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Mariko Tamaki

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This One Summer Kindle Edition

by Mariko Tamaki (Author), Jillian Tamaki (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition

4.1 1,638 ratings

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A New York Times bestseller
A 2015 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2015 Michael L. Printz Honor Book
An Eisner Award Winner

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. One of the local teens - just a couple of years older than Rose and Windy - is caught up in something bad... Something life threatening.

It's a summer of secrets, and sorrow, and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

This One Summer is a tremendously exciting new teen graphic novel from two creators with true literary clout. 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 childhood - a story of renewal and revelation.

This title has Common Core connections.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up—Every summer, Rose and her parents vacation at a lakeside cottage. The rest of the world fades away as Rose reunites with her friend Windy and delves into leisurely games of MASH, swimming, and the joy of digging giant holes in the sand—but this summer is different. Rose is on the cusp of adolescence; she's not ready to leave childhood behind but is fascinated by the drama of the local teens who are only a few years older, yet a universe apart in terms of experience. They drink, they smoke, they swear. As Rose and Windy dip their toes into the mysterious waters of teen life by experimenting with new vocabulary ("sluts!") and renting horror movies, her parents struggle with their own tensions that seem incomprehensible to Rose. Layers of story unfurl gradually as the narrative falls into the dreamlike rhythm of summer. Slice-of-life scenes are gracefully juxtaposed with a complex exploration of the fragile family dynamic after loss and Rose's ambivalence toward growing up. The mood throughout is thoughtful, quiet, almost meditative. The muted tones of the monochromatic blue-on-white illustrations are perfectly suited to the contemplative timbre, and the writing and images deserve multiple reads to absorb their subtleties. This captivating graphic novel presents a fully realized picture of a particular time in a young girl's life, an in-between summer filled with yearning and a sense of ephemerality. The story resolves with imperfect hope and will linger in readers' mind through changing seasons.—Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Mariko and Jillian Tamaki earned critical acclaim for Skim (2008), and they return here with another coming-of-age tale about the awkward transition from carefree childhood to jaded, self-conscious young adulthood. Rose and her parents spend every summer at their lakeside cabin in Awago, right down the path from Rose’s best friend, Windy, and her family. They spend lazy days collecting rocks on the beach, riding bikes, swimming, and having barbecues. But this summer, Rose’s parents are constantly fighting, and her mother seems resentful and sad. In that unspoken way kids pick up on their parents’ hardships, Rose starts lashing out at Windy and grasping at what she thinks of as adulthood—turning up her nose at silliness (at which Windy excels), watching gory horror movies, reading fashion magazines, and joining in the bullying of a local teenage girl who finds herself in a tough spot. Jillian Tamaki’s tender illustrations, all rendered in a deep purpley blue, depict roiling water, midnight skies, Windy’s frenetic sugar highs, and Rose’s mostly aloof but often poignantly distressed facial expressions with equal aplomb. With a light touch, the Tamakis capture the struggle of growing up in a patchwork of summer moments that lead to a conclusion notably absent of lessons. Wistful, touching, and perfectly bittersweet. Grades 8-11. --Sarah Hunter

Review

“In their second graphic novel - another impressive collaboration - the Tamaki cousins examine the mix of uncertainty and hope a girl experiences on the verge of adolescence . . . A poignant drama.” ―The Horn Book, STARRED REVIEW

“This book is poignant and melancholy, and it will be swiftly recognizable to those who only recently hovered at the cusp of adolesence.” ―BCCB, STARRED REVIEW

“This captivating graphic novel presents a fully realized picture of a particular time in a young girl's life, an in-between summer filled with yearning and a sense of ephemerality.” ―School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“A summer of family drama, secrets and change in a small beach town . . . Keenly observed and gorgeously illustrated - a triumph.” ―Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“With a light touch, the Tamakis capture the struggle of growing up in a patchwork of summer moments . . . Wistful, touching, and perfectly bittersweet.” ―Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“Jillian's art is simply gorgeous, and the perfect companion to the beautiful-and sometimes painful-truth behind Mariko's every word.” ―Stephanie Perkins

“This One Summer teeters on the fault line of preadolescence, as cozy childhood naivety washes away to reveal the dark complexities of adult life. Jillian Tamaki might be the best illustrator in the entire biz - her drawings are immersive, sensual and overwhelmingly beautiful. A magic synergy is kindled when paired with the storytelling of her cousin Mariko, who implements the best elements of graphic novels, manga, bande dessinée and modern literary prose to awaken a world of sophisticated naturalism. I loved it.” ―Craig Thompson

“I just want to live forever in the pages that Mariko and Jillian create. Exquisite, subtly layered storytelling of both words and art, and a punch when you least expect it-a rare treasure of a book, like a summer caught and pressed between the pages.” ―Svetlana Chmakova

“I read this in July, and spent the rest of the summer thinking about it. Every bike on a dusty road and gleefully swimming kid made me think about this book, and how it so eloquently and perfectly captures the feeling of summer-- slow, lazy and somehow hectic and astounding and full-- that we spend every year after the age of 18 trying to remember.” ―Lucy Knisley

“This One Summer is a precisely written, exquisitely illustrated exploration of the moment when childhood tips over into adolescence. For the second time the Tamakis have raised the bar for young adult comics.” ―Hope Larson

“The most beautiful thing I've ever seen.” ―Faith Erin Hicks

“This One Summer is a beautiful, relatable story of that summer everyone has had, where things happen around you but nothing happens to you.” ―Julie Halpern

“Read this and remember that time. Read this and feel the innocence and the intimate, wrestling out at the beach. Read this and keep it like a secret, or let it run wild like a bonfire night. Read this for the joy and the grit, the tears and the sunburn, what you can't remember and what you'll never forget. Read This One Summer and swear you were there.” ―David Handler

About the Author

Mariko Tamaki is a New York Times bestselling Canadian writer of comics and prose. She is the co-creator of This One Summer, with Jillian Tamaki, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, with Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, both of which received Eisner Awards and Printz Honors. She also writes superhero stories Marvel and DC Comics. Mariko lives in Oakland.

Jillian Tamaki is an illustrator and comics artist. She is the co-creator of Skim and This One Summer, and the author of SuperMutant Magic Academy and Boundless (2017). She has taught comics and illustration in New York City at SVA and The New School. She lives in Toronto.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00JYZAP34
Publisher ‏ : ‎ First Second; Illustrated edition (May 6, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 6, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 430468 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #431,351 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #30 in Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Comics & Graphic Novels
- #163 in Young Adult Coming of Age Comics & Graphic Novels
- #368 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Friendship

Customer Reviews:
4.1 1,638 ratings

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Mariko Tamaki

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Mariko Tamaki is a New York Times Bestselling writer of comics and prose. Her graphic novels include Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, with Rosemary Valero O’Connell, Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, with Steve Pugh, Skim and This One Summer, with Jillian Tamaki. She has received Doug Wright, Eisner and Ignatz Awards as well as Caldecott and Printz Honors for her works. She has had the pleasure of working for Marvel, DC Comics, Abrams, Dark Horse and Boom Studios on various amazing superhero type things.

You can read all about her adventures at marikotamaki.blogspot.com.

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Kelly Gunderman

Beautiful Illustrations and a Heartfelt Story

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2018

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This review originally appeared on herestohappyendings.com.

This One Summer has been on my to be read list for a while now. I finally bought it back in early November of 2017, but for whatever reason I just kept putting off reading it. I either wasn't in the mood for a graphic novel or I had too much other stuff to read or work to do, and I just never picked it up.

This afternoon, though, I was combing through my bookshelf looking for something quick to read while my daughters watched Beauty and the Beast for the tenth time this week, and I decided that today I was finally going to pick this up.

Rose and her parents go to a lake house at Awago Beach every summer. There, Rose gets to spend the summer with her friend, Windy, and the two of them are inseparable for the whole summer. They can watch movies, go swimming, hang out at each other's houses - pretty much everything they want. Plus, Rose and her parents always have fun, too.

But this summer, things are already different. Her parents are fighting all the time, and sometimes they even quit talking to each other for long periods of time. Windy is acting a little different, and there is a new guy working at the little store in town, and Rose can't help but think about him a lot. When Rose and Windy witness something with the new guy's girlfriend, they try and put the pieces of this puzzle together to figure out what's going on.

At the same time, things are getting even worse between Rose's parents, and Windy doesn't seem to want to do the same things Rose wants to do anymore, making it seem as though they are growing apart.

This summer at Awago Beach is unlike any other, and it's the summer that it becomes obvious that Rose is really growing up, whether or not she is ready to.

Not only is that a really pretty cover, but the inside illustrations are really well done and add so much personality to this book. I love how they are only done in blue, grey, and purple hues instead of full color - it makes the story a lot deeper and more meaningful, and every page of this book is so beautiful.

I've seen some negative reviews for this book about the use of language being a problem for the younger audience, but truthfully, I've heard eight year old kids swear more than what is said in this book, so I can't really agree with that. Sure, there are words like "slut" thrown around here and there, but there isn't anything in this book that I think would be all that harmful - maybe the F-word once? Either way, that isn't something that would bother me, and if this is the kind of book my twelve year old daughter wanted to pick up, I would overlook that, because the book is a really meaningful graphic novel that touches on a lot of important things.

One of the important things that This One Summer touches on is the bond of friendship. I loved the friendship that went on between Rose and Windy. They loved each other like sisters, and spent all of their time together. They had meaningful conversations and they talked about real stuff. It's the kind of friendship you can't help but love.

Another thing that it touches on is parental issues and how it looks to a child. It might not seem like a big thing, but for those who have experienced it, it might help them to feel not quite as alone when dealing with the problems of their parents. In this book, Rose's parents have issues that they try to work out, but Rose can sense it and it really has an effect on her.

The characters, the story, and the illustrations are all beautifully done and incredibly easy to love. I finished this book in the course of a single afternoon and already plan on going back and rereading it very soon!

56 people found this helpful

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Julia

A perfect portrait of childhood summers

Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2014

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I'm having a hard time finding the words to describe exactly how I feel about this book. It tugged at my heartstrings in more ways than one, and by the end it left me feeling a little sad, a little nostalgic, and completely satisfied.

The story centers around two young girls spending their summer together, and the things they face along the way. It was amazing how well this book captured the feeling of being a preteen, caught in between childhood and adolescences. I can remember being Rose and Windy's age, and stumbling through the same things they did... I regarded teenagers with equal parts apprehension and curiosity. I developed awkward crushes on older boys. I liked to talk a lot about things I didn't completely understand, things I couldn't really define. I'm sixteen years old now, and just as I can see my younger self in both Rose and Windy, I could also see myself in Duncan and Jenny and the other teens as well. They, too, are fumbling in a transition -- the transition from adolescences to adulthood.

In additions to the stellar story, the art is amazing. The drawings are beautiful and the panel composition is masterful. Some of the full-page panels in the book took my breathe away, and the color scheme and hazy brushwork added a lot to the tone of the novel.

This is a great summer read -- in fact, I can't imagine reading this book any time other than summer. If you're looking for a nostalgia trip or a visual feast, this book is for you.

6 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Small beautiful scenes of childhood summers into which adult issues intrude

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2023

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Summer in the life of 2 girls who are "summer friends". The two girls' families rent cottages at the same beach every summer hand theirs is a friendship of proximity and limited availability of other kids their age. At the same time, they've gotten to know each other well over the years. But things start to change as they enter puberty and start to understand the adult problems going on around them. Subtle, melancholic storytelling, full of nostalgia for long gone summers and childhood.

3 people found this helpful

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Michael Robert

Bad quality binding

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2024

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Only giving it a 3/5 because of the quality of the binding. It peeled while I was only about 50 pages in. I was not handling it roughly or anything. Frustrating.

Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2023

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AMAZING. I'm 15 and I got this for myself and it's incredible. I like reading graphic novels but they can be hard to find for my age range, and this one is perfect for me. I wish it was a little bit longer. So if you like graphic novels, definitely recommend

3 people found this helpful

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babyrose

Censorship...

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2016

Verified Purchase

Despite the thickness in the book and slight lack of dialogue, I realized that the true intentions of the writer were all too clear.

For those of you who complain of the profanity and "taboo" topics being touched upon in this book, do be aware that shielding your children from true life events will eventually be detrimental to their future selves. Do many parents seriously believe that their child has never once used profanity while at school? Outside with their friends? Anywhere their parents are not? It happens. And children do speak of sex, gender identity and many other supposedly "taboo" topics amongst themselves, with many being much younger than the recommended age group for this book.

The story is entertaining and helps to reveal the truth of life, yet somehow is not completely a cliche "coming-of-age story." The voices and personalities of the two protagonists are easy to imagine, and some of the wisecracks are definitely worth waiting for.

Parents, let your child decide whether they are ready for the content included in this book or not. I am sure that many of them will be able to relate to many of the references and incidents that occur, especially the problematic family-type issues that they may not even want to mention to you.

To end my review, this book was heartfelt, truthful, and is a very amazing example of the true lives of most teenagers. Don't doubt what you can't see.

18 people found this helpful

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Santiago Solis Montes de O

Joya de la narrativa gráfica

Reviewed in Mexico on December 15, 2021

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La dupla que hacen las hermanas Tamaki es una tormenta perfecta. Tenemos un libro con una historia de adolescente muy entrañable, inteligente y afilada, con un dibujo increíble, escenas que rayan en el poema. Sin lugar a dudas una de los mejores novelas gráficas para adolescentes que he leído últimamente. Y si lo lees desde una edad más madura es una bomba hacia la nostalgia. Joya

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Amazon Customer

Delightful!

Reviewed in India on March 8, 2024

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I just loved the book. The illustrations are really detailed and the narrative is so smooth. It really looks at the mother-daughter bond quite delicately without adding any unnecessary layers. The story moves through the summer spent at the Awago beach by the protagonist. Alongside her own story of turbulence in her parent's life, she becomes a witness to Jenny's story. Interesting, how the authors lay out the discourse on pregnancy and relationships.

Highly recommend this.

Rob

Great Story!

Reviewed in Germany on January 4, 2022

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Very happy with purchase. The story/art is great. The book was in good condition. It was delivered on time. Excellent.

Borja B.

¿Denso? Para nada

Reviewed in Spain on August 28, 2019

Verified Purchase

No sólo entretiene, sino que emociona. Con la premisa de narrar la cotidianidad del verano de dos niñas, se tocan ideas y emociones que abarcan desde el descubrimiento de la sexualidad hasta el paso de la niñez a la adolescencia, deteniéndose a observar cómo afecta el divorcio en los hijos, así como la búsqueda de descendencia y su imposibilidad o el embarazo no deseado.

One person found this helpful

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Crazy cat lady

Nostalgia adorável

Reviewed in Brazil on November 20, 2017

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Uma graphic novel com traços e roteiro impecáveis! Uma história sobre a transição da infância à adolescência, melancólica, passada em um vilarejo praiano. As protagonistas são duas meninas que sempre passam o verão nesse vilarejo. O olhar pré-adolescente sobre os "problemas do mundo adulto", é retratado de maneira delicada e me deixou bastante nostálgica. Os desenhos e a ambientação são lindos e conferem um caráter quase cinematográfico ao trabalho. Recomendo aos amantes de graphic novels e de histórias bem contadas!

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