SuitabookThe Summer That Changed Everything
Ann Brashares
- Reading
- Consider reading together or checking in after Polly’s thoughts about becoming thin and Jo’s family difficulties. Let the reader lead on whether they want to discuss either topic.
- Themes
- Friendship under strain: Three girls whose friendship has faded face the question of whether they can manage the summer without one another. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Thinness and aspiration: Polly discovers her grandmother was a model and considers pursuing modelling, even if that means starving herself to become thin. The harmful possibility is explicitly part of Polly’s situation; whether the story criticises, endorses or otherwise frames it is unknown.
- Family expectations and pressure: Ama, described as desperate to live up to her family’s expectations, finds herself at an outdoor adventure summer camp. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- The plot includes a character considering starving herself to become thin, alongside a brother’s death, parental grief and divorce. These topics may merit a check-in if they feel close to home.