Brain Camp, written by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks, is a graphic novel about a summer camp that is not what it seems.  Jenna and Lucas are two teens sent by their exasperated parents to Camp Fielding for the summer, a place that promises to whip slacker kids into shape while simultaneously turning them into ubergeniuses.  Of course, something is not quite right at Camp Fielding, and Jenna and Lucas get caught up in solving the mystery.  (As someone who always found the idea of summer camp slightly creepy, this book was right up my alley.)

Counselors at Camp Fielding sneak into the campers’ bunks at night and inject them with something while they sleep.  Pretty soon, the kids turn into hyperintelligent drones, and soon after that, they start puking feathers.  Eventually, the kids disappear.  While the plot itself isn’t terribly original – Jenna and Lucas are two intrepid campers who refuse to rest until they determine what is causing their friends to get sick – it’s done well, and the major reveal isn’t wholly expected.

The School Library Journal review of Brain Camp mentioned that the book’s target audience was unclear, since the summer camp setting seemed aimed at tweens and young teens while there’s a couple of sexual references that make it more appropriate for older teens.  I disagree – I don’t think older teens will have a problem getting interested in the story, especially since a lot of it deals with parent/child strife, and I don’t think younger teens and tweens will be really put off by the couple of more mature scenes (scenes which are all about puberty).  They’re quick and might even be passed over by kids too young to understand them.

Every graphic novel published by First Second that I’ve read has impressed me, and Brain Camp is no exception.  The plot is interesting and the art is better than average.  Hicks is especially good at showing a wide range of facial expressions that lend personality and depth to the two main characters.  The words and art work together perfectly to tell a really good story.  It’s nothing earth-shattering, but it’s better than average and lots of fun.