Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York: Harper Collins Children's Books. ISBN 9780060760885
2. Plot Summary
Set in the summer of 1968 and narrated by eleven-year-old Delphine, she and her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, travel from Brooklyn, New York to Oakland, California to see a mother they know. Their mother, Cecile, goes by the name Nzilla, because she is a poet and printer, and is a member of the Black Panthers. She does not have much need for her children, and they are treated coldly, having to find their own food and their own way. Cecile has them attend a Black Panther summer camp to keep them out of her hair while she writes poetry and prints them on her machine. The three girls are immersed in a foreign world, but they learn much about the world and what it means to be proud, black women in this coming-of-age story.
3. Critical Analysis
Told through the eyes of the eldest sister, Delphine, who is very mature for her eleven years is able to tell a very believable story and gives information about this period in history in a non-biased way. Even though the story is told though Delphine's viewpoint, the other two sisters' voices are not to be dismissed. The plot includes information about the Black Panthers and the events surrounding the arrest of its founder, Huey Newton, during the 1960s. The story line does include enough information about this historical time since it is told from a child's perspective, but leaves just enough missing so that readers will have questions about certain organizations, historical figures, and places. The book could be made even stronger and more credible if it had sections in the back, such as an "Author's Note" describing some of the history of the Black Panthers and the setting during the 1960s, a glossary, or any resource aid of that nature. The chapters were not too long, making it easy to hold a reader's interest. The issues with the girls' mother are never fully brought to the surface, but enough is resolved in order for readers to understand that progress has been made in their relationship and that some sort of void has been filled for all parties. The setting takes us from Brooklyn to Alabama to California, and the author does a wonderful job of describing major events during this time in American history. Through Delphine, Williams-Garcia gives us information about Black Panther summer camps, which many children will not understand, so this book can create some very deep conversations about racial issues. Readers will also get a "first account" of San Francisco happenings in the 1960s. Younger readers to older readers will be able to grasp the author's theme of being strong in very tough situations and that being strong does not always mean being tough all of the time. Letting go and living is just as important.
4. Review Excerpts and Notable Awards/Honors:
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW: "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."
BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW: "Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love."
KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW: Delphine is the pitch-perfect older sister, wise beyond her years, an expert at handling her siblings...while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page."
HORN BOOKS STARRED REVIEW: “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...”
Winner of/Honored by:
- Coretta Scott King Award Winner
- Newberry Honor Book
- Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
- 2010 National Book Award Finalist, Young People's Literature
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- Texas Library Association Best Book for 2010
A. Students could research background information about the Black Panthers, Huey Newton, San Francisco, racial issues in the 1960s, etc. before reading. A follow-up activity after reading could be to research further questions children have. They could collaboratively create a timeline of events during this time period using a Web 2.0 tool.
B. Teachers could invite an African American guest speaker that grew up around the happenings of the Black Panthers and/or that could discuss personal accounts of racial issues in the late 1960s.
C. A gallery walk of images found by the teacher could be taken prior to reading this novel in order to create conversations about the time period to tap into background knowledge.
*Other historical fiction novels related to the themes in One Crazy Summer:
Holm, Jennifer L. TURTLE IN PARADISE. ISBN 9780375836909
Dean Myers, Walter. MOUSE RAP. ISBN 9780064403566
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| Image from Amazon.com |
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