One Crazy Summer
Bibliography:
Williams-Garcia, R. (2010).ONE CRAZY SUMMER. HarperCollins Publishers. New York, NY.
ISBN: 9780060760885
Plot Summary:
In the summer of 1968, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel from New York to Oakland, California to meet their mother who had abandoned them seven years ago. Upon their arrival, they discover that their mother, Cecile, did not want anything to do with them. So, during the day, Cecile told them to spend their days at the Center, a place that was run by a group called the Black Panthers. During their time at the Center, Delphine and her sisters learned about the “cause” that the people who attended were fighting for and slowly started to take in some of their ideals. Delphine discovers that Cecile, aka “Nzila”, was a poet and wrote poems for the cause, and after she was arrested for her writings, Delphine and her sisters decided to read one of her poems at a rally hosted by the Panthers. The Center not only taught Delphine about what they were about, but also taught her to be strong and stand up for what she believed in. It was then that Delphine confronted her mother who later explained the reason for her abandoning them.
Critical Analysis:
One Crazy Summer is a powerful story that takes three children who make a trip to Oakland to visit a mother who seemingly wants nothing to do with them and puts them in a situation where Delphine, the eldest, has to take on the role of the adult and fend for her younger siblings. I feel this story will appeal to the young readers since single-parent families are more common now, and they will relate to it as they may be facing similar situations. Seeking help, as Delphine and her sisters unknowingly did when they attended the Center, can be something this story teaches them. Williams-Garcia does a wonderful job of showing the hardships the children experience, even with their own family, with her vivid descriptions of Cecile ordering them to get their food from the Chinese restaurant, telling them to spend the day outside the house, and the way she refused them entry to the kitchen. Even though Cecile did not say much, the words Williams-Garcia chose to use gives the reader a great sense of her tone, attitude, and volume of her voice. Overall, Williams-Garcia’s portrayal of the girl’s experiences was outstanding.
Review Excerpt(s):
Newbery Honor
National Book Award
“A flight from New York to Oakland, Calif., to spend the summer of 1968 with the mother who abandoned Delphine and her two sisters was the easy part. Once there, the negative things their grandmother had said about their mother, Cecile, seem true: She is uninterested in her daughters and secretive about her work and the mysterious men in black berets who visit. The sisters are sent off to a Black Panther day camp, where Delphine finds herself skeptical of the worldview of the militants while making the best of their situation. Delphine is the pitch-perfect older sister, wise beyond her years, an expert at handling her siblings: "Just like I know how to lift my sisters up, I also know how to needle them just right." Each girl has a distinct response to her motherless state, and Williams-Garcia provides details that make each characterization crystal clear. The depiction of the time is well done, and 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. (Historical fiction. 9-12)”- Kirkus Reviews
Connections:
*History teachers could assign this novel and have students research more on the topic of the Black Panthers.
*Since Cecile was a poet, a writing teacher can ask students not only to write a poem, but one about something they hold dear to their heart.
*History teachers can also have students research some of the figures that founded the Black Panthers.
Other books to be considered:
Williams-Garcia, R. (2010).GONE CRAZY IN ALABAMA. ISBN 9780062215888
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