enjoyable and funny to read. This book made me think of my own parents, not because they would send me to a camp only for fat kids like Ned,because they love him for who he is he just really needs to watch what he is eating. One of my favorite characters that were in it was the grandma it also reminds me of my grandma that always tells us to keep on eating all of the sweets that she makes for us. Jelly Belly is a good book for younger ages and I never wanted to put it down because of how funny it was. What I loved about it is that it had all of his thoughts about himself and about the kids that teased him about his weight.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite childhood books and I reread it today before giving it to my kids. When this book was written, being fat was an anomaly, unlike today when obesity is the norm. This book follows Nathaniel on his journey to understanding why and how he became fat and eventually how to fix it. He comes to the realization that it is only himself he is cheating. Excellent book for kids and should be read by everyone in the fat acceptance movement who is kidding themselves that their weight is okay.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now finished "jelly belly" by Robert Kimmel Smith. this enlightening tale is about a boy named ned who is the skinniest kid in his family until his grandma cooked for them. now he is 4'8" and 118 pounds. the kids at shool call him "jelly belly" and his parents send him to fat camp. there, he was unsuccessful, but later on, he really did want to be skinny, and he was determined to lose weight, AND stand up to the school bully who started the whole nicknaming mess.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Chocolate Fever, so thought this would also be great. Maybe it is just outdated, but that fat-camp is going about weight loss in all the wrong ways! The boys wouldn't be complaining nearly as much if they were fed good healthy food and just had portion control. Their exercise shouldn't have just been free play, but healthy exercise. And that doctor wasn't much help. Most of those boys needed a psychiatrist to see where their eating disorders came from in order to help them conquer their weight problems. Nat does finally overcome his problem himself through self-realization and determination. I won't be keeping this book because of bad language, bullying, and the whole wrong way to lose weight part.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overweight Ned, nicknamed 'Jelly Belly', is forced to attend a fat camp.

This book held up amazingly well for a re-read as an adult! Ned was a great character. He's realistic - he's afraid of the local bully and admits it and doesn't magically become strong enough to stick up for himself. He loves his grandma, but realizes that her way of expressing her love through baking and packing his lunch with double meals is hurting him. There are some great messages about standing up for yourself and growing up without it feeling like a message book.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved This Book!!!

I had read this book when I was younger & to read it as an adult has bought so many memories back to me! I gave this book 4 stars because it was an excellent book for any kid trying to lose weight. It's a book about a young boy's journey to lose weight. Once Ned made his mind up to commit to losing weight...then he does just that! I Loved the relationship between Ned &his family too! Very good and easy book to read! It's a story about mind over matter & how anyone can succeed IF you make your mind up to just do it!

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as wonderful at 46 years old as the first time I read it when I was in 4th grade

Still totally relevant, my daughter in 6th grade is reading it with me! I recommend this funny, sad and ultimately uplifting book

[Tacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but wonder if it is too 'dated' for current fourth through sixth graders? Any teachers still offering this story to your classes? (I had a class of sixth graders last year who adored The War With Grandpa.)

[Jenae · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fourth grade teacher read this and I remembered really liking it so I thought I’d give it another read.

I give it four stars for readability but the book is quite cringy, since it was written in the 80s and therefore there is a lot of fat-shaming and food myth perpetuation.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot as a kid and just re-read it. It made me really hungry which was not the point but it was a quick and fun read.

[Mr. Bourne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved this book as a kid! It was on my shelf so I picked it up to read it again. It is a little dated when it comes to body image and not the ebst book, but I have to give it a 3 based on nostalgia.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another read out loud to the kiddos. We enjoyed! Especially since some of us need the "want to bad enough" attitude to lose some weight!

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

C. fiction, children's fiction, upper elementary, overweight, camp, family relationships, from stash, discard

[Sophia Barsuhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nostalgic. It's funny how long 155 pages seemed when I was a kid, but I sped through this in a couple of hours.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't read this since I was in about 5th grade but I remember loving it and reading it several times. Also I love junk food. :)

[Matthew Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kid was fat and went to a fat camp and they would sneak in junk food and he did not lose much weight but then he went home and he decided to become a runner. Very inspirational book.

[Habiba]

Jelly Belly is nickname for fat boy called Nathaniel Robbins, and he has a lot of nickname. Nathaniel like to eat to mush especially his grandmother's cook. And his weigh more than his mother weigh. He go to camp to less his weigh.

I think Robert Kimmel Smith is a good writer. Because he doesn't only tells us the story, he but some dialogue in the book to tell you how the parents convinces his sun to go to the camp, not like "his parent convinces him to go to the camp".

[LinBee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this when I was about Neddie's age, and just remembered it the other day. So, I re-read it. I must say I enjoyed it the second time, 15 years or so later. It's an inspiration to anyone who knows they are overweight, that they should lose, and just don't have the motivation. Cute, and a fast read. I'll probably re-read it again and again!

[Indah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ini buku bagus lho karena mengupas permasalahan anak2 yang overweight, and kenapa some of them itu berhasil menurunkan berat badan for good sementara yang lainnya ituu selalu aja tiap tahun kembali terus ke kamp pengurusan, ahahaha..

*mungkin perlu ngikutin step2 yang dilakukan si Ned untuk menurunkan berat badannya :D*

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love jelly belly and how he can not loss enough weight so he has to go to camp lean-to. He is so desprit to have something besides camp lean-to's food and so he eats white bread and cheese even though he does not like it. So finaly he tells his grandma to stop feeding him so much food and starts to lose weight.

[Ms BooksAholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a younger childhood favorite!! :) I remember my teacher from second grade reading this book to us, I was so into it! I read it again myself and just loved this book so much! I will never forget it! This book will be an everlasting memory. I recommend this book to children, such a wonderful children's read!! It's silly and witty! :)

[Strawberry Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so cute. I love the Jewish grandma. Really great message. The kid is fat and decides he doesn’t want to be anymore so he does something about it in a sustainable and healthy way. Illustrations are great too.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one of those Robert Kimmel Smith books...

You may know that I had this one year when I was absolutely obbssesed with his books.