All Together Now

May 1, 2020

Gr 5-8-Middle schoolers Bina and Darcy have a strong connection through their friendship and their music. When Enzo volunteers to be the new drummer in their band, at first it seems like it will work out well for everyone. But their relationships start changing into something new and unexpected: Darcy and Enzo against Bina. Then Bina's best friend Austin suddenly wants to become more than friends, and she's not sure what to do. Her band is falling apart, and friendship is too complicated. But Bina's messy life will provide plenty of inspiration for the new songs she plans to write. This sequel to Larson's All Summer Long will appeal to those who haven't read the earlier installment-though they'll be eager to pick that volume up after finishing this one. Heartfelt and authentic, this book tenderly captures the ebb and flow of love and friendship. Larson's artwork uses a limited palette of pinks and reds, skillfully conveying the characters' emotions as they try to untangle their new relationships. VERDICT For older kids and younger teens who love graphic novels and realistic fiction about music, friendship, and growing up.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2020
Eighth graders Bina and Darcy head back to school in this spirited graphic novel, the sequel to All Summer Long (rev. 7/18). Darcy is convinced that their band Fast Fashion needs a drummer. Protagonist Bina doesn't agree, but when they discover that classmate Enzo is a musical prodigy with intimidating drumming skills, changes are put in motion beyond Bina's control and at a pace for which she is unprepared. With Enzo, the band changes its name to the Candids and there is pressure to make its songs "louder. Edgier. Shoutier." Darcy and Enzo start dating, and Bina struggles to understand and express her feelings, resulting in an argument at a thrift store and Bina being dumped--via text message--from the band she co-founded. As if that's not enough, Bina is not sure how to feel about her best friend Austin's displays of romantic interest and how that fits within her own identity development. ("What's the difference between liking someone and liking them?") While plot and layout are straightforward, an emphasis on conversation allows for characters' relationships and emotions to take center stage. Light purple washes contrast with thick, bold lines, creating an appropriate balance in a narrative containing moments of both emotive strength and fragility. Other symbolic visual elements, such as arrows and sound effects, add backstory and humor.

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

May 1, 2020
Eighth graders Bina and Darcy head back to school in this spirited graphic novel, the sequel to All Summer Long (rev. 7/18). Darcy is convinced that their band Fast Fashion needs a drummer. Protagonist Bina doesn't agree, but when they discover that classmate Enzo is a musical prodigy with intimidating drumming skills, changes are put in motion beyond Bina's control and at a pace for which she is unprepared. With Enzo, the band changes its name to the Candids and there is pressure to make its songs "louder. Edgier. Shoutier." Darcy and Enzo start dating, and Bina struggles to understand and express her feelings, resulting in an argument at a thrift store and Bina being dumped-via text message-from the band she co-founded. As if that's not enough, Bina is not sure how to feel about her best friend Austin's displays of romantic interest and how that fits within her own identity development. ("What's the difference between liking someone and liking them?") While plot and layout are straightforward, an emphasis on conversation allows for characters' relationships and emotions to take center stage. Light purple washes contrast with thick, bold lines, creating an appropriate balance in a narrative containing moments of both emotive strength and fragility. Other symbolic visual elements, such as arrows and sound effects, add backstory and humor. Elisa Gall

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2020
Grades 6-8 In this follow-up to All Summer Long (2018), eighth graders Bina and Darcy have established their band, but there's still one thing missing: a drummer. After their classmate Enzo turns out to be the perfect fit, the trio disintegrates when Darcy and Enzo secretly start dating, leaving Bina feeling betrayed and excluded. It's a painful ordeal, but Bina finds some silver lining, including a longtime friendship that begins to develop into something more. Larson realistically captures the emotional minefield that is middle school through Bina and her friends, who are all authentically flawed. While the characters exhibit selfish motivations, their burgeoning self-awareness and corrective actions provide models for healthy relationships. Larson's use of both a tablet and traditional pen and ink for her illustrations produces crisp, high-contrast lines, with the subtle coloring keeping the focus on the characters. A serendipitous meeting of some potential new friends in the final pages suggests Bina's musical career has not quite reached its peak.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Starred review from March 15, 2020
Bina wants a band, not a boyfriend: Is that so wrong? In this follow-up to All Summer Long (2018), Bina, now in eighth grade, has formed a band with new-girl Darcy and aloof prodigy Enzo. When Enzo and Darcy start dating, Bina finds herself dumped by her band mates, who reorganize the group as a duo. Additionally, her neighbor and BFF, Austin, fresh from a breakup with his long-distance girlfriend, now seems to like like her; could her oldest friend become her boyfriend? Everywhere she turns, it seems that everyone is concerned with only one thing--dating--whereas Bina swoons solely for music. Bina feels she must present herself a certain way to find acceptance. Wanting something different from her peers causes her anxiety, and she struggles to be true to herself and her friends as opportunities swirl around her. Bina's smart, likable, and familiar, and her coming-of-age fears are palpably engaging as she learns that romance need not be romantic. The story is written and drawn by Larson; colorists Sycamore and Edwards add a sophisticated two-toned, muted rose-gold scheme. Larson has a wonderfully sharp eye for her characters, including a range of skin tones, sexual orientations, and body types. Aftermatter includes Larson's explanation of her artistic process and is sure to inspire budding artists. Bina presents as mixed-race, though it's not explicitly stated; her dad presents white, and her mom has brown skin. Altogether perfect. (Graphic fiction. 10-14)

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