This One Summer is a graphic novel written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki published by First Second Books in 2014. It is a coming of age story about two teenage friends, Rose and Windy, during a summer in Awago, a small beach town. Rose and Windy discover themselves and their sexuality while battling family dynamics and mental disabilities.Due to the content in the novel, This One Summer has also been censored and listed on the American Library Association’s “Top Ten Most Challenged Books” list in 2016 and 2018 for the use of its sexual scenes and mature topics. The novel has also won numerous awards including the Caldecott Medal in 2015.
I liked the black-and-white art, and I liked the writing and character development. In the end there isn't much of a story, more of a vignette of two young teen girls during a summer vacation -- a bit of boy drama, a bit of family drama, a bit of boredom, a bunch of friendship.
