Making friends can be hard for teens, but knowing who your true friends are can be even harder. Lily LaMotte captures the challenges of friendship, cultural identity, and coming-of-age beautifully in Unhappy Camper. This is definitely a must-have for any middle school library!

* reviewed from uncorrected eARC via netgalley *

children's middlegrade graphic fiction - Though her older sister Claire has always been proud of her Taiwanese roots, middleschooler Michelle prefers to try to blend in with the white popular girls at her Seattle school. To Michelle's dismay, her parents decide to send her to Taiwanese-American camp where Claire has been hired as a junior counselor for three weeks at the end of summer.

Michelle spends 95% of the book being uncomfortable and/or miserably regretful, making this story quite a bit more serious (and less funny?) than Be Prepared or Sisters, though those stories do share some similarities. I did find Michelle's situation relatable and I enjoyed learning a little bit about Taiwanese language and food; I'm sure that plenty of kids out there will also relate, though Unhappy Camper may not quite reach "mainstream" popularity.

See also: Betty Tang's Parachute Kids.

Loved it. So relatable. A tale of two sisters. When they join kindergarten for the first time they have different reactions to prejudice and racism. One denies her culture and tries to fit in following the other children and trying to please them. The other embraces her culture and aims to make real friends. The first has a harder time because she is always stressed not wanting to make a mistake and be an outcast, but soon she will learn the meaning of true friends and family. She joins summer camp with her sister and although she resists it all for a while she finally understands what it feels like to feel at peace and embrace her culture. She even makes an effort to mend things with her sister.

Very sweet story. It's very hard to not fall into that trap of denying our origins to avoid criticism. Even adults struggle with that. The best feeling is when you let go of that fear and embrace who you are and if you have siblings who experience the same then hold on to them with all your might. Family is stronger than bullies.

Thank you netgalleu and publisher for this e-ARC.

The coloring for flashbacks initially reminded me of The Magic Fish, but it is single toned instead of tracking the story/adding a layer. There are also similarities to American Born Chinese with Michelle's relationship to Claire, and how her lack of assimilation is seen as embarrassing. The story itself is unique, with Michelle learning more about what it means to be Taiwanese American, and how she can make friends without forgetting her family's heritage.

Michelle wants nothing more than to be a normal, popular, American girl. Her older sister Claire embraces their Taiwanese culture, and every summer for the past few years, she has gone to a camp for Taiwanese American teens to learn more about their heritage. Michelle has no interest in that - she wants an invite to the party of the summer with the popular kids. So when their parents decide Michelle should join Claire at camp, summer seems officially ruined. Maybe Michelle can get back in time? Or maybe her friends aren't who Michelle wants them to be?

I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
LaMotte introduces readers to two sisters who have chosen to take different approaches to their heritage. One does her best to assimilate in US culture while her older sister chooses to explore her Taiwanese heritage. Readers meet them as young children and see what happened to start their divergent paths. When their parents decide to send Michelle to Taiwanese Culture camp along with her sister, Claire, tensions rise and Michelle opens up to more than just blending in the background. I appreciate the realistic look at this sibling relationship. I also think LaMotte captured a wide variety of outlooks on moving to new locations and figuring out what is right for yourself. The artwork captures the emotions while also showing the background clearly. A definite addition to middle grade libraries.

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperAlley, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this wonderful book. This is a book about accepting one’s culture and being proud to be themselves. Great characters, beautiful artwork, and a powerful story combine into a truly wonderful read. Looking forward to sharing it with my ELLs who would definitely relate to it.

This was a wonderful story! I enjoyed learning more about Taiwanese culture, and following the two sisters as they navigated their relationship. Perfect for fans of Measuring Up!

A amazing story about a young girl's journey learning to embrace her Taiwanese culture and rebuild a relationship with her sister. This was such a beautiful read and it really touches on the feelings we have when we try to fit in but also struggle to embrace in with our own culture and the new culture we are trying to assimilate into. Being a person of color who grew up in American society, it was a constant juggle between understanding my own culture and the American culture, and this book perfectly captures the difficulties young people can go through. Claire and Michelle are two sisters who used to be best friends, but when Michelle denies her Taiwanese culture to try and fit in while her sister Claire embraces it, they begin to drift apart. Yet when they both are sent to Taiwanese American summer camp, they'll both have to face the reason why they drifted apart. It's a great read and I would definitely recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperAlley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*