Thirteen-year-old Timothy Martin is not athletic, carries a little extra weight, wears glasses, and likes to read—a typical nerd. When compared to his brother Kevin, a freshman at Syracuse University, a soccer player, a friendly, fun-loving kind of guy, Timothy seems inferior. Timothy's father, Jerry Martin, owns a construction firm and is a complete outdoorsman. Mr. Martin is intolerant of Timothy's lack of foresight, physical coordination, common sense, and enthusiasm for the camping trip. He belittles Timothy at every turn and destroys Timothy's selfconfidence. Stubborn, he will not admit when he is wrong or has been beaten.

Mrs. Martin serves as intermediary between Timothy and his father. She babies her son and undermines her husband's authority, all the while defending Mr. Martin's actions to Timothy.

At home, Timothy's personality is shaped by his parents. In the wilderness without them, he develops his...