A Review of 'This One Summer' by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

"Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach.  It's their getaway, their refuge.  Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had.  But this summer is different.  Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems.  It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

In This One Summer two stellar creators redefine the teen graphic novel.  Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind Skim, have collaborated on this gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about a girl on the cusp of her teen age-- a story of renewal and revelation."

I've been reading more and more graphic novels since graduating.  This was an interesting one to read.  I have read another graphic novel by these two cousins before and I remember not liking it, but I think after reading this one, I am starting to get used to how they structure their stories.  It's a story that's meant to model life in a lot of ways, so it's not meant to have a solid ending.  Just like when something story-worthy happens to us, our life still continues.  There is no happily ever after, so to speak.

I loved reading about the friendship of these girls.  They talk about normal girl things such as how their bodies are changing, whether or not they're interested in anyone, they talk about movies... they are normal girls going through life with their families.  And you know what?  Sometimes stuff happens.  People change.  I appreciated that this was firmly from the perspective of Rose, so we figured things out as she figured things out.  We started understanding her family more as she did.

This isn't my absolute favorite read ever, but it was nice to be taken on a ride.  Like, I knew something was going on with her family because Rose noticed that her parents were acting differently, but I didn't try and seek out that information myself.  So because I was just waiting for more information to come at me, I could sit back and relax while I waited and took in the story.

I give 'This One Summer':

Thanks for Reading!

--Jude