Cute and wholesome!! I enjoyed this so much more than Anya's Ghost. ( )

You can for sure give this to fans of [b:Smile|6393631|Smile|Raina Telgemeier|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1531595478s/6393631.jpg|6582125] and [b:Roller Girl|22504701|Roller Girl|Victoria Jamieson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1447914095s/22504701.jpg|41951492]. Vera is only 9 (one month shy of 10), so a bit younger than Telgemeier and Jamieson characters, but this book definitely captures tween angst and the artwork is excellent.

I thought Vera was a really sympathetic character. She's starting to feel ostracized by her friends and so she thinks she'll fit in better with other Russian immigrant kids at a Russian scout camp. But camp is gross (the bugs OMG) and difficult (mean girls and bullies UGH). Vera doesn't make the best choices. She has to learn a lot of lessons the hard way for sure. It's a classic middle grade story of a well-meaning kid trying to do their best but messing up a lot. ( )

Bittersweet, funny, and heartbreaking in turns, as we join Vera on her journey to make friends and survive summer camp. One of my favorite reads of the year so far. ( )

The picture on the cover is what grabbed my attention -- plus I have been looking for graphic novels to place on my selected reading lists. I didn't finish it -- I got too bogged down in the story. However, this would make an interesting classroom selection if you were studying Russian-Americans because it includes a lot about their culture, food, language, etc. ( )

I enjoyed Anya’s Ghost a whole lot more, but I can appreciate the author’s personal story in this book and how it will resonate with people who share her experiences, both as an immigrant and as an unhappy camper. The artwork is top notch, and I thought the color scheme was an interesting choice. ( )