The Summer I Turned Pretty

Reflect upon the deeper meaning of the title and what it might signify. For example, how does the title allude to the book’s core themes around The Challenges of Growing Up and The Inevitability of Change? What does it mean to “turn pretty,” and how does Belly do it in the novel? Why do you think Han sets the novel over the course of a summer?

Teaching Suggestion: To begin the discussion, it may be helpful to point students to Chapters 3-4, in which Belly explicitly mentions this summer from some future point, pointing out that Susannah’s prediction about Belly’s summer was correct because that was the summer that she “turned pretty.” As the notion of “turn[ing] pretty” is, for Belly, less connected to physical beauty and more about being seen, it may be beneficial to discuss the phrase’s multiple potential meanings. Regarding the season, summer occupies an important place in Belly’s life; students might recall her words at the start of the novel: “My whole life was measured in summers. Like I don’t really begin living until June, until I’m at that beach, in that house” (Chapter 1). Students also might brainstorm with a partner what summers at Cousins Beach represent to Belly (opportunity, possibility, and the potential for growth).