All Together Now

by Hope Larson, Hope Larson (Illustrator)

Overview

All Together Now is New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Hope Larson's pitch-perfect graphic novel follow-up for fans of All Summer Long, music lovers, and anyone navigating the ups and downs of friendship.

Middle-schooler Bina is having the best time playing in her new band with her friends, Darcy and Enzo. But both the band and her friendships begin to crumble when Darcy and Enzo start dating, effectively relegating Bina to third-wheel status.

To make matters worse, Bina's best friend, Austin, starts developing a crush on her . . . one she is not sure she reciprocates. Now Bina must follow her heart. Can she navigate its twists and turns before the lights come up and the music starts playing?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374313654
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	08/04/2020
Series:	Eagle Rock Series , #2
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	608,373
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Hope Larson is the author of All Summer Long, which was a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018 and an Eisner Award Nominee. She also adapted and illustrated A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel, which spent forty-four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and for which she won an Eisner Award. She is additionally the author and illustrator of Salamander Dream, Gray Horses, Chiggers, and Mercury, and the author of Compass South and Knife's Edge, both illustrated by Rebecca Mock. She lives in North Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

Garage bands, first kisses, broken friendships; it's a winning combination. All Together Now…tackles all these topics and more in a story that feels fresh, and will be immediately relatable to a middle grade audience.…Subtly woven through these plot points is Bina's journey as an artist. Larson never speaks down to her audience; she gives Bina's dedication to her songwriting great respect…Larson's artwork is crisp and bold; perfectly suited to her story and characters.

The New York Times Book Review - Victoria Jamieson

A YALSA 2021 Great Graphic Novel for Teens

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2020

A School Library Journal Summer Read

A Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

A TLA Texas Maverick

"Larson’s artwork is crisp and bold; perfectly suited to her story and characters . . . The visual portrayal of Bina’s love of music, and her joy in losing herself in the creative process, is especially wonderful." —The New York Times

"Bina’s smart, likable, and familiar, and her coming-of-age fears are palpably engaging as she learns that romance need not be romantic.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. Altogether perfect." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"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." —Horn Book

"Heartfelt and authentic, this book tenderly captures the ebb and flow of love and friendship . . . For older kids and younger teens who love graphic novels and realistic fiction about music, friendship, and growing up." —School Library Journal

"Larson realistically captures the emotional minefield that is middle school through Bina and her friends, who are all authentically flawed . . . 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." —Booklist

From the Publisher

05/01/2020

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

School Library Journal

★ 2020-02-26
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)

Kirkus Reviews