This One Summer by Mariko and Jilian Tamaki
Bibliography
Tamaki, M. (2014). This One Summer. First Second. ISBN 978-1596437746.
Summary
Rose is a teenage girl who goes on yearly road trips to Awago Breach with her family during summer break. This trip was much different than her previous trips due to an interest in a boy that caused friction between her and her best friend, Windy. Throughout the novel, the teenage girls are exposed to many adult things as they hang around the store where the older kids like to hang out. Rose has her only family issues and soon learns why her mom has a negative attitude towards the lake.
Critical Analysis
This is a young adult graphic novel that has many small lessons attached to certain sections in the book. Tamaki uses problems that can be seen in the daily life of teenagers such as pregnancy and parenthood. Some of these themes may be difficult for tweens to grasp which can present an opportunity to open up communication about difficult social issues. The illustrations are printed in Pantone print, showing the characters’ emotions and the reader can get the gist of the dialogue without reading the accompanying text. One of the important things that this graphic novel touches on is the bond of friendship between Rose and Windy. Their friendship is built on love, trust, and communication. They are able to have meaningful conversations and discuss real-life things that many teens can relate to.
Strengths/Weaknesses
-convey feeling within a few lines of dialogue
-inappropriate language/topics
-graphic novel
-real-life situations
-mature content
-illustrations in Pantone color
Connections
Theme: friendship, depression, group pressure, responsibilities of sexuality
Skills: making inferences, plot, character development, modes of storytelling, visual literacy, language usage
Meet the Author Recording with Mariko Tamaki
TeachingBooks Guest Blogger Mariko Tamaki “Writing with Voice in Comic Strips”
Paired Reading Suggestions:
I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly and JM Ken Niimura
Chiggers by Hope Larson
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume
Chinese Born American by Gene Luen Yang
Before You Go by James Preller
The Color of Earth Trilogy by Kim Dong Hwa
Personal Review
The front cover can be misleading to many. The young teens in the book encounter a lot of adult issues and arguments going on around them. Many librarians need to know that this graphic novel has frequent profanity and mature themes that include pregnancy, marriage, depression, and suicide which I would not recommend for any elementary school.
Review Excerpt
Booklist starred (April 15, 2014 (Vol. 110, No. 16))
Grades 8-11. 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.
The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur
Bibliography
Shakur, T. (2008). The Rose That Grew from Concrete. MTV Books. ISBN
978-0671028459.
Summary
In the book, “The Rose That Grew from Concrete”, Tupac wrote seventy-two poems that capture his spirit and energy.
Critical Analysis
Tupac is a Rapper, Poet, Activist, and Celebrity. Out of his collection, I chose the poem “The Rose That Grew from Concrete” to analyze since this is what his book is named after. In the poem, he asks if you ever heard about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete defying natural law. The natural law is commonly known as a rose which is a flower that grows in soil.
He says “funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh.” In this stanza, he gives the flower human qualities like the ability to dream and learn. In the last stanza, he says “when no one else cared.” This also alludes to more significance than just being a rose.
This poem is about self-determination, especially in regards to black people and other minorities. Concrete alludes to the environment, the main environment where one would find large amounts of concrete. In modern society, urban, and city environments have become synonymous with minorities, specifically black people.
Tupac takes the imagery of a rose, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful and revered flowers, and asks how something so beautiful could grow in a hardened, ugly place, defying natural law? He then goes and gives the rose human qualities, like the ability to learn and dream, mainly the dream to grow and breathe fresh air, which is self-determination. Tupac in this poem wanted to show that in an environment where “no one else cared”, something beautiful could grow and blossom and defy negativity and common thought.
Strengths/Weaknesses
-personifies both bravery and loneliness
-symbolizes a person who defies all expectations
-uses symbols and other literary devices to convey his message
-no rhyme scheme
Connections
Theme: courage, hope, strength, bravery, loneliness
Skills: figurative language, personal connections
Writing Activity: Reflect and write about a significant obstacle in your life.
Personal Review
I really liked how the book contained his actual handwritten poems and then typed up on the following page which adds a personal touch to the book. Tupac was poetic with his words and was a deep thinker which can be seen throughout this book. The reader can easily connect with his feelings and gets you to really think and come away with a deeper meaning. This book shows the true Tupac as a person, not a rapper, or any other negativity that surrounds his name.
Living Beyond Borders by Margarita Longoria
Bibliography
Longoria, M. (2021). Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America (M.
Longoria, Ed.). Penguin Young Readers Group. ISBN 978-0593204979.
Summary
Anthology of different genres including short stories, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and comics about the Mexican American experience and culture.
Critical Analysis
“Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America” is an anthology of short stories, comics, and poems that explores the Mexican American experience. Each author share the borders they have crossed and the struggles they had to push through. The anthology conveys what it’s like living and growing up in the United States being from Mexican descent which highlights how culture and racism play in the day-to-day lives of these authors.
Strengths/Weaknesses
-wide range of authors
-each story and poem represent the Mexican culture
-reflects the diverse perspectives and experiences
-informative
Connections
Theme: culture, self-identity, perceptions, bias
Author Interview with Maragrita Longoria
Writing Activity: Students explore the issues that surround crossing the borders that divide our society and their lives by writing a narrative poem. Think about what prevents us from being ourselves, how barriers affect how we want to live our lives, and the limits we have set for ourselves.
Personal Review
This is a great book that shows the lives of Mexican Americans and how we can have similar feelings and experiences as others. The poems and short stories will have your emotions going causing some discomforting ones that can make you angry, hopeful, sad, and in awe. It allows you to expand your knowledge of other cultures. I suggest this book for upper-middle or high school students to discuss topics about self-identity, culture, perceptions, and bias.
From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-Twenty Mexican American authors share what it is like to be a part of two worlds and not be accepted by either. Entries range from realistic fiction to fantasy and include poetry, personal narratives, and art-all of them reminding teens of the complexity of the Mexican American experience. Voices reach out from the pages of this anthology, tugging at readers and pushing them to see the difficulties and beauty of what it means to live as a Mexican American in the United States. These selections explore how it feels to be seen as "other," even while having been a part of this land for generations. The stories encourage Mexican American readers to listen to their inner voice and not let it be silenced. Each selection offers something distinct in this multifaceted work that doesn't prioritize the white gaze. It will make a lasting impression on all readers. VERDICT Highly recommended for school and public library collections.-Selenia Paz, Harris County P.L., Houstonα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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