Boot Camp Todd Strasser

Boot Camp by Todd Strasser. 15 yr old Garrett is kidnapped , and taken to Boot Camp. His parents want him reprogrammed, and return a perfect son. It doesn't matter that Garrett's behavior doesn't warrant a trip to Lake Harmony, his parents are spending thousands of dollars in tuition. At Lake Harmony every teen is treated the same emotionally, physically and psychologically abused until they are broken. Garrett's abuse at Lake Harmony begins quickly. On Garrett's second day he is sent to T.I., and it won't be his only time.

"Welcome to TI- Temporary Isolation- where I am forced to lie facedown on the cold concrete floor for twenty-four hours a day except for a few minutes here and there to eat or use the bathroom. After a day your chin becomes sore, your neck muscles cramp, and your knees and ribs grow raw from pressing against the hard floor."

Pauly and Sarah, two long time Lake Harmony residents are ready to make a break for it. They want Garrett to go with them. Garrett still believes his parent will come get him or maybe the police but Pauly and Sarah know the truth. At first I didn't like the ending. After I had a day to marinate on the novel, the ending was more then right. It's not often I do a 360 on an ending but I was wrong and I am a big enough reader to admit that. Boot Camp is an intense read, once you start you won't be able to stop.

Boot Camp is a finalist for the Georgia Peach Book Award 2008-2009, for teen readers. Which also makes it a part of the Dekalb reading bowl. Check out the link below
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/hrrb/highschoolbooklist.html