Early Book Review: Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim

Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim is a middle grade graphic novel scheduled for release on May 14 2024. After a lackluster school year, Maya anticipates an even more disappointing summer. The only thing she’s looking forward to is cooking and mixing ingredients in the kitchen, which these days brings her more joy than mingling with her peers. That is until her dad's girlfriend registers her for culinary summer camp! Maya's summer is saved, or not. What was meant to be a summer filled with baking pastries and cooking pasta is suddenly looking a lot . . . paler?! Why do all of the kids have pointy fangs? And hate garlic? Turns out that Maya isn't at culinary camp—she's at a camp for VAMPIRES! Maya has a lot to learn if she's going to survive this summer. If she's lucky, she might even make some friends along the way.

Summer Vamp is a fun and entertaining read about embracing and owning the interests that make us different. I thought Maya was a well written character, one readers could empathize with and relate to even if they did not always agree with her words or choices. Her fears and doubts are universal, at least in my opinion, and I loved going along as she got a little more comfortable in her own skin and found her friend group. I think upper elementary and middle school readers will get the most out of this read, but older and younger readers that are interested will enjoy it just as much. 

Early Book Review: Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim

Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim is a middle grade graphic novel scheduled for release on May 14 2024. After a lackluster school year, Maya anticipates an even more disappointing summer. The only thing she’s looking forward to is cooking and mixing ingredients in the kitchen, which these days brings her more joy than mingling with her peers. That is until her dad's girlfriend registers her for culinary summer camp! Maya's summer is saved, or not. What was meant to be a summer filled with baking pastries and cooking pasta is suddenly looking a lot . . . paler?! Why do all of the kids have pointy fangs? And hate garlic? Turns out that Maya isn't at culinary camp—she's at a camp for VAMPIRES! Maya has a lot to learn if she's going to survive this summer. If she's lucky, she might even make some friends along the way.

Summer Vamp is a fun and entertaining read about embracing and owning the interests that make us different. I thought Maya was a well written character, one readers could empathize with and relate to even if they did not always agree with her words or choices. Her fears and doubts are universal, at least in my opinion, and I loved going along as she got a little more comfortable in her own skin and found her friend group. I think upper elementary and middle school readers will get the most out of this read, but older and younger readers that are interested will enjoy it just as much. 

Book Review: Secrets of Camp Whatever, Vol. 1, by Chris Grine

Secrets of Camp Whatever, Vol. 1, by Chris Grine is a middle grade graphic novel. Eleven year-old Willow doesn't want to go to her dad's weird old summer camp any more than she wants her family to move to the weird old town where that camp is located. But her family—and fate itself—seem to have plans of their own. Soon Willow finds herself neck-deep in a confounding mystery involving stolen snacks, suspected vampires, and missing campers, all shrouded in the sinister fog that hides a generation of secrets at Camp ... Whatever it's called. 

Secrets of Camp Whatever is a story that I think readers from a wide range of ages will enjoy. The art is very well done, and captures the mood of the characters, the setting, and the underlying mysteries very well. I liked the personalities of the kids, and I found their reluctance and curiosity to be very realistic in spite of the things they discover. The way they deal with each other, the adults around them, and the mysteries of the island only made me interested to learn more.Willow's independence, and the way some people treated her, was key in her personality but not the story development.  I really enjoyed the read, and am looking forward to this series continuing. 

Secrets of Camp Whatever is a fun and engaging graphic novel that left me eager to see what volume two might have in store. 

Early Book Review: Camp Spirit by Axelle Lenoir

Camp Spirit by Axelle Lenoir is a young adult graphic novel currently scheduled for release on April 14 2020. Summer 1994: with just two months left before college, Elodie is forced by her mother to take a job as a camp counselor. She doesn't know the first thing about nature, or sports, of kids for that matter, and isn't especially interested in learning... but now she's responsible for a foul-mouthed horde of red-headed girls who just might win her over, whether she likes it or not. Just as Elodie starts getting used to her new environment, though -- and close to one of the other counselors -- a dark mystery lurking around the camp begins to haunt her dreams.

Camp Spirit is a graphic novel that I could relate to on a number of levels, not the least of which I graduate from high school the same year the main characters did, so most of the pop culture references were a direct hit with me. I liked Elodie's character, her reluctance to be the smiling happy soul that most people seem to expect was something I could completely understand, as was her curiosity about the camp and those around her once she got tossed into the thick of things. I enjoyed the side stories of how she related to her campers and some of the other counselors. The second layer of the story, with the mystical elements, had me guessing right along with Elodie. Some of the sly glances had me thinking down false paths, but that was part of the nature of the artwork. I thought that the art was very well done, and added a great deal to the story, both in emotion and plot. I really enjoyed the read, and wonder if there will be more to come. 

Camp Spirit is a well written and drawn graphic novel that will appeal to some middle graders, but mostly young adult and older readers. Adults that shared the joys of high school in the 90's with me might want to give it a go as well.