I read this for the children's literature class I'm taking this semester.

The illustrations in here by Jillian Tamaki are gorgeous and I love the setting of this book, a trip at a fictional Ontario beach, parents playing Rush music in the background. Even though I never went on cottage trips like this, it feels nostalgic, like I could have.

Mariko Tamaki has been a bit hit or miss for me historically. Saving Montgomery Sole back in 2016 was misshelved in the middle grade section and absolutely scandalized 12 year old me lmao and on top of that was kind of plotless, did not recommend. And then more recently I honestly didn't give (You) Set Me on Fire enough of a chance to be able to say much about it. But even though this book wasn't heavy on the plot either, the graphic novel format really works for her. Less wordiness honestly packed a lot more punch and gave space to say just enough to really capture the characters (which the illustrations also did a fantastic job of). Spending 2 hours admiring gorgeous imagery is just a lot more enjoyable than an 8 hour slog reading her trademark asshole characters (I can appreciate a flawed cast without necessarily enjoying it).

I'm unclear on the protagonists' actual ages. It seemed as if they said they were 15 somewhere but they read kinda young, more like they were... 12? Idk decidedly pre-pubescent anyway. Everything from getting interested in horror movies and boy talk exclusively about much older boys to all the talk about growing boobs was very much what my friends did around 11/12. Especially the boob thing. Being angsty because your parents don't understand you but still being very reliant on them and needing them also feels very 12, and that's the end of that for me, they're 12.

The thing about these "edgier" novels with like 12 year old protagonists though is that I don't think I would have liked this at 12. It would have made me uncomfortable in a time when I was already uncomfortable and not looking for that in a book. The kind of contemporary middle grade I was into could have hard things but it also needed to be heartwarming in some way or another and this book isn't heartwarming. And any time after that (especially by now) it feels like it's not for me so I feel like the market for this isn't enormous. But also you shouldn't need a big market to make art, I really do appreciate the work that comes out of these Canadian indie publishers and this is no exception.

This One Summer - Likewise Book Reviews

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