What do you do when you’ve a two week vacation and you’re tired of playing games on your phone? You find the stack of books you have and start reading. And one of those books was Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer.
I’ll start with that it is a fun, modern coming of age story that deals with GLBTQ issues and the pressures we put on ourselves versus just “having fun” when we are doing things that we should/could enjoy. I will then go on to say that I read this via a physical reader copy, and when it comes out mid-June 2024 I might give it a second look to see if the illustrations or anything has changed.
There is an interesting cast of characters that are both diverse and not so much. It feels like every character has a color in the rainbow defining them when it comes to pronouns (one person is she/he, several are they/them, and at least one she/they). There are same gender moms and two main characters who are non-binary. Sometimes this makes things feel as if the diversity is a bit forced, trying to make sure we “get the message,” but also, it does not take away from the theme of the story.
Our main character, Tate, is trying to find a way to tell their parents/family/friends they are non-binary (though born male), plus they want to learn violin (not sports), and have confidence in themselves to stand up for what is right. When Tate meets another camper, Eli, at the summer camp for musicians (which is how Tate hopes to try and better themselves with the violin), the two realize they can help each other as Eli (also non-binary, as is our author Palmer) who is trying to overcome a breakdown that they had at their first solo concert. They are also trying to find the joy they once had playing the violin. There are other characters that come into play, but are never completely fleshed out. However, the other campers are realistic and help our characters. The family of Tate is also realistic and what you would want in a family.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, but the adult in me was picky. The aged 10 to 14 reader (though younger could do if a strong reader) will devour it.