Imposter

Gr 8 Up–Cameron, a high school sophomore who loves building tech things, finally gets the chance to take a computer science class, but overcoming biases prove more challenging than the curriculum. As the only girl in the class, Cam experiences imposter syndrome, doubting her abilities and fearing that the rest of the class will find her to be a fraud, despite the fact that she is smart and learns to code on her own. She and her best friend Vivian join the RoboSub Team, where Viv finds her niche as the PR and fundraising chair, and Cam works with the electrical team. Cam is driven to research women in STEM fields, and what she discovers inspires her to create a video game with moody, game-obsessed Jackson for their class project. This leads to more trouble, and accusations of discrimination, but Cam is eventually cleared and encouraged to start a chapter of Girls Who Code at her school. The author’s connection to RoboNation, sponsor of the RoboSub competition, brings authenticity to the story; however, discrimination in tech fields is the sole conflict in the book. While the characters are diverse, well-defined, and likable, they sometimes resemble one-dimensional caricatures. There is no sex or drug use in the plot, only mild romance; there is mention of alcohol consumption with repercussions; there is frequent use of profanity.