Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. 2010. Amistad, 218 pages. $15.99 ISBN: 9780060760885
Plot Summary:
Delphine and her sisters are on their way to spend the summer of 1968 in Oakland with their mother, Cecile, who abandoned her daughters seven years ago. Cecile reluctantly picks her daughters up at the airport, When Cecile sends her daughters down the street to pick up take out for dinner, and bans them from her kitchen, Delphine is pretty sure her mother is crazy. The girls lose all hope of an exciting California summer with trips to Disneyland when their first morning Cecile sends them to the community center for the free breakfast the Black Panthers serve every day and tells them not to come back until the evening. As the oldest, eleven years old Delphine steps up to take care of her sisters and stand up to Cecile. Throughout the summer Delphine grows into a strong young woman and finds it in her heart to forgive her mother.
Critical Review:
Although the Black Panthers play a role in Williams-Garcia’s book, I do not think she fully explained to her readers the Panthers’ movement and the racial tensions present in Oakland in the ‘60s. Though Williams-Garcia does not adequately explain the times period she does a beautiful job developing the characters. Delphine, Vonetta and Fern each have their own unique personalities and they relationship between the characters is very realistic.
Genre:
Historical Fiction
Multicultural Fiction
Reading Level:
4th to 7th Grades
Similar Books:
P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia
Awards:
Newberry Honor Book 2011
ALA Notable book 2011
2011 Coretta Scott King Author Award
2011 Scot O’Dell Prize for Historical Fiction
2010 National Book Award Finalist
Author’s Website:
http://www.ritawg.com/
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