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A review by girlreading
Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy
4.0
I was admittedly nervous going into this one. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a book set at a 'fat camp', let alone one for children but I'm so happy (and relieved) to say none of my fears came to fruition.
Camp Sylvania is wonderfully fun camp adventure following a bunch of kids getting up to epic camp hijinks and just so happens to have an empowering message of body acceptance. Julie Murphy expertly calls out diet culture and society's treatment of fat people, whilst never once letting this story be anything but a story of kids who save the world (not because or despite of being fat). The kids in this book are fat; they know they're fat, they accept they're fat and they also know they're just as worthy and able as people in smaller bodies. In fact, it's only the adults around them that ever make them question this but thankfully, any negative comment, thought or action towards weight is counteracted and rebuked.
Overall, this is a brilliantly fun, paranormal camp adventure and I adored every single moment of it. This is the kind of book I wish I'd grown up reading. My only hope is that one day we won't need books set at 'fat camps' because the dangerous idea that any child (or adult) needs to change or think differently about themselves because of their weight is abolished entirely.
TW: fatphobia, discussion on weight and dieting
Camp Sylvania is wonderfully fun camp adventure following a bunch of kids getting up to epic camp hijinks and just so happens to have an empowering message of body acceptance. Julie Murphy expertly calls out diet culture and society's treatment of fat people, whilst never once letting this story be anything but a story of kids who save the world (not because or despite of being fat). The kids in this book are fat; they know they're fat, they accept they're fat and they also know they're just as worthy and able as people in smaller bodies. In fact, it's only the adults around them that ever make them question this but thankfully, any negative comment, thought or action towards weight is counteracted and rebuked.
Overall, this is a brilliantly fun, paranormal camp adventure and I adored every single moment of it. This is the kind of book I wish I'd grown up reading. My only hope is that one day we won't need books set at 'fat camps' because the dangerous idea that any child (or adult) needs to change or think differently about themselves because of their weight is abolished entirely.
TW: fatphobia, discussion on weight and dieting