Vera Brosgol just gets it. Honestly, if you grew up as the kid who didn't quite fit in—maybe because of your lunch, your clothes, or your weirdly specific heritage—reading the Be Prepared graphic novel feels like a personal attack in the best possible way. It’s raw. It’s funny. It is painfully cringey.
Most people think of summer camp stories as these magical, life-changing adventures where everyone finds their best friend for life while sitting around a campfire. Brosgol, who is an absolute powerhouse in the animation world (think Coraline and ParaNorman), takes that trope and flips it. She gives us the reality of being a Russian-American girl named Vera who just wants to belong but finds herself stuck in a scout camp that is... well, it’s not exactly the Parent Trap.
The Brutal Honesty of the Be Prepared Graphic Novel
I remember picking this up and thinking it would be a lighthearted romp. I was wrong. It’s actually a semi-autobiographical memoir about Brosgol’s own experiences at a Russian Orthodox summer camp. That’s the "hook" that makes it stand out. This isn't just any camp; it's Orra, a place where the kids speak Russian, the bathrooms are literal holes in the ground, and the social hierarchy is more cutthroat than a corporate boardroom.
The story kicks off because Vera is tired of being the "poor kid" among her wealthy suburban friends. She can't afford the fancy camps they go to. So, she begs her mother to let her and her little brother, Phil, go to this Russian camp. It’s affordable. It’s cultural. It should be perfect, right?
Wrong.
Vera realizes almost immediately that being "Russian enough" is a sliding scale, and she is nowhere near the top. The older girls are mean. The outhouses are terrifying. The spiders are everywhere. Brosgol’s art style—done in a limited palette of greens, blacks, and whites—perfectly captures that damp, forest-heavy, slightly claustrophobic feeling of being stuck in the woods with people who don't like you.
Why the "Aha!" Moments Actually Land
One thing the Be Prepared graphic novel does better than almost any middle-grade book is depict the "friendship desperation" phase of puberty. You know the one. That frantic, sweaty-palmed need to be liked by the "cool" kids, even when those kids are actually kind of terrible people.
Vera tries so hard.
✨ Don't miss: Why ASAP Rocky F kin Problems Still Runs the Club Over a Decade Later
She helps the older girls with their makeup. She tries to be useful. She tries to be funny. And every time she thinks she’s made a breakthrough, the rug gets pulled out. It’s a masterclass in showing, not telling, how isolation works. There is this one specific scene involving a "cool" girl's secret stash of candy and a complete betrayal that still makes my stomach turn. It's that real.
Navigating the Cultural Specifics (And Why They Matter)
A lot of readers might wonder if you need to be Russian to "get" this book.
Absolutely not.
While the Russian Orthodox elements—the icons, the priests, the specific prayers—provide a rich, textured backdrop, the themes are universal. It’s about being an outsider. It’s about the immigrant experience of trying to bridge two worlds and failing at both. Vera isn't American enough for her school friends, and she isn't "Russian" enough for the campers who have been going to Orra for years.
That middle-ground purgatory is something anyone from a diaspora community understands. But even if you aren't, you understand the "out-of-place" feeling. Maybe it wasn't a Russian camp for you. Maybe it was a church retreat, a sports intensive, or just a new school.
Brosgol doesn't sugarcoat the religion, either. She shows it as a part of life—sometimes beautiful, sometimes just another set of rules to follow while you're trying to figure out where to go to the bathroom.
The Art of the "Gross-Out"
Let's talk about the toilets.
🔗 Read more: Ashley My 600 Pound Life Now: What Really Happened to the Show’s Most Memorable Ashleys
I can't write about the Be Prepared graphic novel without mentioning the "latrine" situation. Brosgol spends a significant amount of time on the physical discomfort of camp life. The "pit" is a character in itself. The way she draws Vera's face when she has to use the facilities is legendary.
It’s this commitment to the "un-glamorous" that makes the book a success. Most YA or middle-grade fiction cleans up the edges. Brosgol leans into the dirt, the bugs, and the smell. It makes the moments of genuine connection—like when Vera finally finds a way to use her artistic skills to gain some respect—feel earned.
Technical Mastery: Why Cartoonists Love This Book
If you're into the "how" of comic making, this book is a textbook. Brosgol’s background in storyboarding for Laika (the studio behind Kubo and the Two Strings) is evident on every page. Her "acting"—the way her characters express emotion through posture and facial expressions—is top-tier.
- Pacing: She knows exactly when to slow down for a silent, three-panel beat of Vera staring into the woods.
- Visual Metaphor: Look at how she uses shadows. The woods aren't just trees; they are a looming presence of Vera's anxiety.
- Color Palette: The decision to use only olive green and black might seem restrictive, but it creates a cohesive mood. It feels like moss, old tents, and stagnant lake water.
The book won an Eisner Award for a reason. It’s not just a "kids' comic." It’s a sophisticated piece of visual storytelling that happens to be about a 12-year-old girl.
Misconceptions About Vera’s Journey
I’ve seen some reviews online that complain Vera is "too whiny" or that the ending isn't "happy enough."
I totally disagree.
The Be Prepared graphic novel isn't a power fantasy. It’s not about a girl who goes to camp and becomes the most popular person there. It’s about a girl who goes to camp, suffers, learns that she can survive that suffering, and realizes that her worth isn't tied to the approval of mean 14-year-olds.
💡 You might also like: Album Hopes and Fears: Why We Obsess Over Music That Doesn't Exist Yet
That’s a much more important lesson than "everyone becomes friends." Sometimes, "being prepared" just means knowing how to handle being alone. It means finding your own inner resources—like drawing—to get through the day.
The "Little Brother" Factor
Phil, Vera’s younger brother, provides a great foil. He’s younger, so he’s having a totally different experience. His ease at camp compared to Vera’s struggle adds another layer of "sibling resentment" that is so incredibly accurate. You love them, but you also kind of hate how easy they have it.
Brosgol manages to make Phil a distinct person, not just a plot device. His presence reminds Vera (and us) that the camp isn't "evil"—it's just a bad fit for her. And that's okay.
How to Actually Use This Book in Real Life
If you're a parent, a teacher, or just someone looking for a gift, don't just hand this to a kid and walk away. Talk about it.
The Be Prepared graphic novel is a fantastic bridge for talking about social anxiety and the pressure to conform. It’s a "safe" way to discuss the fact that sometimes, you’re going to be the odd one out, and that doesn't mean something is wrong with you.
I’d honestly recommend it to adults, too. Especially those of us who still carry a bit of that "middle school trauma" around. It’s cathartic to see someone else fail so spectacularly at being "cool" and come out the other side as a successful artist.
Actionable Steps for Readers and Parents:
- Compare Experiences: If you're reading this with a child, ask them which "camp disaster" they relate to most. It’s an easy way to get them talking about their own school or social stresses without it feeling like an interrogation.
- Focus on the Art: Encourage young readers to look at how Brosgol draws emotions. If they like to draw, this is a perfect book to copy for practice in character expression.
- Check Out "Anya's Ghost": If you finish this and want more, Brosgol's other major work, Anya's Ghost, is a bit darker and more supernatural, but carries that same "outsider" energy. It's a great "next step" for slightly older readers.
- Embrace the "Boring" Parts: Use the book’s slow moments to discuss why being alone isn't the same as being lonely. Vera spends a lot of time in her own head, and that’s where her real growth happens.
The Be Prepared graphic novel remains a staple in the medium because it refuses to lie to its audience. It tells kids—and reminds adults—that life is often awkward, dirty, and unfair. But if you’ve got a sketchbook and a little bit of grit, you’ll probably be fine.
Ultimately, the book is a testament to the idea that our "failed" experiences are often the ones that shape us the most. Vera didn't become a master scout, but she became a storyteller. And honestly? That's a way better trade-off.