Be Prepared

As a nine-year-old for the majority of the narrative, Vera is at a very tumultuous, transitional age. She is still a child in many ways and is clearly much younger than some of her fellow campers, but she is also actively maturing into a pre-teen. With this growth comes many challenges, particularly when it comes to interpersonal relationships and self-confidence. Struggling with school friends and camp friends throughout the narrative, Vera’s desire to fit in transcends the various social groups that Vera encounters, demonstrating that it does not matter to Vera where she fits in. She simply wants to be included and feel like she belongs somewhere. Additionally, Vera begins to struggle with outbursts of emotions, worsening her stress in already-difficult situations.

At the start of the graphic novel, Vera fixes her desire to fit in socially on her peers from school, like her friend Sarah Hoffman. Sarah throws Vera’s idea of the best birthday party, so much so that Vera knows exactly the components or ingredients that contribute to her party’s success. While attending Sarah’s sleepover birthday party, Vera continually tries to seem as much like her peers as possible, even when it is obvious she has qualities and experiences that set her apart.