This One Summer

It was an okay book. It touched on a lot of hard points, such as teen pregnancy, miscarriages and depression, to name a few. While I didn't completely enjoy it because of the way the story kind of dragged on for me, it really made me think how you really can't judge people by the attitudes they put off. You don't know what goes on inside their minds or behind closed doors.

Beautiful book.

Wanted to understand the Caldecott controversy. Illustrations are gorgeous, but I think saying this is for Caldecott age group is a stretch, even allowing for the up to 14 argument. Skim was solidly YA, I see this as the same.

I really loved this. The art is beautiful and the story is poignant. I think it works for adults, definitely, but I also think that many teens will enjoy it–they have the self-awareness to look back and remember what it was like when you and your friends started changing, and what it's like when you learn family secrets. It's not action-packed or anything, but I think it will suit a certain brand of introspective teen just right.There is some strong/sexual language–mostly in the context of the two protagonists being uncomfortable hearing it or trying to understand what it means, but still it is there. I was going to booktalk it to junior high kids and then on second thought decided against it on the grounds of not wanting some parent to flip through it and see kids talking about sluts getting pregnant and such. But I think that the way it's presented is very true to life and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it on a smaller scale.I think it's a good readalike to maybe like Judy Blume and [b:Mermaid in Chelsea Creek 16129217 Mermaid in Chelsea Creek Michelle Tea https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358992756s/16129217.jpg 21954157]? For just that painful coming of age type thing, centered around friendship and not romance. Cool.

A graphic novel about an important summer for a young teen and her friend, as the girls grow and change, sometimes connecting and sometimes irritating each other. A very real look at a small summer in a person's life.

I picked this up from the library yesterday afternoon and, in an hour of total bookish bliss, completely finished it last night.

This One Summer is a gorgeous story about growing up. It's about the special places that hold our best memories, and how they change as we get older. About learning to deal with emotions that feel foreign and scary. It's even about facing the stereotypes that young girls are bombarded with the minute that they're old enough to understand them. This graphic novel is full of heart, and I happily lost myself in it from beginning to end.

First off, let me gush about the illustrations. I thought they were just perfect for the story they represented. Rose and her friend Windy start out depicted as beautifully carefree. The reader follows them as they race across the sand, spend hours floating in the ocean, and visit the corner store for ice cream on a hot day. The epitome of a childhood dream vacation. Slowly, as Rose's story takes us into her new reality as a budding teenager, things in the panels start to look a little bit more gritty. A little messier. It's a slight change, but it makes all the difference when you're immersed in the story.

I think that's what I was most impressed about reading this graphic novel. It isn't afraid to touch on the things that are a little darker in life. Rose's childhood memories of her favorite summer home are still there, lurking in the periphery. It's just that they aren't quite the same as they were before. She sees the things hiding underneath now. That her mom is just a little too quiet. That her dad had to mysteriously go into town for a few days. That her summer best friend isn't quite the same as she used to be.

There is so much hiding in This One Summer. I wish I could better express to you the layers that this story holds, but it'd be too easy to accidentally spoil the journey for you. Suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this graphic novel, and I'd happily have read more. I'm a fan of stories about the journey of growing up and finding yourself. This one was a marvelous ride.

This book is a wonderful treat–on the surface it's a fairly lighthearted tale, but it also has insights into some of the quite complex goings-on in our minds as we grow up. The conveys all of this beautifully, with “simple” drawings that telegraph all of the complexities involved. It also has one of the best ending lines of any book I've ever read, which I won't spoil for anybody reading this review.

I also love this book as an object–it's got heft, a strong binding and a smooth, cool cover, perfect for summer reading.