Sunday, April 3, 2016

ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia

Review by Christi De Leon

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. New York: HarperCollins, 2010. ISBN 9780060760892

PLOT SUMMARY

After being abandoned by her mother seven years ago, Delphine began to help take care of her two little sisters, Vonetta and Fern. During the summer of 1968, their father and Big Ma sent the three sisters to Oakland, California to visit their mother, Cecile. Instead of spending time with them, Cecile sends them to a day camp sponsored by the Black Panthers. Surprisingly, the girls end up learning quite a bit during their trip.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The brave eleven-year-old female protagonist, Delphine, leads the way with Vonetta and Fern as they travel from Brooklyn to see their “crazy” mother in Oakland. Each character is unique and well-rounded, especially Delphine. The girls’ attitudes and reactions to their experiences are authentically portrayed as they learn about the revolutionary group called the Black Panthers, giving readers accurate insight, also. The author captures the flavor of the 1960’s in Oakland as the girls set out for food, summer camp, and nearby explorations. Each place is distinctly described through Delphine’s youthful point of view. Mentions of Mean Lady Ming, for example, add a hint of humor throughout the story as they get Chinese takeout dinners so frequently. Speech patterns are also reflective, like when Fern often chimes in with her sassy words, “Surely don’t.”

One Crazy Summer is abundant with themes that reflect the time, such as an emphasis on names, civil rights, family loyalty, and responsibility. Delphine’s loyalty to her family, including her mother, and her strong sense of responsibility exemplify timeless parallels for the reader. The oldest sibling, even in today’s families, often demonstrates strength as they set an example for the others. Readers can relate to any of the sisters, as they all have a role of their own. Rita Williams-Garcia gives "Acknowledgements" at the end of the book, stating that many of the girls and women in the novel were part of her own childhood in some kind of way. She also mentions the resources and interviews that allowed her to capture this time in history. The author combines a seamless mixture of fact and fiction to create a humorous, yet powerful historical fiction novel.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2011 Newbery Medal
2011 Coretta Scott King Award
2011 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction
2010 National Book Award finalist

From Booklist: “Regimented, responsible, strong-willed Delphine narrates in an unforgettable voice, but each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion.”

From The Horn Book: “The setting and time period are as vividly realized as the characters, and readers will want to know more about Delphine and her sisters after they return to Brooklyn...”

From School Library Journal: “Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.”

CONNECTIONS

Gather other Rita Williams-Garcia historical fiction books to read such as:

P.S. Be Eleven. ISBN 0061938645

Gone Crazy in Alabama. ISBN 0062215876

Gather other Newbery Honor Books to read such as:

Vawter, Vince. Paperboy. ISBN 030793151X

Possible activities:

Research the Black Panthers and connect the findings to Delphine’s viewpoint in the story.

Find current information regarding civil rights issues. Discuss similarities and differences from 1968 to now.

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