Four Weeks, Five People

February 15, 2017
Five teens work on their mental health during four weeks at a wilderness-therapy camp.Each teen speaks in this novel, revealing his or her individual issues: Stella has anger-management problems and depression; Clarisa has OCD; Andrew suffers from an eating disorder; Mason is a narcissist; and Ben is dissociative--his part of the narration is formatted as a movie script. At Camp Ugunduzi, a pricey therapy camp, the five teens (evidently white save for Asian Clarisa) will hike, meditate, and engage in group and solo talk therapy. While friendships form and romance blossoms among the campers as they create a Safe Space cabin, they're also working toward progress and dealing with setbacks. Andrew loses it when he gains weight. Clarisa and Ben's romance hits the rocks. Clarisa and Stella fight when Stella deals her some hard truths. Yet when tragedy (undescribed in the text) occurs, the group draws together to support each other, revealing just how far they've come. First-time novelist Yu does a good job of presenting the therapy process, capturing the words therapists use and realistically describing the uncertain arc of recovery. But choosing to stage the tragedy off-page mutes its impact, and the plethora of voices makes it hard to connect with all the characters. Though not perfect, moving and of interest to teens experiencing similar stresses. (Fiction. 14-16)

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March 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-A realistic debut novel set in upstate New York at Camp Ugunduzi, a wilderness therapy camp for troubled teens. The quickly paced story is told in alternating points of view among five unique and diverse campers, just introduced and grouped together during the four-week-long camp. Clarissa, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder, wants to get better and experience some "normal" teen activities. Andrew, whose eating disorder caused his band to break up, is guilt ridden and longs to recover. Ben, unable to separate fantasy from reality, prefers to go through life pretending to be in a movie, complete with voice-overs. Cold, unfeeling Stella has been to camp before and doesn't want to be back. Narcissistic Mason feels that he has no problem but is merely surrounded by idiots. Thrown together without social media or daily luxuries, the teens find themselves getting comfortable with one another, despite initial trepidation. One thing they all share is annoyance at the counselors: middle-aged hippie Josh and overbearing prude Jessie. When tragedy strikes, the teens' progress and outlook are tested. The emotionally charged yet hopeful ending will encourage understanding and empathy among even the most reluctant readers. Background material is added piecemeal as characters think back to the situations that brought them here. The book includes mature language and content (e.g., underage drinking and smoking). At times the work is raw and heartbreaking. The language is realistic, which teens will appreciate. VERDICT Recommended as a first purchase. Humorous scenes throughout will delight readers, despite the heavy subject matter.-Laura Jones, Argos Community Schools, IN

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