There are a few sub-genres of children’s books that I have long loved reading about: one being about adventures at boarding school, and the other being about experiences at camp. And nothing could prepare her for all the “cool girl” drama, endless Russian history lessons, and outhouses straight out of nightmares! Vera is sure she’s found the one place she can fit in, but camp is far from what she imagined. Vera’s single mother can’t afford that sort of luxury, but there’s one summer camp in her price range – Russian summer camp. Her friends live in fancy houses and their parents can afford to send them to the best summer camps. Thank you!Īll Vera wants to do is fit in – but that’s not easy for a Russian girl in the suburbs. Source: Hardcopy courtesy of Raincoast Books.

Seven Impossible Things Before BreakfastĮnter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.Review: Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol, color by Alec Longstreth.

One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books.

Alec Longstreth handles coloring duties and olive green has rarely looked so lush.

The pines so thick midday feels like twilight, the silhouettes against the bright moon, the rugged architectural beauty of the underside of a pavilion – the camp/wilderness setting here plays a key role and Brosgol makes you feel it on every page. But it is, and the result of this effort will likely be a feeling of complete immersion on the part of the reader. It really has no reason to be as good as it is. When a series of approval-seeking missteps move Vera’s status from camp outsider to camp pariah, she’s forced to make a decision: please others or forge an independent path? Unfamiliar surroundings, mean older girls, a toilet situation that leaves much to be desired – it isn’t long before Vera wants out. But when she arrives, it’s not exactly the inclusive paradise she envisioned. It’s no wonder then, that when she learns about a summer camp for Russian kids, she jumps at the chance. Vera is a fourth grader who, because of her Russian background, doesn’t quite fit in. Hot off the heels of her Caldecott Honor for Leave Me Alone! Vera Brosgol mined camp experiences from her youth to create a graphic novel memoir for the ages. Devoid of parents and with a limited time frame, it’s like a social experiment where big coming-of-age themes like self-reliance, belonging, and friendship come into sharp relief and kids are forced to sink or swim.