Books › This One Summer
This One Summer
320 pages
A beautifully rendered, sun-drenched ache of a story that captures the exact moment childhood begins to slip away.
What it feels like
Reading this graphic novel feels like stepping into the humid, languid haze of a July afternoon. It moves at a leisurely pace, perfectly mirroring the endless days of a beach vacation where nothing happens until everything suddenly does. The storytelling relies as much on quiet, expressive blue-toned illustrations as it does on its sparse, naturalistic dialogue, creating an atmosphere that is deeply nostalgic and gently melancholic. You sit inside the restless energy of two girls perched on the awkward threshold between playing with toys and watching older teens make dangerous mistakes. It is a bittersweet, deeply empathetic experience, perfect for readers who cherish atmospheric coming-of-age stories that honor the messy, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful transition out of childhood innocence.
- Mood
- sun-drenched
- humid
- bittersweet
- restless
- Tone
- observant
- nostalgic
- empathetic
- wistful
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- loss of innocence · shifting friendships · family fractures · threshold of adolescence · weight of adult secrets
- The writing
- Sparse, naturalistic dialogue works in seamless tandem with fluid, expressive monochromatic art to convey what goes unspoken.
- The arc
- Moves from the carefree anticipation of a familiar childhood vacation into the confusing, heavy realization of adult complexities, settling into a quiet, resilient hope.
- Who it's for
- Anyone who loves atmospheric, character-driven stories that capture the exact, awkward threshold between childhood and adolescence.
Content notes
- pregnancy loss
- marital conflict
- teen pregnancy
- underage drinking
About the book
An unforgettable summer. Rose and her parents have been going to Awago Beach since she was a little girl. It's her summer getaway, her refuge. Her friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had, completing her summer family. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and Rose and Windy have gotten tangled up in a tragedy-in-the-making in the small town of Awago Beach. It's a summer of secrets and heartache, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other. In This One Summer, cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind the award-winning Skim, redefine the teen graphic novel. Gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful, This One Summer is a vibrant view into girlhood and growing up. - Back cover.
Description from Open Library.
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