Beautiful illustration in a monochromatic color scheme. Many elements told visually with any necessary words wrapped into the art. An interesting story though not one that called to me personally. ( )

Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki’s This One Summer follows Rose Wallace and her family as they travel to Awago Beach for their annual summer vacation. Rose hangs out with her friend Windy, whose mother and grandmother rent a nearby cabin. The summer is told from the experience of two young girls, not quite in middle school, who have some ideas about the adult world from what they’ve seen and heard but are also in a transitional phase of their lives. Rose’s parents argue due to unspoken pain amid their inability have a second child, while Windy acts childish and knows far too much about the adult world. Horror movie rentals, local gossip, and beach trips mark their time while the world heaves around them. The Tamakis’ artwork and story perfectly capture a time all-too-familiar for their readers in a moving tale. ( )

Big questions and ideas that probably could've been unpacked more - but then again this is told from the pov of a child, so the lack of depth felt appropriate. ( )

the art is beautiful and so intensely thoughtful and intentional and well composed. there's a lot to learn here about the possibilities of graphic novels. i wasn't captivated by the story, though. ( )

Second grade reading level, but filled with bad words and upper level content. How this is a Caldecott honor book is beyond me. It's a graphic novel, but the pictures aren't anything special. I just don't get it. Easy read, and probably enjoyable for high schoolers. ( )