For kids navigating friendship changes and learning to trust their own instincts, this graphic novel celebrates teamwork and magical summer camp adventures.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is feeling misunderstood or is struggling with perfectionism and parental expectations. This volume of Lumberjanes finds the campers at the lake, where a magical selkie and a hidden land of dinosaurs await. But the true adventure is an emotional one for Molly, who grapples with her own self-doubt and difficult letters from home. Through teamwork and the unwavering support of her friends, Molly learns to trust herself and her found family at camp. For ages 9 to 13, this graphic novel uses a high-energy, humorous fantasy plot to explore complex feelings about identity and belonging. It's a wonderful tool for showing kids that it's okay to not be perfect and that true friends will love them for who they are.
A main character deals with anxiety and feelings of inadequacy related to parental pressure.
Sensitive Topics
The core sensitive topic is identity and parental pressure. It is handled metaphorically through Molly's internal struggles and her interactions with the magical world. The resolution is hopeful: Molly doesn't magically solve her issues with her parents, but she does learn to rely on her friends and accept herself, which is a powerful and realistic step. The book also continues the gentle, matter-of-fact development of the queer relationship between Molly and Mal.
Ideal Reader
A 10 to 12 year old who is a high-achiever or people-pleaser, feeling the weight of academic or parental expectations. This is for the child who is starting to question who they are outside of what others want them to be, and might be struggling to communicate those complex feelings.
Parent Prep
No specific prep needed, the book can be read cold. However, a parent might want to be prepared for conversations about feeling pressure from home, even if unintentional. The book presents Molly's parents as loving but misguided, which is a useful framing for discussion. The parent notices their child becoming withdrawn, anxious about school or grades, or hears them say something like, "I can't mess this up" or "Mom will be so mad if I don't do this perfectly." The parent might feel their child is pulling away and doesn't know how to reconnect.
Age Experience
A 9-year-old will likely focus on the fun dinosaur adventure, the cool magic, and the power of friendship. An older reader, 12-13, will connect more deeply with Molly's internal conflict. They will recognize the nuances of her anxiety, the pressure from her parents, and the quiet development of her romantic feelings for Mal.
What Makes It Special
This book uniquely blends high-concept fantasy absurdity (dinosaurs! selkies!) with deeply relatable, subtle emotional struggles. Unlike problem-novels that tackle anxiety head-on, this volume embeds Molly's journey in a thrilling quest, making the emotional processing feel organic and less didactic. It normalizes complex feelings within a purely fun adventure.
Read plot summary
The Roanoke cabin heads to the lake to earn their boating badges. They encounter a mysterious girl named Harlow, who is actually a selkie searching for her lost sealskin. This leads them through a magical portal to a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs. Meanwhile, Molly is receiving stressful letters from her mother, causing her to withdraw from her friends as she struggles with feelings of inadequacy and the pressure to be perfect. The friends must work together to help Harlow and for Molly to learn to trust her friends with her true feelings.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Molly keeps her worries about her mom's letters a secret from her friends for a long time. Why do you think she did that? Have you ever felt like you had to hide your worries from someone?
2
When Ripley says, 'We're your friends! It's our job to help you with stuff!', what does that moment show us about the Roanoke cabin's friendship? How is their camp family different from Molly's family at home?
3
The selkie, Harlow, needs to find her sealskin to be her true self. How is her story similar to what Molly is going through? Do you think Molly is also looking for a way to be her 'true self'?
4
At the end, Molly decides to write back to her parents honestly. What do you think she will say? What do you think is the bravest thing she does in this book?
