This One Summer
by wampishing
Rose and her family have been coming to Awago Beach during the summer "ever since...like...forever." For Rose, it's always been a place of idyll joy and a fun escape. But this year, something is different. Rose's parents won't stop fighting; her mom seems determined not to have a good time. Rose is pretty sure she knows why - but she doesn't want to talk about it, not even with her friend Windy. She'd much rather lose herself in the unfolding drama and potential tragedy brewing among the local teenagers. Sometimes, though, anger makes us unable to see things clearly. Sometimes, what we think we know about a situation can be very wrong. Recognizing that is part of growing up, and for Rose, much of that growing up happened This One Summer.
Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind the award-winning comic Skim, have smashed it out of the park once again with this excellent graphic novel. This One Summer is many things: an atmospheric story that captures the feel of summer so well you'll swear you can hear the buzz of cicadas; a portrait of the simmering resentment that family struggles we don't quite understand can cause, and how it can bleed into our perceptions elsewhere in our lives; a quiet coming of age story; an authentic portrayal of friendship and family; and a visual masterpiece, with rich, textured, expressive artwork. But above all, it's a very good read!
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