Unhappy Camper

by Lily Lamotte (Author) Ann Sunmi (Illustrator)

Unhappy Camper
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

From the acclaimed creators of Measuring Up, author Lily LaMotte and illustrators Ann Xu and Sunmi, comes a graphic novel about two sisters--one who embraces her Taiwanese culture and one eager to do away with it--who rebuild their bond at a Taiwanese American summer camp. Perfect for fans of Be Prepared and Sisters, this is a heartwarming story about the importance of being true to yourself.

Would you rather blend in or stand out? Claire and Michelle used to be best friends, but now the two sisters couldn't be more different. Michelle will do anything to fit in, even if it means denying her Taiwanese culture, whereas Claire is proud of who she is. So much so that she decides to become a junior counselor at a Taiwanese American summer camp.

Sensing a rift between the two, their parents decide to send them both off to camp, much to Michelle's dismay. As summer continues, both sisters learn more about their culture and each other. But Michelle must eventually decide to either embrace her culture and family or assimilate into the popular group at school. Which will she choose?

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Kirkus

A solid tale of sisterhood, friendship, and finding comfort and pride in one’s cultural identity.

Publishers Weekly

Collaborators Lamotte and Xu (Measuring Up) reteam to deliver a bighearted graphic novel featuring estranged Taiwanese American sisters. Reserved Michelle would rather hang out with her white friends from choir than be more like her self-assured older sister Claire, whom enjoys exploring her heritage at a yearly Taiwanese summer camp just outside of the siblings' Seattle-area hometown. This year, their parents conspire to send the girls to the three-week-long camp together, and while both object to the obvious diplomacy effort, their attendance is deemed non-negotiable. After acing an uncomfortable ropes course and helping a scared camper cross the finish line, Michelle receives some much-missed sisterly love from Claire, which inspires Michelle to embrace camp, and her background, more. She even realizes how bestie Jess often ridicules her Taiwanese heritage, and once the siblings return home, Michelle has the opportunity to demonstrate how much camp has restored her confidence in herself, her bond with her sister, and her culture. Xu's clean, two-dimensional linework complements Lamotte's winsome story showcasing the diversity of Taiwanese art (opera, glove puppets, folk songs, calligraphy) and toothsome culinary treats like han tsî muê (sweet potato porridge) and shaved ice with grass jelly in this feast for the stomach and the spirit. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780062973894
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Harperalley
Publication date
April 23, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV011020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - Asian American
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV008110 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Humorous
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Sisters
Graphic novels
Camps
Taiwanese American children

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