Teacher Recommended

Ms. Grosso Recommends...

This One Summer, written by Mariko Tamaki, perfectly captures the feeling of being trapped in that murky space between youth and adulthood. The illustrator, Jillian Tamaki, sets the tone with images that recall the simple pleasures of summer and juxtapose that calm with family drama. While on vacation at the lake, curious Rose voraciously absorbs every hint of information she can gather about adult life while Windy is content to enjoy one more carefree summer with her childhood friend. Their story floats just above the undercurrent storyline of the teenagers who live in the lake town. Heart-heavy drama is balanced by memories of friendship and simpler times in this lovely graphic novel.