Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Best friends battle summer blues in heartfelt graphic novel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
As ALL SUMMER LONG opens, Bina's looking forward to another action-packed vacation with her best friend, Austin. But when Austin heads off to soccer camp and begins ignoring her texts, Bina doesn't know how to react. She starts to connect with Austin's older sister, but that relationship doesn't feel quite right. With the support of her family and her guitar playing, can she find a way to make the most of her time off from school?
Is It Any Good?
Summers are supposed to be fun, but this sensitive and heartfelt graphic novel shows the downside of too much free time. All Summer Long's writer-illustrator Hope Larson understands what it's like to be 13 and forced to amuse yourself, and she tells Bina's story through engaging dialogue, expressive artwork, and a cast of diverse and well-rounded supporting characters. Bina's sensitivity and empathy make her a character worth rooting for, and middle-grade girls will especially enjoy her quest for connection with others.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how All Summer Long works as a graphic novel. Are some stories better suited to the graphic medium than others?
Bina and Austin are good friends even though they are of different genders. Is it unusual for boys and girls to be best friends? What can be problematic about depending on a single friend for support?
Music is important to Bina. Why do people enjoy the arts? What do arts give to people and to the community?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Hope Larson
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Arts , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date : May 1, 2018
- Number of pages : 176
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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