Be Prepared
by Vera Brosgol
Date: 2018
Publisher: First Second
Reading level: MG
Book type: graphic novel memoir
Pages: 256
Format: e-book
Source: library
A gripping and hilarious middle-grade summer camp memoir from the author of Anya's Ghost.
All Vera wants to do is fit in—but that’s not easy for a Russian girl in the suburbs. Her friends live in fancy houses and their parents can afford to send them to the best summer camps. Vera’s single mother can’t afford that sort of luxury, but there's one summer camp in her price range—Russian summer camp.
Vera is sure she's found the one place she can fit in, but camp is far from what she imagined. And nothing could prepare her for all the "cool girl" drama, endless Russian history lessons, and outhouses straight out of nightmares!
(synopsis from Goodreads)
In the vein of graphic novel memoirs such as Cece Bell's El Deafo comes Be Prepared, a funny look at the author's experience at a Russian summer camp.
Like El Deafo, the author makes it clear that some parts of the story have been fictionalized, either for simplicity or for interest's sake. But I'm not sure if it really matters if it's 100% true or not (and at least she didn't pull a James Frey and try to pass it off as a completely true story). Anyone who's been to summer camp (or even camping) can probably relate to a lot of the issues that Vera has to face during her time at camp: the crappy (pun intended) facilities, the level of stinkiness (probably due in part to the crappy facilities), the bugs, hearing weird noises in the woods, rain, the annoying people you have to share your tent with, etc.
I felt so sorry for Vera as she struggled to make friends. She thought going to camp would do it for her, that she would finally have something in common with all the other girls in school: summer camp. But that's not the way it turned out. As one of the younger campers in her group, she was often used by the older girls when they wanted something... and inevitably blamed when something went wrong. When she finally found her footing and started to understand what she needed to do to be happy at camp, I was so glad.
The illustrations are cute, and Brosgol really captures the personalities of the characters with her drawing. Everyone--from the boy who everyone thinks is cute to the chipmunks to Vera herself--is rendered in an accessible way. (Unlike some graphic novels I've read where you kind of have to squint and turn the page sideways to figure out what the heck you're looking at, Be Prepared uses clean lines and minimal shading to great effect.) I am a little disappointed that the book isn't in full colour like the cover, though. I might've given it an extra star had that been the case; as it is, it's all in black and white and
The ending suggests that the author's had an interesting life. I wonder if she'll write any more partially fictionalized memoirs about growing up. If she does, I wouldn't mind reading them.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Pace: 3/5
Writing & Editing: 3/5
Illustration: 3/5
Originality: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 ladybugs
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