🌈RAINBOW WEEK🌈 💚💚Green💚💚 Camp by Lev A.C. Rosen is a story about a LGBTQ+ camp for queer teens that CELEBRATES its community by creating a safe and fun place for campers to learn, play and be their outward best selves—free from judgment. ➡️Swipe Right for Goodreads synopsis. This book really surprised me! This story begins with one teenage boy (Randy) changing himself and the activities he does in order to appear more masculine so he can impress a boy. The changing of oneself for the “popular” kid is a common trope used in teen romances, but I loved the approach taken by Rosen on identity, identity expression, and the influence of toxic masculinity within the queer community. “My therapist says that theater is a way for us to play with different identities without losing who we are, to try things on, to let go and not care what people think. And maybe he’s a little right, but he’s also wrong. Because theater is who we are. Those identities aren’t different costumes we try on—they’re different facets of us, different bits of truth. And it takes bravery to show those truths to the outside world.” I absolutely LOVED the idea of this camp being a safe place for teens to express themselves and to learn more about LGBTQIA+ organizations, movements, and the history of queer culture that is usually glossed over or completely left out of history books. Along with the fun teenage banter and the coming-of-age milestones, this book also acknowledges darker topics like personal safety and the pressures felt by teens to “mask” their full identities in order to remain safe. “There are different degrees of out, and you need to stick to the ones that are safe. But “safe” changes with where you are and who you are with. I don’t have that luxury, but I’m also an adult now. I’m not saying it’s safe for me, but my parents can’t kick me out of the house. So Hudson has to find the degree of out that will keep him safe while he’s around his parents.” Camp is a well crafted, heartwarming story that I really enjoyed reading. I’d love to write more, but I’m out of room. 💚QOTD: Any fun summer camp memories? Or Is there anything you would tell your 16-year-old self?