Module 5 – Book Review 2
Review of Rita Williams-Garcia's One Crazy Summer
*This review was written for a course through Sam Houston State University.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Williams-Garcia, R. (2010). ONE CRAZY SUMMER. Amistad. ISBN: 978-0060760908
2. PLOT SUMMARY
“One Crazy Summer,” written by Rita Williams-Garcia, tells the story of three black sisters named Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern who are flown from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, for the summer in order to spend time with their mother, Cecile, a poet who abandoned them directly after giving birth to her third daughter. Told from Delphine’s perspective, the story is set in 1968 and focuses on the girl’s struggle to connect with their mother amid her involvement in the Black Panther Party. The sisters not only learn about themselves during the time of political activism in the vibrant culture of California but truly learn the importance of sisterhood and the impact of the Civil Rights Movement. Williams-Garcia tells her coming-of-age story through the girls in one of the most turbulent times in American history.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
“One Crazy Summer,” by Rita Williams-Garcia, gives readers relatable characters, specifically the three sisters: Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern. Their personalities show the complexities of sibling relationships and the toll that the estrangement of their mother, Cecile, has had on their relationships and lives. The plot is historically accurate, set in the late 1960s, and the inclusion of the Black Panther Party highlights the social and political dynamics of the time and provides the cultural environment that shapes the experiences of the sisters.
Williams-Garcia focuses on themes of identity, family, and social justice; the characters and the story reflect on the moral complexities of the era while simultaneously laying out the sister’s journey of self-discovery. The way the dialogue is presented encapsulates the speech patterns and culture during the 1960s. The story is historical but still relatable to modern audiences and has all of the necessary parts of an engaging story such as character development which help to create a good story.
The novel is shown to have thorough research and a careful balance of fact and fiction, which avoids stereotypes while providing a nuanced portrayal of the Black experience during the Civil Rights Movement. This is a great example of a coming-of-age story from an important time in American history that helps the reader to reflect on themes of family and empowerment. There is a section at the end of the book titled “Extras and Activities” that offers additional historical information and activities and extensions to the time period and story adding to the authenticity of the book itself.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Booklist starred (February 1, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 11))
Eleven-year-old Delphine has only a few fragmented memories of her mother, Cecile, a poet who wrote verses on walls and cereal boxes, played smoky jazz records, and abandoned the family in Brooklyn after giving birth to her third daughter. 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. 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.
Horn Book Guide starred (Fall 2010)
Eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters spend the summer of 1968 in Oakland visiting the mother who deserted them and getting an unexpected education in revolution from the Black Panthers. Williams-Garcia writes vividly about that turbulent summer through the intelligent, funny, blunt voice of Delphine, who observes outsiders and her own family with shrewdness and a keen perception.
Kirkus Reviews starred (January 15, 2010)
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. 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. 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.
Library Media Connection (March/April 2010)
At first glance, one would assume this book to be humorous, but the plot is anything but comical. This novel is unique because of its setting and point of view. Modern young readers will find it interesting to read about the conflicting views of the African-American community at that time, as I was. They certainly will be intrigued by the plight of these three children who are caught up in the major issues of that time, made all the more poignant by the insightful first-person narrative of this precocious young girl.
Publishers Weekly (January 4, 2010)
Williams-Garcia (Jumped) evokes the close-knit bond between three sisters, and the fervor and tumultuousness of the late 1960s, in this period novel featuring an outspoken 11-year-old from Brooklyn, N.Y. Through lively first-person narrative, readers meet Delphine, whose father sends her and her two younger sisters to Oakland, Calif., to visit their estranged mother, Cecile. Delphine's growing awareness of injustice on a personal and universal level is smoothly woven into the story in poetic language that will stimulate and move readers.
School Library Journal (March 1, 2010)
It is 1968, and three black sisters from Brooklyn have been put on a California-bound plane by their father to spend a month with their mother, a poet who ran off years before and is living in Oakland. 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.
5. CONNECTIONS
Related Books - Other books about the themes of civil rights and activism
Woodson, Jacqueline. BROWN GIRL DREAMING. ISBN 978-0147515827
Scattergood, Augusta. GLORY BE. ISBN 978-0439443838
Enrichment Activities -
Black Panther Party Research – Have students research the real Black Panther Party and compare it to the version shown in the novel.
Practice writing poetry – Have students write original poems that are inspired by Cecile’s poetry or the girls’ experiences. Students can even perform them in a “poetry slam” style for the class.
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