Be Prepared #[nn]

Vera Brosgol's warm, lushly wooded cover says it all: a wide-eyed girl in a scout uniform, weighed down by an enormous overstuffed backpack and a heavy duffel bag, looks decidedly overwhelmed amid a bustling camp where other uniformed kids move cheerfully around her — American and Russian flags flying in the background. The expressive cartooning captures that perfect mix of anxiety and determination that anyone who's ever felt out of place somewhere new will instantly recognize. Published by First Second in 2018, Be Prepared promises an honest, heartfelt graphic novel about belonging, summer camp, and the gap between how prepared you think you are and how prepared you actually are.