Module #5: This One Summer

Module #5:  This One Summer

Book Summary:

This is the story of two young girls who during their summer vacation begin to discover the complexities of adulthood. Although they are still in their early teens and still little girls in their innocence, this summer will be their introduction to sex, boys, drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, family roles, family conflict, and depression. At the end of their summer vacation, they have experienced something different from their childhood vacations, and they expect that next summer will also bring more change.  

APA Reference of Book:

Tamaki, M. & Tamaki, J. (2014) This one summer. New York, NY: First Seconds.

Impressions:

This graphic novel was the winner of the 2014 Michael Printz Award Honor Book and the 2014 Caldecott Honor Book.  The first thing that captures your attention in this graphic novel is its use of indigo blue ink for the drawings instead of black.  The characters are true-to-life young girls, Rose and Windy, discovering the pains of growing up: witnessing family arguments, different family structures, and boys. I enjoyed reading this graphic novel and I would have enjoyed it even if it had just been a regular young adult novel. It reminds me of that time in my life when I was getting too old for kiddy stuff, but dragging my feet into adolescence, knowing there is no turning back once you get there.

Professional Review:

TAMAKI, Mariko. This One Summer. illus. by Jillian Tamaki. 320p. First Second. May 2014. Tr $21.99. ISBN 9781626720947; pap. $17.99. ISBN 9781596437746.

Gr 8 Up—Every summer, Rose and her parents vacation at a lakeside cottage. The rest of the world fades away as Rose reunites with her friend Windy and delves into leisurely games of MASH, swimming, and the joy of digging giant holes in the sand—but this summer is different. Rose is on the cusp of adolescence; she's not ready to leave childhood behind but is fascinated by the drama of the local teens who are only a few years older, yet a universe apart in terms of experience. They drink, they smoke, they swear. As Rose and Windy dip their toes into the mysterious waters of teen life by experimenting with new vocabulary ("sluts!") and renting horror movies, her parents struggle with their own tensions that seem incomprehensible to Rose. Layers of story unfurl gradually as the narrative falls into the dreamlike rhythm of summer. Slice-of-life scenes are gracefully juxtaposed with a complex exploration of the fragile family dynamic after loss and Rose's ambivalence toward growing up. The mood throughout is thoughtful, quiet, almost meditative. The muted tones of the monochromatic blue-on-white illustrations are perfectly suited to the contemplative timbre, and the writing and images deserve multiple reads to absorb their subtleties. This captivating graphic novel presents a fully realized picture of a particular time in a young girl's life, an in-between summer filled with yearning and a sense of ephemerality. The story resolves with imperfect hope and will linger in readers' mind through changing seasons.—Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA

Tran, A. (2014). This One Summer. School Library Journal, 60(5), 144.

Library Uses: This is a great book for teens and adults. Reluctant readers will enjoy reading and looking at the illustrations.