Ty was captain of the swim team before a broken arm sidelined him for months. Now, he’s unsure about rejoining his teammates at summer camp, especially because he’s gained weight and is hard on himself about it, with comments like, “I got fat. I’m not good enough anymore.” His best friend, Max, also seems angry and distant.
Gradually, Ty makes new friends and finds support from a sympathetic counselor that helps him face some of his anxieties and feel more in control of his life. We see him engaging with the other campers and finding new interests, like tabletop role-playing games, even as he wonders whether his crush (on another boy) is reciprocated.
As in their previous graphic novel, Just Roll With It, author Lee Durfey-Lavoie and illustrator Veronica Agarwal offer a thoughtful exploration of a tween navigating emotional issues, using both text and images to tell a compelling and recommended story.
Ty and his family read as Latine; other campers have a variety of racial/ethnic identities. A pair of girls at camp are also in a relationship.
