Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom

by Terry Blas, Molly Muldoon, Matthew Seely (Illustrator)

Overview

A YALSA 2019 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers

A hilarious story of a diverse group of young sleuths who ban together to solve a murder mystery while at a weight-loss camp.

Deep in the Oregon wilderness sits Camp Bloom, a weight-loss camp where "overweight" teens can "get in shape." Jesse would rather be anywhere else, but her parents are forcing her to go. Noah isn't sure if he wants to be there, but it's too late to turn back. Tony is heartbroken at the thought of giving up his phone and internet. And Kate... well, she likes the hikes, at least. As far as these four teens are concerned, it's just another boring summer.

Until one night, when Jesse and Noah witness a beloved counselor's murder. The body's gone by the next morning, but a blurry photo leads to one clue—the murderer is one of the camp's staff members!

But which one? As Jesse, Noah, Kate, and Tony investigate, they quickly discover that everyone's got their secrets... and one of them would kill to keep theirs hidden.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620104811
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	04/24/2018
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Molly Muldoon is a former scholar and bookseller, current librarian and writer, and always demisexual fanfiction enthusiast. Her works include The Cardboard Kingdom, Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, and the forthcoming The Cardboard Kingdom: Roar of the Beast. Although she’s spent the past ten years globetrotting, she currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her ridiculous cat, Jamie McKitten.

Matthew Seely is an animator, illustrator, and comic artist from Portland, Oregon. He’s worked with ShadowMachine as Segment Director on Dancing in the Dark for season two of MTV's Greatest Party Story Ever, and has created multiple independent animated shorts. He’s also written, drawn and self-published comics including Robo-Boy vs. Boybot and Oswald the Orange. In his free time, Seely enjoys playing music, listening to podcasts, and eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

Editorial Reviews

02/01/2018
Gr 6 Up—When Jesse and Noah, two teens at a weight loss camp, stumble upon the body of a murdered counselor, they and two other campers, Kate and Tony, begin an investigation into the secrets of Camp Bloom. This engaging title is a promising start to what will hopefully be an ongoing series. Blas and Muldoon offer a refreshingly nuanced perspective on body image. The four central characters are fully realized with their own quirks and opinions—especially Jesse, who questions why she even needs to lose weight. Readers will be intrigued by many of the secondary characters, and this world may offer more stories that reflect changing attitudes toward so-called misfits. Exaggerated cartoonish illustrations are reminiscent of popular comics or TV series such as Adventure Time and The Regular Show and will appeal to tweens and younger teens. VERDICT A solid addition to graphic novel collections, particularly where comics such as "Lumberjanes" and "Backstagers" are popular.—Maryanne Olson, Queens Borough Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

2018-02-20
Four teens attempt to solve the mystery of a murdered camp counselor.Latinx Jesse's family makes her attend Camp Bloom, a summer weight-loss camp, while black Tony is excited to be with his buff role model, Counselor Cory, who is white. Third-year attendee Noah, also white, wants to prioritize his health and lose weight but is unsure whether he can. One night, Jesse sneaks out to procure contraband chocolate. Noah follows her, and both stumble upon Counselor Cory's murder. Purely by chance, the crime turns out to have been documented on Jesse's camera. Noah looks for help from Kate (also white), who finds Camp Bloom a safe refuge from homophobia. Kate includes Tony, heartbroken that his mentor is dead, in the investigation. Armed with a list of the camp counselors and a camp map, the foursome decides to find the murderer. Close-ups of the protagonists convey great emotion and are interspersed with more active panels featuring the quartet and other characters. As the teens work through the suspects, another murder occurs, and the young sleuths nearly become victims themselves. Exacting readers may be disappointed by the lack of clues or clear motives for the murders and by the strange ending. Those willing to forgive these shortcomings will find this lighthearted mystery with diverse characters an accessible, if not entirely satisfying, read.Passable. (Graphic novel. 13-17)

Kirkus Reviews