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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
This graphic novel is a coming of age story about Rose and her annual summer trip to a cottage. She's not having a good time--her parents won't stop fighting, and her dad even leaves to "work in the city" for awhile. While on vacation, Rose's best friend is a younger girl named Windy, and the two of them rent horror movies and spy on the older kids around the area. There's drama there, too, with cool slacker boys and dramatic teen girls--Rose is the watcher and misunderstands quite a bit. Windy, having grown up with a hippie mom, tries to set Rose straight with some anti-slut discussion, but Rose doesn't get it.
I enjoyed this little read, but there wasn't any earth shattering moments for me. The art is beautiful--love the purple and occasional full page spreads. But, hey, it's middle school, and not much happens to middle schoolers in a summer.
Fair warning--there are plenty of cuss words here, and talk about boobs and sex and questioning. Nothing I wouldn't let my junior high kid read though, although there are parts I'd want to discuss with her.
I enjoyed this little read, but there wasn't any earth shattering moments for me. The art is beautiful--love the purple and occasional full page spreads. But, hey, it's middle school, and not much happens to middle schoolers in a summer.
Fair warning--there are plenty of cuss words here, and talk about boobs and sex and questioning. Nothing I wouldn't let my junior high kid read though, although there are parts I'd want to discuss with her.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Absolutely beautiful artwork. The story is so real. It deals with growing up and change. It deals with so many issues in a real way. I loved it.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
The best thing about this book was the non-sequiturs. The dialogue and overheard conversations were totally believable. Tamaki nailed the awareness of a preteen of the experiences of both teens and adults - the fear, the fascination, the befuddlement and longing to understand. Reading it as an adult, it made me wonder what the target audience might be. I was thinking teenagers, even though the POV is from a preteen.
Graphic novels make it hard to get to know characters. This book solved that problem by developing strong visual exposition. I was able to write entire paragraphs in my head about the sensory experiences of being on the beach and watching horror movies.
The setting is perfect: ephemeral summer, never quite as good as you expect it to be, but when it's over, you realize how much you'll miss it.
Rating (they all start at 5 out of 10 (perfectly acceptable) and go up or down from there):
Awesomeness: 6. Disturbing, but still a light read.
Wordsmithing: 8. Turns of phrase will stick with you, especially the characters' awareness of sex.
Personages: 7. I felt for all the characters, even the ones I didn't particularly like.
Mesmerizitude: 5. I liked it, but it won't be one I'll read again.
Illustrations: 6. They were clean and simple, with great movement.
Graphic novels make it hard to get to know characters. This book solved that problem by developing strong visual exposition. I was able to write entire paragraphs in my head about the sensory experiences of being on the beach and watching horror movies.
The setting is perfect: ephemeral summer, never quite as good as you expect it to be, but when it's over, you realize how much you'll miss it.
Rating (they all start at 5 out of 10 (perfectly acceptable) and go up or down from there):
Awesomeness: 6. Disturbing, but still a light read.
Wordsmithing: 8. Turns of phrase will stick with you, especially the characters' awareness of sex.
Personages: 7. I felt for all the characters, even the ones I didn't particularly like.
Mesmerizitude: 5. I liked it, but it won't be one I'll read again.
Illustrations: 6. They were clean and simple, with great movement.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Type story where it’s not much about what’s happening but the emotion behind it
Just a tish above bareable, I struggle to see the value of this book especially as one which earned top accolades. It works as a frame story, where several subplots work themselves into anticlimactic dead ends. It was jarring, erratic and hard to follow. To boot, for a title that won a Caldecott medal, it was swimming in swear words.
Not for me, I guess.
Not for me, I guess.
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This graphic novel is definitely not for kids. It touches on heavy, real-life themes that aren't usually addressed in children's books, which is probably why it's been banned in some countries. The story dives into family struggles, particularly the tension between parents, and how it affects their children. It was a stark reminder that kids are not immune to what’s going on in the world around them, and keeping them in the dark can sometimes do more harm than good. I really appreciated how the authors depicted the emotional complexities of family life. It felt real and raw, but I do think some parts could be a bit heavy for younger readers. Despite that, it's an important and thought-provoking read.