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This One Summer | April 30, 2014

by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki (First Second Books/Macmillan Children's, May 2014)

This One Summer is the second collaboration between cousins Jillian and Mariko Tamaki. Printed entirely in blue, this atmospheric graphic novel captures that moment when you want to leave adolescence behind, but still can’t quite navigate the adult world.

Rose and her family visit Awago Beach every year. It’s Rose’s getaway; a familiar home away from home. She and her friend Windy have been meeting there each summer and are excited to spend their days swimming, barbecuing, and renting the occasional horror movie. But this year things aren’t quite the same. Rose’s parents are always fighting, and the unspoken drama hangs heavy in the air. Rose finds herself drawn more towards the older teenagers and less towards slightly younger Windy.

A schoolgirl crush and eavesdropping intrigue move the plot along, but the real story shifts between the girls’ friendship and Rose’s relationship with her withdrawn mother. The conversations are authentic, and the emotions hit home. While some may feel the pace a bit slow, Mariko’s words, combined with Jillian’s gorgeous artwork, are more about feeling than narrative. This One Summer will leave you wistful for summers gone by yet still hopeful for the next.

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