Be Prepared

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol, 244 pages

As the daughter of Russian immigrant single mom, young Vera had trouble fitting in with her wealthier all-American classmates, all of whom spent their summers experiencing the traditional wonders of sleep-away camp, something she knows her mom won't go for. But when she learns about a Russian Orthodox camp, Vera convinces her mom to send her and her younger brother there for a few weeks over the summer. Turns out, Vera doesn't fit in there too much either. In this semi-autobiographical story, Brosgol presents a fun, funny, and nearly universal story of awkwardness, smelly pit toilets, and fear of creepy-crawly forest creatures. It's fantastic.