Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Today was supposed to be a commitment followed by time to do household things followed by a commitment; my 9-year-old went to bed with an iffy-feeling stomach, however, and it doesn’t seem to be feeling any better today. I still made a hot dip to take to the school for the teachers’ luncheon, but I’m not likely to be driving the 9-year-old and her iffy stomach to therapy this afternoon (or getting my Trader Joe’s shopping in while she’s there). We’ll see what happens, I guess. The Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Taco Dip I took to the school smelled fabulous, although I didn’t try it before I dropped it off, and today’s load of laundry is in the dryer, so there’s that. I know I didn’t post on Monday like I meant to, but my son was home sick with a cold/cough, and that plus the remains of a scary kitchen and the need to make another pot of applesauce pretty much wiped out my best hours of concentration. Yesterday my oldest and I met with her assistant principal about a 504 for over an hour, which meeting I went to straight from the library. Afterwards I booked it home for lunch and a walk before heading back to the high school to pick my 15-year-old up from an NHS meeting, which was an ordeal because the traffic light was out at Redwood and 54th. She and I went straight to the elementary school from the high school to view the science fair and take her younger sister home, and then there was a break before I had to take her to dance, but still. All the things!

Anyway. The half unfortunate news is that because I managed to finish a graphic novel last night–that’s the NOT unfortunate part–I’m reviewing that instead of one of the other books that’s been waiting its turn.

Sigh.

Still, I’m anticipating Unhappy Camper (by the creators of Measuring Up) to be a hit with both my graphic novel lovers. Sisters Michelle and Claire were the best of friends before Michelle (the younger one) encounters ridicule from the school mean girl about her Taiwanese American heritage; wanting to fit in, she drops everything she can that marks her as different, while Claire holds on to her heritage. Militantly.

Their camaraderie is long gone when their parents decide to sent Michelle to the Taiwanese American summer camp where Claire is now a junior counselor. Neither girl is thrilled, but over the course of camp, they begin to find their way back to each other. Will they make it all the way, despite the obstacles they encounter? Will Michelle still fit in with her school friends? How do you decide who you are–and find friends that accept you that way? And isn’t that what all middle schoolers want to know?

The ending isn’t exactly surprising, it’s true, but there’s a reason this kind of plot is so prevalent in middle grade fiction, and it’s NOT because it’s fantasy. This is a solid story with important messages and an interesting look at Taiwanese culture, and if my 15-year-old were younger, she’d be getting it for Christmas. It’s a bit short for her now, however, and my youngest might be more into a fantasy graphic novel, so it’s just going to get read and enjoyed for a while. If you have a middle school girl who loves realistic fiction and graphic novels, however, Unhappy Camper is a great gift idea.