Vera really wants to fit in with all the other girls at school. Unfortunately, she never has the right "stuff". Even when she tries to have a birthday sleepover things don't go right. So when she finds out there is a camp for Russian kids during the summer she is excited. Finally she can be like the other girls and go to camp. Things aren't any different at camp unfortunately. She is still unpopular and doesn't fit in. 

This semi-autobiographical graphic novel was thrilling to read. Vera is just like so many kids who want to fit in and be popular but don't have the right stuff. Her mom is a single parent who is going to school and working full time. The family lives in an apartment and doesn't have a lot of money. So Vera doesn't have the right toys or clothes or things. 

I appreciated the fact that things didn't suddenly become fantastic for Vera. Yes she did make a friend and things were better, but she still hated camp. I also liked that her experiences were contrasted with her brother's. Even though he was more popular, it still turned out he didn't like camp either.