Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
Vera desperately wants to fit in with her American classmates, but she doesn't: her family is too poor, too Russian, too different.
Then, her mom sends her to summer camp: Russian summer camp. At Camp Orra, Vera will get to sleep in a tent, swim in a lake, and make friends who also speak Russian at home. Right?
Fitting in -- even at a camp for Russian kids -- still doesn't come easily for Vera, and she makes a lot of mistakes. She also does some stuff right, including befriending a belochki ("squirrel", a younger camper).
Loosely based on recollections of the author's own experience at Russian summer camp, the pictures are lively and fun, and the story is easy to relate to -- even for kids who don't speak Russian.
Highly recommended for ages 8 and up. After reading Be Prepared, you'll be ready to read Lumberjanes, a graphic novel series about girls at a fun -- and mysterious -- summer camp.
The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern
Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org
No comments:
Post a Comment
We encourage the thoughtful sharing of information and ideas. We expect comments to be civil and respectful, with no personal attacks or offensive language. We reserve the right to delete any comment.