Bibliographic Information

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

ISBN: 159643774X

 

Plot Summary

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki is a coming of age story about best friends Rose and Windy. Every summer Rose and her family visit Lake Awago, but this summer feels different. Rose is a year and half older than windy and for some reason she feels the age difference this summer. Rose’s parents are also not getting a long, and she soon learns they have been regularly fighting. Outside of her family, Rose hangs out with Windy at the convenience store called Brewster. Rose even develops a crush on Duncan an employee there. While hanging out at Brewster, Rose and Windy hear other teens talking about sex and other controversial topics. They girls also meet Jenny, a teen, struggling with an unwanted pregnancy. They see how her boyfriend treats her and how he avoids responsibility for the baby.  Rose finds herself missing the summers when they were all just kids and there was no real drama or larger issues to contend with. Both Rose and Windy are changing mentally and physically this summer as they learn about the world around them.

 

Critical Evaluation

The illustrations in this graphic novel were minimal and clean. They were all drawn in a calming purple/blue ink. I felt like I was reading a story from a time capsule or as if I was the person remising about growing up. The style of the art just seemed to project this feeling of innocence before life became more complicated. The story did move slowly, but it felt authentic to have the characters learning about themselves at that pace. I think the transition from child to teen to adult is sometimes gradual as we learn about the world around us. I liked that Rose narrated the story as she observed and listened to the other characters around her. She observed the teens at Brewster, her parents fighting, and other problems with the people in her life. I liked how you could see what Rose was thinking and feeling. One example of this was when her mother tells her not to use the word slut. She doesn't know what it means, but as they walked the words appeared in the sand. It was like Rose was thinking about the word over and over again, trying to understand the word’s connotation and what it meant to her.

 

Reader’s Annotation

Best friends Rose and Windy will be tested during a summer of secrets, changes, and self-discoveries.

 

Author Information

The following information was taken from the author’s biography, http://marikotamaki.blogspot.com.

 

“Mariko Tamaki is a Canadian writer living in Oakland.Works include New York Times bestseller This One Summer (FirstSecond/Groundwood Books) and Skim (Groundwood Books), with Jillian Tamaki, Emiko Superstar (DC Comics), with Steve Rolston, and the YA novel (You) Set Me on Fire (Penguin Canada).This One Summer was the winner of Printz and Caldecott Honors in 2015.  And received the Eisner for Best Graphic Album (New).Her film "Happy 16th Birthday, Kevin" is currently touring with Toronto's Inside/Out Festival.Mariko's new book, Saving Montgomery Sole, is a YA Novel (prose) about California, gay families, unsolved mysteries and frozen yogurt.”

 

The following information was taken from the author’s biography, http://jilliantamaki.com/illustration/.

 

“I am a cartoonist and illustrator. I grew up in Calgary, Alberta and currently live in Toronto, Ontario. My cousin Mariko Tamaki and I are the co-creators of the graphic novels SKIM and This One Summer, which won a Caldecott Honor in 2015. I’m the author of SuperMutant Magic Academy, a book which collected my web comic of the same name. I’ve been a professional illustrator since 2003, when I graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design. I do lots of different stuff: magazine and newspaper illustration, book covers, posters, packaging, even a few storyboards for the TV show Adventure Time. I’ve also taught illustration at the School of Visual Arts and Parsons in New York.”

 

Genre

Fictional Graphic Novel, Realistic

 

Curriculum Ties

Could be used for lessons on family and friendships.  

 

Booktalking Ideas

• Do you think Rose and Windy are growing apart or together? Why?

• Do you think Rose’s mom did the right thing keeping the pregnancy a secret?

• What is the reasonability that pregnancy brings for people in the story?

 

Reading Level/ Interest Age

Grades 6-12

 

Challenge Issues

Sexual Content, Teen Pregnancy, Miscarriages, Suicide, Language, Drugs

 

Challenge Issue Resources (for usage in a challenge situation)

• Active Listening

• Explanation of why it was chosen for the collection (Rational)

• Awards

• Reader Advisory Reviews (Students, Parents, Educators)

• Positive and Negative Reviews

• National Council of Teachers “Right to Read”

• ALA Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials

• ALA Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom

• Library Selection Policy & Library District Reconsideration Form

 

Why I choose it

I choose to read this book because I often see it appearing on challenged lists, such as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Their case for why the book should be in YA collections is really powerful and can be read here:

http://cbldf.org/banned-comic/banned-challenged-comics/case-study-this-one-summer/