Be Prepared

Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol. A gripping and hilarious middle-grade summer camp memoir from the author of Anya's Ghost. Her friends live in fancy houses and their parents can afford to send them to the best summer camps.

Vera is sure she's found the one place she can fit in, but camp is far from what she imagined. And nothing could prepare her for all the "cool girl" drama, endless Russian history lessons, and outhouses straight out of nightmares! Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Cece Bell, and Victoria Jamieson, Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared is a funny and relatable middle-grade graphic novel about navigating your own culture, struggling to belong, and the value of true friendship.

Hardcover , pages. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Be Prepared , please sign up. Is it a graphic novel? Liz Yes, according to the synopsis above, "Be Prepared is a funny and relatable middle-grade graphic novel about navigating your own culture, struggling …more Yes, according to the synopsis above, "Be Prepared is a funny and relatable middle-grade graphic novel about navigating your own culture, struggling to belong, and the value of true friendship. See all 3 questions about Be Prepared….

Lists with This Book. May 07, Lola rated it did not like it Shelves: Some stories… don't need to be told. In that case, write about something that you DO know. M Some stories… don't need to be told. So anyway, Vera and her brother go to camp. I certainly expected it to contain humour and entertain me but, instead, it made me feel… bad. Not bad for Vera, but bad inside at all the cruelty and jealousy and lying in the book. And when the cool girls try to take advantage of her… she lets them. But boy oh boy do I not agree with the way the author developed this story, especially since it ends on a cliffhanger.

I need to say this, so perhaps cover your eyes: That was a stupid decision on the author's part. That I will not read? He was embarrassing to watch. They need to be aware that there is ugliness in the world, but they must also learn how to deal with it, and this book is no teaching tool. View all 35 comments. May 04, emma rated it liked it Shelves: View all 5 comments. Apr 05, Nat rated it liked it Shelves: I'm gonna jump right into discussing the book by highlighting the dreaded sleepover scene that still gives me chills She's trying her hardest to assimilate as smoothly as possible by pulling together a sleepover by replicating her friend's version , but then her mother gives her Russian twist on it.

I mean, the painful courage it took to include the sleepover must've been tremendous. Moving along to Vera finding out about a Russian summer camp "build around fostering Russian community" and deciding to join in the hopes of finding people that'll get her. But she's not quite prepared for the conditions set in the middle of nowhere.

Be Prepared

You pretty much knew what to expect with this introducing letter: I read it in a heartbeat. ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. April 24th, Note: Support creators you love. Buy a Coffee for nat bookspoils with Ko-fi. May 24, Whitney Atkinson rated it liked it Shelves: This will be a short review just because the rating speaks for itself. I have nothing particularly outstanding to say about it, but there's also nothing terrible about it. It was entertaining, but it was just okay.

Maybe get it from the library instead of buying it. May 20, Sam Quixote rated it liked it. Be prepared - for a middling childhood memoir comic! In her afterword she talks about condensing two summers of camp into one to make the narrative more exciting, which is fine, but she also makes some stuff up, which was a bit iffy.

• See a Problem??
• Rádios que tocam Disney.
• Be Prepared?

The bullied nerd gets to win a bit at the end, Vera stumbles across a Be prepared - for a middling childhood memoir comic! The bullied nerd gets to win a bit at the end, Vera stumbles across a moose and has a spiritual moment, she happens to find the missing guinea pig and becomes besties with its owner, she captures the flag at the end; these story beats are too pat and smack of contrivance, watering down the memoir aspect of the book. Vera Brosgol knows how to cartoon like the devil though and the book is wonderfully drawn. May 09, David Schaafsma rated it liked it Shelves: Vera Brosgol created Anya's Ghost, which I liked very much, so I looked forward to this tale, since summer camp was important to my early life, and is important to some present members of this house now, including one girl.

I expect they may really like this story, which is very much based on Brosgol's largely miserable experiences at camp while growing up. She also explains in an afterword that in the process of creating this graphic novel that she consulted her sisters about what camp had been Vera Brosgol created Anya's Ghost, which I liked very much, so I looked forward to this tale, since summer camp was important to my early life, and is important to some present members of this house now, including one girl.

She also explains in an afterword that in the process of creating this graphic novel that she consulted her sisters about what camp had been like for them and folded some of their stories into this, making it more fictional. Vera and her brother go to Russian camp, where they do things that kids do at camp, but in the context of a cultural heritage experience, speaking the language and so on.

She's young for her group, she has tent-mates that isolate her, she has no friends. But she draws and for a time she is allowed to hang with the older, cool girls. She eventually makes one friend that makes it all kinda worthwhile. I liked it just fine. The cartooning is great. The expected level for readers might be from 3rd to 7th grade. The afterword includes an actual humorously miserable letter Brosgol wrote to her mother from camp. She says he likes camping now. I guess if you hated camp you could commiserate with Brosgol here. Some of it is funny, but most of it is a little sad, I thought.

A story for loners who might not always be loners, hopefully. Be Prepared is the second graphic novel I've read by Brosgol the first was Anya's Ghost , and I liked this one much better. Based on the author's own experiences, this is an absorbing story of a girl who has trouble fitting in and wants nothing more than to go to summer camp, but when she does go it doesn't turn out anything like she was hoping.

I thought this might be humorous or even scary, but instead it's mostly sad—although there's definitely a lot of humor mixed in, the experiences Vera h Be Prepared is the second graphic novel I've read by Brosgol the first was Anya's Ghost , and I liked this one much better. I thought this might be humorous or even scary, but instead it's mostly sad—although there's definitely a lot of humor mixed in, the experiences Vera has are pretty upsetting.

I bought it for my niece, a hater of Girl Scout camp who will be the same age as the protagonist when her birthday rolls around, but now I think some of it might be a bit too adult for her, so I'm going to let her mother make the call about whether to give it to her now or hold it for a while.

Navigation menu

But I do recommend this for kids and adults who like YA lit, summer camp stories, or well-done graphic novels. Nov 30, Manybooks rated it liked it Shelves: While I cannot say that I have all that much enjoyed Vera Brosgol's illustrations as I guess that the mostly green, white and black colours she is using are just not my aesthetic thing so to speak , the general plot lines of Be Prepared have been both entertaining and also rather sadly and frustratingly, uncomfortably nostalgic in a cringeworthy and "I do not really want to remember" kind of way.

For while I thankfully never did experience the kind of mostly horrible summer camps of Vera Bros While I cannot say that I have all that much enjoyed Vera Brosgol's illustrations as I guess that the mostly green, white and black colours she is using are just not my aesthetic thing so to speak , the general plot lines of Be Prepared have been both entertaining and also rather sadly and frustratingly, uncomfortably nostalgic in a cringeworthy and "I do not really want to remember" kind of way.

For while I thankfully never did experience the kind of mostly horrible summer camps of Vera Brosgol's teenaged years and according to her author's note, she has consolidated two separate summer camp experiences in Be Prepared , her feelings of being the odd person out, of being at best only mildly tolerated and often actually being not only ignored but at times rather bullied sure do ring more than enough reminiscing alarm bells for me.

And while much of Be Prepared does indeed seem a bit overly exaggerated at times, for the most part, the episodes depicted and described are what I would call an expanded type of reality, maybe with a trifle too much thrown in for shock and awe value, but let us be honest here, the thematics and contents of Be Prepared , even if containing too much of the proverbial good thing at times are indeed and sadly often part and parcel of how especially teenaged girls tend to act and react to one another although quite frankly, I for one could have done without the visual of the soiled with blood undergarment on the flagpole, as I do think that this could have and should have been rendered and even in a graphic novel without such an overt and perhaps even sans any kind of illustration, as it really did and does disgust me and even kind of give me the creeps.

All in all though, I have indeed for the most part found Be Prepared both relatable and engaging enough especially when Vera recounts how it feels good when others are being singled out, how she is honest about her feelings that this has taken some of the pressure off of her, as indeed, when I was being bullied at school, I did even if more than contritely and guilty silently cheer a bit when the arch-bullies tormenting me suddenly decided to choose another victim, both leaving me alone for a time and granting me some necessary breathing space.

However, as I have as mentioned above not really found the illustrations and especially their colour schemes all that visually enchanting and stimulating and do also have a few issues with parts of the presented narrative, with Vera Brosgol's themes, contents and words, two and a half stars is what from a personal reading pleasure point of departure Be Prepared represents for me, but rounded up to a rather grudging three stars, as I have indeed still somewhat enjoyed in a painful and frustrating manner reading about and viewing a girl who is in many ways my mirror teenaged image, except that I certainly was not lucky enough to have the artistic talents of Vera and was actually in many ways even more awkward than her as a child and young teenager, in some ways closer to the poor boy who keeps literally stepping in it and is bullied by the whole camp and seemingly simply because head honcho Alexei does and obviously demands imitation or at least that is how this sure seems to and for me.

View all 10 comments. I love Brosgol's art she did one of my top books from last year: I can't wait to see what she doesn't next! I burned through this minutes after picking it up from the library, and then handed it to my 9yo daughter, who is absolutely riveted as well. She's a big fan of Raina Telgeme Wonderful!

I fully expect to be asked to buy her a copy of her own today. Jul 30, Erica rated it really liked it Shelves: This story is not about a power-hungry, Machiavellian uncle who hangs out with hyenas.

• Be Prepared (Disney song) - Wikipedia.
• Be Prepared - Wikipedia!
• Be Prepared lyrics - The Lion King.
• Seasons On Lookout Mountain.
• In Extremis: Two Novels by W.H. Collier.

It's an autobiographical graphic novel about nine-year-old Vera's experiences at a Russian summer camp. Not a summer camp in Russia because those were outlawed last century but, rather, a camp that promotes Russian history and culture that would otherwise be lost to children of Russian ancestry. Pretty much Girl or Boy Scouts but for Russian kids. She peer-pressured herself into going and then had a miserabl FYI: She peer-pressured herself into going and then had a miserable time. Child-Vera is somewhat annoying, probably one of those kids who flutters on the fringes of the middle-of-the-road group of children, the ones who aren't popular, aren't sporty, aren't in any way exceptional but also aren't considered weird, gross, or other in any noticeable way.

Yet, as exasperated as I felt with her, I also felt for her. She just wants friends, just wants to fit in, just wants to be accepted but her social circumstances plus her general awkwardness keeps her from achieving her goals. She's relatable and believable. I'm always intrigued by summer camp stories because I never went but my BFF had to go to church camp every year and the two weeks she was gone were always the most miserable in my life.

I couldn't go with because her church was pretty much a cult and they didn't let outsiders tag along which seems weird in retrospect because isn't that how you get new followers? Not if you're a cult, it's not! Her stories, plus movies and books inform my understanding of what life was like in summer camp and this graphic novel offers nothing new but also supports everything I've already learned.

Also, I totally would have been a Vera, the kid leaving out food for chipmunks and waiting to poop until I found a more comfortable bathroom. View all 4 comments. May 07, Jay G rated it liked it.

Be Prepared Lyrics - The Lion King - Soundtrack Lyrics

Want to see more from me? Check out my Youtube channel: Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this in exchange for my honest review! Everyone Vera knows gets to go away to summer camp every year. All Vera wants is to be like the other kids in her neighbourhood. Then, one summer, her mother agrees to send her to ORRA, a Russian summer camp for children just like her! Upon arriving, Vera quickly realizes that she is not going to enjoy her time Want to see more from me? Upon arriving, Vera quickly realizes that she is not going to enjoy her time at camp, the older girls are mean to her and she is extremely homesick.

This was super cute! It was nice to see Vera's character development as the story went on. It was fun to see her trying to make friends and learning more about herself as the story progressed. I think this will be great for young readers who are also trying to fit into their own friend groups! I also really enjoyed how this is based off of the author's experience, I love how she incorporated letters that she wrote her own mother. Overall, a quick and fun little graphic memoir!

When I was a child, I lived in a well-to-do neighborhood, and had well-to-do neighbors, and classmates. This was in the days when rich people still sent their kids to public schools. They were the kids, that in high school had their own cards, and went on ski trips, and to Summer camp every year. Certainly not Summer camp. And Vera has the added problem of be When I was a child, I lived in a well-to-do neighborhood, and had well-to-do neighbors, and classmates.

And Vera has the added problem of being diaspora Russian, having come over to the States when she was five. So, when she finds out that there is a Summer camp for Russian diaspora, and that the church will help pay for it, she jumps at the chance. The soliloquy is, however, included in the Broadway version. During production of the film, there was originally supposed to be a reprise of the song which takes place after Scar has assumed power over the Pride Lands and is trying to assert his dominance over the lion population.

He is given the idea by Zazu to find a mate, as that will give him cubs, and in his own words, "eternity". He starts to flirt with Nala, who refuses his advances and is therefore banished by Scar.

The Lion King - Be Prepared

He then unleashes the hyenas upon the Pride Lands as his "executive staff". The reprise was ultimately removed from the film. However, a similarly themed song entitled " The Madness of King Scar " was included in the Broadway musical version of the film. The shadows of the goose-stepping hyena army are then seen marching in front of them, though they haven't started singing yet. Timon and Pumbaa stare at them for a few seconds, and remark that the hyenas "ain't the traveling company of Riverdance.

As in the original soundtrack recording, Scar begins the song with a brief soliloquy. The song is similar to its film counterpart in most respects, including the goose stepping hyenas, but there is a dance number performed by the hyena ensemble halfway through.

Scar later sings a brief reprise while declaring himself king at Mufasa's funeral in which he introduces the hyenas as his direct and privileged minions the aforementioned deleted reprise from the film. However, the Broadway reprise was not featured in the soundtrack, and is instead replaced with a sinister chord at the end of the song "Rafiki Mourns". In other soundtracks from different productions, the song is not represented at all. In Walt Disney World 's Animal Kingdom 's Festival of the Lion King , Kiume sings the song while the theater takes on a darker tone with the male dancers carrying spears and shields, while the female dancers dance with streamers.

After Kiume sings the first verse, the solo hyena performer does a tribal dance with a fire torch. In the finale, when the snippet of "Be Prepared" is sung, the hyena comes back out but dances with blades. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Not to be confused with the song of the same name by Tom Lehrer about the Scout Motto. This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page.

Learn how and when to remove these template messages. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. April Learn how and when to remove this template message. This article possibly contains original research.