A SUMMER WITHOUT ANNA

A child spends a long summer with grandparents.

Junie's sister Anna is ill; her condition is severe enough that Junie must stay with Nan and Pop while Mum and Dad care for Anna. They leave Junie with the promise that they’ll return “the minute Anna’s well enough.” The children have a positive relationship, and Anna even gives Junie her camera, though she writes in a letter that it’s just a loan and Junie “better not break it.” This slow-moving depiction of sadness mostly focuses on what Junie eats, sees, and photographs; a brief mention of “Edmund” in the beginning turns out to refer to an ancient turtle living in a nearby lake. The story captures the kind of homesickness and anxiety that come from long-distance worrying about a loved one—it’s long and meandering, with a few bright spots against an otherwise dreary background. Not much happens, and since Junie stoically endures this difficult situation but doesn’t take much action, the happy ending is a relief but somehow doesn’t feel satisfying. Blocky illustrations in colored pencil and pastel mostly reflect the text directly, adding a layer of stillness and calm to the overall subdued tale. All characters are light-skinned.

A realistically somber—if less than compelling—snapshot of a summer marked by sadness and uneasiness.