Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Scholastic Inc.
Pages
218
Description
In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010-01-26
Physical description
218 p.; 7.6 inches
ISBN
0545458285 / 9780545458283
Similar in this library
Lexile
750L
User reviews
LibraryThing member Whisper1
It is stunningly, superbly written. It impact haunts long after the last page is read.
Eleven year old Delphine has a story to tell, unsure of the ending, she is ever ready to vocalize her thoughts and feelings. She is upset, confused, angry, spunky and self righteous.
Her mother Cecile left seven
In the summer of 1968, they were sent to Oakland, California to stay with a mother who was none too happy to see them. Instead of embraces, they received neglect. Instead of a welcome, they were once again reminded they were not wanted.
Instead of spending time with her children, Cecile sent them to a summer camp run by members of the Black Panthers.
Deftly weaving this important historical time frame with the poignancy of three struggling little girls, the author does a superb job of depicting both the turmoil of the civil rights movement and the internal tumult of the children.
This is more than a coming of age story of a young girl; It is also a tale of a movement struggling to succeed against incredible odds.
During one crazy summer Delphine learns more than she bargained for, including the fact that, like the Black Panthers, her mother's beginning was filled with complicated obstacles.
The author is a master of telling a poetic tale of three little girls in search of a mother's love and the difficult struggle of anything in life that is worth fighting for.
Read, laugh, weep and sigh at the sheer beauty of a complicated situation filled with the contradictions of anger, hurt and understanding leading to forgiveness.
Highly recommended.
Eleven year old Delphine has a story to tell, unsure of the ending, she is ever ready to vocalize her thoughts and feelings. She is upset, confused, angry, spunky and self righteous.
Her mother Cecile left seven
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years ago, slamming the door as she never looked back. Abandoning Delphine, tiny little baby Fern, and two year old Vonetta was effortless. While their father and grandmother provided love and security, young Delphine became mother to her siblings.In the summer of 1968, they were sent to Oakland, California to stay with a mother who was none too happy to see them. Instead of embraces, they received neglect. Instead of a welcome, they were once again reminded they were not wanted.
Instead of spending time with her children, Cecile sent them to a summer camp run by members of the Black Panthers.
Deftly weaving this important historical time frame with the poignancy of three struggling little girls, the author does a superb job of depicting both the turmoil of the civil rights movement and the internal tumult of the children.
This is more than a coming of age story of a young girl; It is also a tale of a movement struggling to succeed against incredible odds.
During one crazy summer Delphine learns more than she bargained for, including the fact that, like the Black Panthers, her mother's beginning was filled with complicated obstacles.
The author is a master of telling a poetic tale of three little girls in search of a mother's love and the difficult struggle of anything in life that is worth fighting for.
Read, laugh, weep and sigh at the sheer beauty of a complicated situation filled with the contradictions of anger, hurt and understanding leading to forgiveness.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member twonickels
Delphine is old for an eleven-year-old. You’ve met these kids before – serious girls who seem to take the weight of the world onto their small shoulders. When her mother was still around, she taught Delphine to be unselfish, silent, and self-sufficient – not the most childlike qualities. And
And now, in the summer of 1968, the three girls are on their way across the country to Oakland to spend a summer with their absentee mother. The younger girls arrive with dreams of hugs and kisses from mom, sunny days on the beach, and trips to Disneyland. Those hopes are dashed pretty quickly – instead it’s going to be greasy take-out food, a mother who resents their presence in her house, and days spent at the free summer program led by the local Black Panthers.
As a historical novel, one of the strengths of this story is that it makes the political into the personal. Instead of dropping these three girls into a major historical moment from the history of the Black Panthers, as is the temptation in historical fiction, Garcia-Williams instead gives us a family story that takes place within the context of day-to-day life among the people who made up the movement. The story shows a side of the Black Panthers that doesn’t get a lot of attention now, and as Delphine points out didn’t get noticed even at the time – the free community breakfasts and peaceful rallies instead of the confrontational tactics that are usually remembered. Their sudden relationship with the Black Panthers does change the girls significantly, making them take a closer look at their own identity as well as the social change that is happening around them, but never in a way that is didactic. It just grows out of the story.
Williams-Garcia also manages to make the late-sixties setting always present, slipping in details about television shows or clothes, without making it feel too distant. The details she chooses are evocative enough to give a sense of time, but relatable enough that kids won’t feel alienated in that capital-H Historical Fiction kind of way. As with any great historical fiction, the center of the novel is not the history, but instead a universal story, in this case a family story about both the struggle for the love of a parent and the search for a personal identity.
Cecile is not like any mother that these girls have ever seen – her kitchen is used for writing and printing poems, not for laundry and making dinner. In a children’s story where three little girls are sent to stay with their distant, uncaring mother, it is easy to expect the kind of trite sea-change that would lead to Cecile suddenly turning into a maternal figure. Instead, she seems to develop a grudging respect for the three girls – a growth arc that is both more interesting and more true to the character than what could have been a stock character reversal.
The family dynamic between the three sisters is a treat to read. These are three very different girls – responsible almost-grown-up Delphine, dramatic and needy Vonetta, and set-in-her-ways Fern who notices things around her. While they bicker and argue between themselves, as siblings do, they are also fiercely loyal to each other, especially any time that they step outside of the primarily-black community where they live. When they go on the offensive they present a hysterical united front to the world - these girls will batter down any takers with a wall of little-girl patter coming from three sides. Their relationship is a big part of what makes this book such a delight.
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ever since her mother took off and left Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern alone with their father, Delphine has taken on a lot of responsibility for her younger sisters.And now, in the summer of 1968, the three girls are on their way across the country to Oakland to spend a summer with their absentee mother. The younger girls arrive with dreams of hugs and kisses from mom, sunny days on the beach, and trips to Disneyland. Those hopes are dashed pretty quickly – instead it’s going to be greasy take-out food, a mother who resents their presence in her house, and days spent at the free summer program led by the local Black Panthers.
As a historical novel, one of the strengths of this story is that it makes the political into the personal. Instead of dropping these three girls into a major historical moment from the history of the Black Panthers, as is the temptation in historical fiction, Garcia-Williams instead gives us a family story that takes place within the context of day-to-day life among the people who made up the movement. The story shows a side of the Black Panthers that doesn’t get a lot of attention now, and as Delphine points out didn’t get noticed even at the time – the free community breakfasts and peaceful rallies instead of the confrontational tactics that are usually remembered. Their sudden relationship with the Black Panthers does change the girls significantly, making them take a closer look at their own identity as well as the social change that is happening around them, but never in a way that is didactic. It just grows out of the story.
Williams-Garcia also manages to make the late-sixties setting always present, slipping in details about television shows or clothes, without making it feel too distant. The details she chooses are evocative enough to give a sense of time, but relatable enough that kids won’t feel alienated in that capital-H Historical Fiction kind of way. As with any great historical fiction, the center of the novel is not the history, but instead a universal story, in this case a family story about both the struggle for the love of a parent and the search for a personal identity.
Cecile is not like any mother that these girls have ever seen – her kitchen is used for writing and printing poems, not for laundry and making dinner. In a children’s story where three little girls are sent to stay with their distant, uncaring mother, it is easy to expect the kind of trite sea-change that would lead to Cecile suddenly turning into a maternal figure. Instead, she seems to develop a grudging respect for the three girls – a growth arc that is both more interesting and more true to the character than what could have been a stock character reversal.
The family dynamic between the three sisters is a treat to read. These are three very different girls – responsible almost-grown-up Delphine, dramatic and needy Vonetta, and set-in-her-ways Fern who notices things around her. While they bicker and argue between themselves, as siblings do, they are also fiercely loyal to each other, especially any time that they step outside of the primarily-black community where they live. When they go on the offensive they present a hysterical united front to the world - these girls will batter down any takers with a wall of little-girl patter coming from three sides. Their relationship is a big part of what makes this book such a delight.
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LibraryThing member libmaven
This title has received a lot of hype recently as a possible Newbery contender, but I have mixed feelings about it --- and might be the only reader who does!. Williams-Garcia does a brilliant job of capturing the point of view of Delphine, the young narrator who is shepharding her two younger
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sisters on a cross country visit to Nzila, their mother who walked out on the family seven years ago. Both humor and poignancy come through the narration and Williams-Garcia evokes the Black Panther movement and the 1960's with a deft hand. But I am tripped up by the characterization of Nzila; she is not merely distant and self absorbed, but negligent [not even thinking about feeding the girls] and cruel [taking all the money away from Delphine]. This is a woman who is a poet, supposedly probing how events and relationships have effected her life .... and yet, she denies any consideration toward these three girls. She seems more sympathetic to the Panthers, although it is clear she is not an activist in their cause. I suppose the case can be made that she knows the Black Panther community center will feed the girls, and Delphine is capable of looking out for Vonetta and Fern. Given what is eventually revealed about Nzila's early life, I question why she would inflict similar burdens on Delphine. Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
One summer in the late sixties, Delphine and her sisters, Vonetta and Fern, fly to Oakland to visit their mother, Cecile, who left them when Fern was just a baby. The girls have grown up in Brooklyn with their grandmother and father raising them, and eleven-year-old Delphine had to grow up fast.
If you were following the Mock Newbery Awards before the official announcement of the ALA youth media awards, you've probably heard this title bandied about. A lot of people predicted it would win, so I was not surprised to see it on the Newbery Honor list this year. When I needed an audiobook for my commute and saw it available at work, I snatched it up. I wasn't really sure what to expect. At first I was a little disappointed by the lack of action in the story. The tight focus on Delphine, our first person narrator, and her family made this extremely character-centric. Though 1968-69 was a very intense time, the plot of this story is much more subdued and introspective. The number of historical details expertly laced into the story struck me only after I'd finished the book and started looking in to some of the events and people mentioned. We learn naturally, as Delphine mentions things like her uncle being away, or sorting newspapers. The family interactions, especially between Delphine and her sisters, ring true and were made all the richer by Sisi Aisha Johnson. While I'm not sure it's the type of story that many children would choose on their own (and I'm pretty sure I may not have picked it up without prompting), it would make an excellent read-aloud and discussion starter.
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Cecile doesn't seem to want them now, either, and sends them to a Black Panthers breakfast and summer school every day to get them out of the house so she can work on her poetry.If you were following the Mock Newbery Awards before the official announcement of the ALA youth media awards, you've probably heard this title bandied about. A lot of people predicted it would win, so I was not surprised to see it on the Newbery Honor list this year. When I needed an audiobook for my commute and saw it available at work, I snatched it up. I wasn't really sure what to expect. At first I was a little disappointed by the lack of action in the story. The tight focus on Delphine, our first person narrator, and her family made this extremely character-centric. Though 1968-69 was a very intense time, the plot of this story is much more subdued and introspective. The number of historical details expertly laced into the story struck me only after I'd finished the book and started looking in to some of the events and people mentioned. We learn naturally, as Delphine mentions things like her uncle being away, or sorting newspapers. The family interactions, especially between Delphine and her sisters, ring true and were made all the richer by Sisi Aisha Johnson. While I'm not sure it's the type of story that many children would choose on their own (and I'm pretty sure I may not have picked it up without prompting), it would make an excellent read-aloud and discussion starter.
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LibraryThing member KarenBall
Be eleven, Delphine. Be eleven while you can. It's 1968, and Delphine and her two little sisters have been put on a plane to go visit their long-gone poet mother, Cecile, in Oakland. The girls expect California to be magically different from Booklyn, with beaches, Disneyland, and movie stars. What
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they get is an indifferent mother who is focused on writing poetry and working with the Black Panther movement. The moth that they have to stay with Cecile is filled with walks to "Mean Lady Ming's" Chinese restaurant and the local Black Panther-run community center, where their mother is known as Sister Nzila. Delphine is a strong, opinionated character who is used to being in charge, and annoyed that her mother apaprenly wants nothing to do with them (and took their money for Disneyland). Vonetta and Fern don't understand their mother either, and Fern is especially angry that Cecile refuses to say her name. Their family problems mirror the problems of the time, when anger and protests and change were part of life. Set during an important part of this country's history, this is a story that is sometimes delightful, sometimes disturbing, and all the time moving. You'll root for Delphine! 6th grade and up. Show Less
LibraryThing member 4sarad
I thought this was a really interesting book, but it has been a hard-sell for students. It was a little slow in the beginning and hard to get into. The girls are great characters, though, and you really see them grow throughout the story. This would be a historical fiction novel to introduce the
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60's and all the turmoil of the time. Show Less
LibraryThing member skstiles612
Eleven year old Delphine, nine year old Vonetta, and seven year old Fern find themselves on an airplane headed to Oakland, California. Their father has decided it is time they spend some time with the mother who left them shortly after ferns birth. What they find is a mother who lets them know she
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didn't ask for them to come. She sends them out for take-out for supper and makes them eat on the floor in the livingroom. She won't allow them in her kitchen at all. In the morning she sends them to the community center for lunch and for the summer camp where they are to be taught by a group of Black Panthers. Delphine has decided it is her job to protect her sisters like always. She wants nothing to do with her mother or the black panthers. This book was a look at the events surrounding the Black Panthers as told through the eyes of a young girl. I loved this story. I thought it was awesome the way the author showed how much the characters changed and how important that little bit of change was. I can't wait to recommend this book to my school. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jpeshke
It is no wonder why this book has won so many awards! It is such a wonderful and powerful read. This is a great historical fiction text for any student.
LibraryThing member okeanotiszois
It's the summer of 1968, and three sisters, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, are shipped off from their Brooklyn home to Oakland, California, to visit their mother, who abandoned them seven years ago. Their father thought it was time for them to get to know their mother. When they arrive, it's not the
With an uncaring tone that says she can't be bothered, the mother gives the girls money for food (they're absolutely NOT allowed to go in the kitchen) at the local Chinese restaurant and they're sent to the People's Center for breakfast. It is there that the girls reluctantly (on Delphine's part) and happily (on Vonetta and Fern's part) get involved in classes run by the Black Panther Party, a revolutionary organization that fights for Black Power. Throughout the days of their visit, they become more involved than they realize.
The voices and personalities of the three girls come through the most in this novel. Delphine is extremely strong-willed, and being the oldest, she is always the responsible one. Quiet and reserved, Delphine is not one to make waves. Vonetta is the middle child and the one who wants to be the center of attention. As the baby in the family, Fern is happy in her own little world: singing, dancing, and imagining. Despite the differences among these three, they have a way of finishing each other's sentences in a kind of sing-song manner. The story is set during a momentous time in American History. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy are assassinated. Huey Newton (co-founder of Black Panther Party) is still in jail. The Vietnam War is raging, and unrest and radical change predominate. This novel will resonate with you long after you've read the last page.
2010 National Book Award Finalist
2011 Coretta Scott King Award
2011 Newbery Honor Award Winner
Ages 10+
Publisher: Amistad (January 2010)
ISBN: 9780060760885
Available as an eBook.
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normal hugs and kisses you would get from a mother, but a a cold indifference. Their month-long California vacation is not off to a good start. No Disneyland. No movie stars. Their mother is veiled in mystery that the girls try to solve. As the oldest (11 years old), Delphine needs to help her sisters make the best of thier situation.With an uncaring tone that says she can't be bothered, the mother gives the girls money for food (they're absolutely NOT allowed to go in the kitchen) at the local Chinese restaurant and they're sent to the People's Center for breakfast. It is there that the girls reluctantly (on Delphine's part) and happily (on Vonetta and Fern's part) get involved in classes run by the Black Panther Party, a revolutionary organization that fights for Black Power. Throughout the days of their visit, they become more involved than they realize.
The voices and personalities of the three girls come through the most in this novel. Delphine is extremely strong-willed, and being the oldest, she is always the responsible one. Quiet and reserved, Delphine is not one to make waves. Vonetta is the middle child and the one who wants to be the center of attention. As the baby in the family, Fern is happy in her own little world: singing, dancing, and imagining. Despite the differences among these three, they have a way of finishing each other's sentences in a kind of sing-song manner. The story is set during a momentous time in American History. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy are assassinated. Huey Newton (co-founder of Black Panther Party) is still in jail. The Vietnam War is raging, and unrest and radical change predominate. This novel will resonate with you long after you've read the last page.
2010 National Book Award Finalist
2011 Coretta Scott King Award
2011 Newbery Honor Award Winner
Ages 10+
Publisher: Amistad (January 2010)
ISBN: 9780060760885
Available as an eBook.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jenniferthomp75
Well-written historical fiction novel about 3 black sisters from Brooklyn sent to spend a month in Oakland with their runaway mother in 1968.
After arriving, their mom's coldness and indifference to them shows and it stings. I appreciated the author making the mother run away and not the father.
All
Highly recommended for all!
After arriving, their mom's coldness and indifference to them shows and it stings. I appreciated the author making the mother run away and not the father.
All
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of the characters seem strikingly real and have unique personalities. But Delphine was my favorite. She's 11 going on 40 because she's had to look after her sisters her whole life. The scene where she finally lets loose and enjoys herself on the go-kart was lovely.Highly recommended for all!
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LibraryThing member amandacb
It is always difficult for me to fully enmesh myself in a novel with a thoroughly unlikeable character or characters -- such is the case with One Crazy Summer. The premise of the book is interesting and Williams-Garcia writers with an easy flair; however, the character of the mother is so obnoxious
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that it made it quite impossible for me to fully embrace the novel. The dynamic between the sisters is adorable and spot-on; it was interesting to read about the Black Panther "day care" camp, if you will, especially from a child's viewpoint. Definitely an interesting and quick read, just be prepared to have the character of the mother raise your blood pressure a few points. Show Less
LibraryThing member YouthGPL
Eleven-year old Dephine and her two younger sisters go to visit their estranged monther in California. Eventhough they are not happy about traveling alone they are going in the hopes of going to Disneyland and meeting movie stars. What they encounter is everything but a warm welcome. Their mother
The story is narrated by Delphine the oldest of the sisters. Dephine is always in charge of every sistuation and protects her two younger sisters. They learn from day one that their mother is not happy to have them invading her personal life and they are restricted from entering the kitchen for anything, even for a glass of water.
The girls spend most of their time alone without the protection of their mother or anyone else.
Grades 4-7.
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Cecile is not warm hearted and caring as most mothers might be. She is distant and makes the girls feel unwelcomed. the girls miss their father and grandmother.The story is narrated by Delphine the oldest of the sisters. Dephine is always in charge of every sistuation and protects her two younger sisters. They learn from day one that their mother is not happy to have them invading her personal life and they are restricted from entering the kitchen for anything, even for a glass of water.
The girls spend most of their time alone without the protection of their mother or anyone else.
Grades 4-7.
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LibraryThing member susiesharp
Delphine and her sisters are being shipped off to spend the summer with the mother who left them when they were small to go off and become a poet. The girls arrive in Oakland in the late 60’s(1968?)to find their mother is a poet for the Black Panthers and still has really no interest in being
Wow what unfeeling mom Cecil is. Her daughter Delphine is so much more a grown-up than she is and a much better mom to the younger kids than Cecil is. Also such an interesting history lesson into a turbulent time in the US told through the eyes of an 11 year-old-girl. The girls end up being immersed into the Black Panther movement which kind of scares Delphine as she has seen and heard about arrests and murders of people just because they have an affiliation with the group. Of course as the summer goes on the relationship changes but maybe not as you would expect.
There are a few things I wonder about if Cecil didn’t want the girls there why did their father & Big Ma send them? And when certain things happen*No Spoilers* why wasn’t their father notified and the girls sent home? Why was it up to Delphine?
I think this is a must read! Do you hear me Newberry people?? This deserves every award it has won and will win.
On the Audio-The narration by Sisa Aisha Johnson is really great! She Is Delphine through & through! Her narration is totally believable and I see why this narrator has won an audiofile earphone award.
I won this book and would like to Thank Recorded Books for a great audio.
4 ½ stars
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their mother.Wow what unfeeling mom Cecil is. Her daughter Delphine is so much more a grown-up than she is and a much better mom to the younger kids than Cecil is. Also such an interesting history lesson into a turbulent time in the US told through the eyes of an 11 year-old-girl. The girls end up being immersed into the Black Panther movement which kind of scares Delphine as she has seen and heard about arrests and murders of people just because they have an affiliation with the group. Of course as the summer goes on the relationship changes but maybe not as you would expect.
There are a few things I wonder about if Cecil didn’t want the girls there why did their father & Big Ma send them? And when certain things happen*No Spoilers* why wasn’t their father notified and the girls sent home? Why was it up to Delphine?
I think this is a must read! Do you hear me Newberry people?? This deserves every award it has won and will win.
On the Audio-The narration by Sisa Aisha Johnson is really great! She Is Delphine through & through! Her narration is totally believable and I see why this narrator has won an audiofile earphone award.
I won this book and would like to Thank Recorded Books for a great audio.
4 ½ stars
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LibraryThing member delphica
Set in 1968, three sisters travel from Brooklyn to Oakland to visit their mother for the summer.
Before I started, based on the cover, the reviews, and the general premise, I was all "Oh, a summer of '68 book. Okay." It's pleasantly not as typical as I was assuming it would be. The girls get sent
There are two things that especially stuck out for me. The first is that the narrator, 11 year old Delphine, is a fantastic portrait of a young person navigating between what she describes as her "good Negro home training" with her father and grandmother, and her mother's community's social justice vision, in an even-handed way that isn't didactic or preachy. I'm not even old enough to have experienced that moment in the civil rights movement (well, in addition to the whole 'not black' thing), and so I imagine it's even more of a foreign concept to actual child readers, and the book is successful in giving you a very vivid sense of how this plays out in Delphine's day to day life.
Second, I enjoyed how the book merged the larger social issues with the more personal story of Delphine's family dynamic. It was a great balance and it didn't feel like either a family story tacked on to a social story, or the other way around.
Grade: A solid A-. I liked it a lot, it's more of a thoughtful book than a big emotional book. I'm not sure why I don't think it's a five star/A+ book -- maybe because there wasn't a moment where it blew me away, but I don't think it's trying to be that kind of book, either.
Recommended: I think this would be a great choice for its targeted age group, and for adults interested in this setting and topic.
Newbery prediction: I can very easily see this on the Honor list.
I have weird issues with the cover.
Before I started, based on the cover, the reviews, and the general premise, I was all "Oh, a summer of '68 book. Okay." It's pleasantly not as typical as I was assuming it would be. The girls get sent
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off to Black Panther day camp, and realize they have to fend for themselves at their mother's house. The writing is great, and the plot is interesting.There are two things that especially stuck out for me. The first is that the narrator, 11 year old Delphine, is a fantastic portrait of a young person navigating between what she describes as her "good Negro home training" with her father and grandmother, and her mother's community's social justice vision, in an even-handed way that isn't didactic or preachy. I'm not even old enough to have experienced that moment in the civil rights movement (well, in addition to the whole 'not black' thing), and so I imagine it's even more of a foreign concept to actual child readers, and the book is successful in giving you a very vivid sense of how this plays out in Delphine's day to day life.
Second, I enjoyed how the book merged the larger social issues with the more personal story of Delphine's family dynamic. It was a great balance and it didn't feel like either a family story tacked on to a social story, or the other way around.
Grade: A solid A-. I liked it a lot, it's more of a thoughtful book than a big emotional book. I'm not sure why I don't think it's a five star/A+ book -- maybe because there wasn't a moment where it blew me away, but I don't think it's trying to be that kind of book, either.
Recommended: I think this would be a great choice for its targeted age group, and for adults interested in this setting and topic.
Newbery prediction: I can very easily see this on the Honor list.
I have weird issues with the cover.
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LibraryThing member kimby365
I'll start this review off with some more honesty: I was determined not to like this book. Not that I wanted to point out and nitpick at every single flaw of it, really, but I didn't want to feel any particular fondness towards it. After all, I'd picked my personal favorite for the 2011 Newbery
Others had their choices in mind as well, and in Mock Newbery circles I would hear three words over and over again, the three that make up this book's title. I knew about the book. It sounded interesting, but I was not convinced. I bought it but didn't read it, finding reason after reason to skip it for something else. My biggest reason often boiled down to this: "It can't be that good, can it? I mean, really?" Still, when praise is unrelenting, it is hard not to pay attention, so I broke down. Having read it, I cannot say that the hype surrounding this book was undeserved. That would be a lie. This is definitely an award-worthy book here, and I'm honestly not so surprised about that.
I have read only one other book by Rita Williams-Garcia, and that would be her National Book Award Finalist "Jumped." I did not like "Jumped," but its problems did not lie in the writing so much as characterization. They were strong characters, alright, but they were terribly unpleasant and unlikable. I had strong faith that, given a good idea for a story, that she could churn out a book worthy of great praise. The characterization is strong in "One Crazy Summer." The three sisters are never anything except individual characters, and their every move is completely plausible. Even the least likable character in the book, the initially reprehensible Cecile, proves to be more than just an evil mother, however poorly equipped she may be.
The little description on the inside flap of the jacket describes the book as "heartbreaking," and boy does the book deliver in that aspect. Really, I did not think I would be able to get through this book without crying, once I read the first five or six pages. Though this is not the most despairing middle-grade fiction I've ever read (that honor goes to the great "Somewhere in the Darkness"), it certainly comes close. These kids endure a lot of hardship over the course of the book's 215 pages, and if the ending seems a little too simple, it's still no less of a relief and as well-written as the rest of the book.
I like when historical fiction doesn't shove a thousand facts down your throat, and thankfully this book, with its little-discussed subject matter, avoids such a trap. I felt I knew about as much of what was going on with the Black Panthers as Delphine did, and it made about as much sense to me. Which seems just perfect, to be honest; after all, if you were an eleven-year-old in the middle of a movement like that (or really, any sort of huge, history-making event), you'd be pretty bewildered, wouldn't you? Luckily, the book is anything but hard to follow, mostly because the writing is so descriptive without being TOO descriptive that it's easy to get swept into the story within the first page.
How often do books with levels of hype that reach the stars live up to expectations? Well, I like nearly everything, so maybe you shouldn't be asking me that. But both of this year's HUGE buzz books (this and "The Dreamer") proved to deliver everything I was promised they would. This year has been top-notch for kid's books, and I expect a satisfying harvest of Newberrys come January. If "One Crazy Summer" isn't part of that crop, the committee must be a little crazy themselves.
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Medal before we even knew what the 2010 Medalist was (though, at that point, we'd already figured "When You Reach Me" was taking the gold). That book, of course, was "Mockingbird," a book that I frequently say was the book I wish I had when I was a kid, so large an impact it had.Others had their choices in mind as well, and in Mock Newbery circles I would hear three words over and over again, the three that make up this book's title. I knew about the book. It sounded interesting, but I was not convinced. I bought it but didn't read it, finding reason after reason to skip it for something else. My biggest reason often boiled down to this: "It can't be that good, can it? I mean, really?" Still, when praise is unrelenting, it is hard not to pay attention, so I broke down. Having read it, I cannot say that the hype surrounding this book was undeserved. That would be a lie. This is definitely an award-worthy book here, and I'm honestly not so surprised about that.
I have read only one other book by Rita Williams-Garcia, and that would be her National Book Award Finalist "Jumped." I did not like "Jumped," but its problems did not lie in the writing so much as characterization. They were strong characters, alright, but they were terribly unpleasant and unlikable. I had strong faith that, given a good idea for a story, that she could churn out a book worthy of great praise. The characterization is strong in "One Crazy Summer." The three sisters are never anything except individual characters, and their every move is completely plausible. Even the least likable character in the book, the initially reprehensible Cecile, proves to be more than just an evil mother, however poorly equipped she may be.
The little description on the inside flap of the jacket describes the book as "heartbreaking," and boy does the book deliver in that aspect. Really, I did not think I would be able to get through this book without crying, once I read the first five or six pages. Though this is not the most despairing middle-grade fiction I've ever read (that honor goes to the great "Somewhere in the Darkness"), it certainly comes close. These kids endure a lot of hardship over the course of the book's 215 pages, and if the ending seems a little too simple, it's still no less of a relief and as well-written as the rest of the book.
I like when historical fiction doesn't shove a thousand facts down your throat, and thankfully this book, with its little-discussed subject matter, avoids such a trap. I felt I knew about as much of what was going on with the Black Panthers as Delphine did, and it made about as much sense to me. Which seems just perfect, to be honest; after all, if you were an eleven-year-old in the middle of a movement like that (or really, any sort of huge, history-making event), you'd be pretty bewildered, wouldn't you? Luckily, the book is anything but hard to follow, mostly because the writing is so descriptive without being TOO descriptive that it's easy to get swept into the story within the first page.
How often do books with levels of hype that reach the stars live up to expectations? Well, I like nearly everything, so maybe you shouldn't be asking me that. But both of this year's HUGE buzz books (this and "The Dreamer") proved to deliver everything I was promised they would. This year has been top-notch for kid's books, and I expect a satisfying harvest of Newberrys come January. If "One Crazy Summer" isn't part of that crop, the committee must be a little crazy themselves.
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LibraryThing member mbrittain
A pesonalized and eye-opening retelling of a time in recent history that is often missed and misunderstood by White America. As this happens in a modern media age, it was especially powerful to see what is missed in coverage: the Black Panthers doing more that just engaging in violent rebellion.
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The characters of the girls and their mother are well-developed and the dialogue is spectacular. Growing up in that time, I could hear the language and rhythms of my African-American friends in how the girls spoke. Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Delphine, Vonette and Fern don't know their mother - she left when fern was a baby and took off for California. Deciding that it's time, their father sends them from Brooklyn to spend a summer with mom. On arriving, they discover a mother who doesn't seem to want them there and sends them to spend
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their days at a Black Panther summer camp. Show Less
LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
It's the summer of 1968 and Delphine and her two younger sisters are going across the country to California to spend the summer with their mother who left when Delphine was five years old. Who is this strange woman who writes poetry, allows no one in her kitchen, and sends them to the Black Panther
A great historical novel makes the reader feel like she's there and One Crazy Summer did that for me. I drank in all the details of 1968 Oakland. But, I dunno... this is one of those books where things happened, but it kinda didn't feel like anything happened... I can appreciate the fact that it's bringing history to life for kids, but I think it'll need some pushing for kids to pick it up.
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summer day camp to get them out of her hair? A great historical novel makes the reader feel like she's there and One Crazy Summer did that for me. I drank in all the details of 1968 Oakland. But, I dunno... this is one of those books where things happened, but it kinda didn't feel like anything happened... I can appreciate the fact that it's bringing history to life for kids, but I think it'll need some pushing for kids to pick it up.
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LibraryThing member lawral
This is a book that I want to tell you all about in quotes, because even in soundbites, it's so so good.
My sisters and I had stayed up practically all night California dreaming about what seemed like the other side of the world. We saw ourselves riding wild waves on surfboards, picking oranges and
p.3
But they don't go to Disneyland. They go to Black Panther Summer Camp. Delphine, Vonetta and Fern learn about the movement, about the Panthers themselves (who they've only seen in news stories), and about each other. Delphine, the only of the three who remembers her to begin with, also gets to learn about the mother that abandoned them.
But this isn't necessarily a book about the Black Panthers or the 60s or even finding a mother. This is mostly a sister book. There's Fern, the baby, who has carried around a (white) baby doll for as long as anyone can remember and is always ready to throw out a "surely" in support of her sisters. Vonetta who constantly seeks attention like the middle child she is, and is desperate to make friends with the most fashionable girls at camp, even at the expense of her sisters. Then there's Delphine. She promised her Pa she would take care of her younger sisters, like she always has, and it's her job to keep them out of trouble (and keep them from killing each other). She's saved up money to pay the fines on the books she checked out from the library to read to her sisters each night before bed. She plans activities for the three of them to do in order to make the most of their trip to California. She tries to stand in between her sisters and her mother; she remembers how crazy her mother can get. She's the leader.
It's Delphine, Vonetta and Fern, their relationship and interactions, that drive the story. They help each other get through what looks like a horrible situation until it becomes kind of fun. Together they're the Gaither sisters. They finish each others sentences, each knows just how to get under the other two's skin, and though they take sides two against one all the time, they all always stand up for each other in the end.
As the story progresses, the girls' mother becomes more of a real person than the dismissive, nervous woman who picked them up (late) from the airport. We also find out just how much Delphine remembers about her and how much she misses having a mother (even if she won't admit it). The relationship between Delphine and Cecile (their mother) is built on more understanding than either of them want to admit, and watching it unfold was one of the most moving parts of this story.
Overall, One Crazy Summer was a wonderful book and totally deserving of it's numerous awards! It has it all: history, humor, emotion, drama, and annoying but lovable little sisters!
Book source: Philly Free Library
My sisters and I had stayed up practically all night California dreaming about what seemed like the other side of the world. We saw ourselves riding wild waves on surfboards, picking oranges and
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apples off fruit trees, filling out autograph books with signatures from movie stars we'd see in soda shops. Even better, we saw ourselves going to Disneyland.p.3
But they don't go to Disneyland. They go to Black Panther Summer Camp. Delphine, Vonetta and Fern learn about the movement, about the Panthers themselves (who they've only seen in news stories), and about each other. Delphine, the only of the three who remembers her to begin with, also gets to learn about the mother that abandoned them.
But this isn't necessarily a book about the Black Panthers or the 60s or even finding a mother. This is mostly a sister book. There's Fern, the baby, who has carried around a (white) baby doll for as long as anyone can remember and is always ready to throw out a "surely" in support of her sisters. Vonetta who constantly seeks attention like the middle child she is, and is desperate to make friends with the most fashionable girls at camp, even at the expense of her sisters. Then there's Delphine. She promised her Pa she would take care of her younger sisters, like she always has, and it's her job to keep them out of trouble (and keep them from killing each other). She's saved up money to pay the fines on the books she checked out from the library to read to her sisters each night before bed. She plans activities for the three of them to do in order to make the most of their trip to California. She tries to stand in between her sisters and her mother; she remembers how crazy her mother can get. She's the leader.
It's Delphine, Vonetta and Fern, their relationship and interactions, that drive the story. They help each other get through what looks like a horrible situation until it becomes kind of fun. Together they're the Gaither sisters. They finish each others sentences, each knows just how to get under the other two's skin, and though they take sides two against one all the time, they all always stand up for each other in the end.
As the story progresses, the girls' mother becomes more of a real person than the dismissive, nervous woman who picked them up (late) from the airport. We also find out just how much Delphine remembers about her and how much she misses having a mother (even if she won't admit it). The relationship between Delphine and Cecile (their mother) is built on more understanding than either of them want to admit, and watching it unfold was one of the most moving parts of this story.
Overall, One Crazy Summer was a wonderful book and totally deserving of it's numerous awards! It has it all: history, humor, emotion, drama, and annoying but lovable little sisters!
Book source: Philly Free Library
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LibraryThing member runner_roader
This was a story on a sisterly bond. Three sisters that can finish each others sentences and got each others backs when the time calls for it. We are not meant to feel sympathetic for them with a mother who left them behind because they are strong children with some very watchful eyes of Big Ma and
This story is about many things that children might experience; abandonment issues, being teased, arguing with siblings, and often growing up too fast. This book also reminds us of historical events that actually happened in the United States, and not that long ago. African Americans were required to sit at the back of the bus often expected to give up their sets to a white person. African Americans were a minority and during the sixties the Black Panther Party was formed by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. There are many references to Huey while Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are at the People’s Center making signs for rallies. The Black Panthers worked to stop the oppression of black people by speaking up and from Delphine’s viewpoint peacefully demonstrating their rights to be heard. At the time this story is set many influential minority leaders and supporters are assassinated including Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy as well as a 17 year old, Bobby Hutton, in an attempt to silence and frighten minorities into submission. Did this actually work? Or did this only spark the surge to work even harder for equal rights?
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Pa. Pa may work a lot, but you have this feeling that he has a good relationship with his three daughters. Big Ma is like a mother to them after Cecile left. This story is about many things that children might experience; abandonment issues, being teased, arguing with siblings, and often growing up too fast. This book also reminds us of historical events that actually happened in the United States, and not that long ago. African Americans were required to sit at the back of the bus often expected to give up their sets to a white person. African Americans were a minority and during the sixties the Black Panther Party was formed by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. There are many references to Huey while Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are at the People’s Center making signs for rallies. The Black Panthers worked to stop the oppression of black people by speaking up and from Delphine’s viewpoint peacefully demonstrating their rights to be heard. At the time this story is set many influential minority leaders and supporters are assassinated including Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy as well as a 17 year old, Bobby Hutton, in an attempt to silence and frighten minorities into submission. Did this actually work? Or did this only spark the surge to work even harder for equal rights?
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LibraryThing member lindamamak
Three young girls set up to CA. to meet the Mother that abandoned them when there were very small to see who this woman is that just walked away from them
LibraryThing member MaryAnnBurton
It was an interesting book. I read it quickly because I was constantly curious about what was going to happen next. It is important to have well written books that are culturally diverse and that tell about an important part of history for that race or culture. This was an informative historical
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fiction book about african american culture and it is important for students of all races and cultures to learn about themselves and everyone else. Show Less
LibraryThing member smheatherly2
Fantastic main character Delphine has had to grow up much too soon because her mother left the family when her youngest sister was still an infant. Dad thought it would be good for the three sisters to meet their mother, to form their own opinion, and are sent from Brooklyn to Oakland for the
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summer. They learn a lot about themselves, their mother as well as the Black Panthers. Show Less
LibraryThing member shannonkearns
What an interesting and well written book. It's the story of Delphine and her two sisters. They are sent to Oakland for the summer to spend time with a mother they don't know. The summer turns out to be nothing like they expect. The story is told through the voice and perspective of Delphine as she
I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and interesting. The characters are complex and authentic.
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looks out for her sisters and tries to figure out her mother. While in Oakland the girls attend a summer camp that teaches them about the Black Panthers. I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and interesting. The characters are complex and authentic.
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LibraryThing member edspicer
Williams-Garcia, Rita. (2010). One Crazy Summer. New York: HarperCollins/Amistad. 218 pp. ISBN 978-0-06-076088-5 (Hard Cover); $15.99.
Williams-Garcia often tackles tough topics. Every Time a Rainbow Dies describes Thulani’s attempt to show a rape victim that he is not like her attackers, but he
One Crazy Summer is, as of this minute, my favorite to win the Newbery. I am writing this in early October and I still have many more books to read. I feel the same way about this book as I did last year about When You Reach Me. I turned the last page and said to myself, “I just finished the Newbery winner.” I know that authors and publishers will hate hearing these words now, lest I jinx their chances, but One Crazy Summer is excellent! It is a must buy for libraries serving students of all ages. About the only knock against the book is its cover, which makes the book seem like it is exclusively the domain of a younger audience.
Delphine and her sisters have been sent to visit their mother, Cecile, in Oakland, California. Cecile, the mother who abandoned them, takes the girls into her home but still has very little regard for her daughters (“Don’t kill yourself to get back here. Stay out till sundown.” p. 60). Delphine and her sisters envision hugs and Disneyland and home-cooked meals. They get Cecile who clearly does not want them around. They get the Black Panther community center and take-out Chinese food—but only if they use their Disneyland money to pay for it (“Fine. I got plenty of air sandwiches here. Go on back to the room, open your mouths, and catch one.” p. 32). Readers have plenty of reason to loathe Cecile. Somehow during this tour de force exploration of the explosive sixties and the Black Panther Party we find ourselves understanding Cecile. This happens one shown detail at a time. Just as our understanding of Cecile grows, so does Delphine. The beginning chapters clearly set the tone of the time. The girls are worried about becoming a “Negro spectacle” that Big Ma has warned against. Meanwhile the Black Panthers seek to become a very visible spectacle that takes pride in being Black, not Negro. Delphine is forced to confront her upbringing commencing with what she has learned from her Pa and Big Ma, what she sees in Cecile’s neighborhood, and her experiences with the Panthers. One detail at a time, Delphine grows into her own person, which reflects her experiences with all the various influences in her young life. The economy of language in this book is exquisite. Using a single first name and a single hug, Williams-Garcia has me weeping. Weeping because I care a great deal about a woman that I would never want to mother my own children. Weeping because I envision a future for these girls and their mother and it is a future that includes all of them together. You heard it here first: This is the Newbery winner for 2011!
Williams-Garcia often tackles tough topics. Every Time a Rainbow Dies describes Thulani’s attempt to show a rape victim that he is not like her attackers, but he
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hasn’t really learned the vocabulary yet. Williams-Garcia gets into her characters heads and writes poignant life into them. Her books stay with you long after you finish. She is, perhaps, one of our more under-appreciated authors and I say this knowing full well that she is no stranger to awards and recognition. Jumped was a National Book Award finalist. Every Time A Rainbow Dies was a BBYA top ten book. One Crazy Summer is a National Book Award finalist. Yet, I think she deserves inclusion in the Laurie Halse Anderson, Walter Dean Myers, Chris Crutcher circle of writers—someone we automatically think of when we want to point to a writer who writes quality books for students that matter.One Crazy Summer is, as of this minute, my favorite to win the Newbery. I am writing this in early October and I still have many more books to read. I feel the same way about this book as I did last year about When You Reach Me. I turned the last page and said to myself, “I just finished the Newbery winner.” I know that authors and publishers will hate hearing these words now, lest I jinx their chances, but One Crazy Summer is excellent! It is a must buy for libraries serving students of all ages. About the only knock against the book is its cover, which makes the book seem like it is exclusively the domain of a younger audience.
Delphine and her sisters have been sent to visit their mother, Cecile, in Oakland, California. Cecile, the mother who abandoned them, takes the girls into her home but still has very little regard for her daughters (“Don’t kill yourself to get back here. Stay out till sundown.” p. 60). Delphine and her sisters envision hugs and Disneyland and home-cooked meals. They get Cecile who clearly does not want them around. They get the Black Panther community center and take-out Chinese food—but only if they use their Disneyland money to pay for it (“Fine. I got plenty of air sandwiches here. Go on back to the room, open your mouths, and catch one.” p. 32). Readers have plenty of reason to loathe Cecile. Somehow during this tour de force exploration of the explosive sixties and the Black Panther Party we find ourselves understanding Cecile. This happens one shown detail at a time. Just as our understanding of Cecile grows, so does Delphine. The beginning chapters clearly set the tone of the time. The girls are worried about becoming a “Negro spectacle” that Big Ma has warned against. Meanwhile the Black Panthers seek to become a very visible spectacle that takes pride in being Black, not Negro. Delphine is forced to confront her upbringing commencing with what she has learned from her Pa and Big Ma, what she sees in Cecile’s neighborhood, and her experiences with the Panthers. One detail at a time, Delphine grows into her own person, which reflects her experiences with all the various influences in her young life. The economy of language in this book is exquisite. Using a single first name and a single hug, Williams-Garcia has me weeping. Weeping because I care a great deal about a woman that I would never want to mother my own children. Weeping because I envision a future for these girls and their mother and it is a future that includes all of them together. You heard it here first: This is the Newbery winner for 2011!
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Awards
National Book Award (Finalist — Young People's Literature — 2010)
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2013)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2013)
Audie Award (Finalist — 2011)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2013)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Nominee — 2013)
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — 2012)
Parents' Choice Book Award (2010)
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2013)
Newbery Medal (Honor Book — 2011)
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Honor Book — 2012)
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee)
Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature (Honor Book — 2011)
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2013)
Coretta Scott King Award (Winner — 2011)
California Young Reader Medal (Nominee — 2014)
West Virginia Children's Choice Book Award (Nominee — 2011-2012)
NCSLMA Battle of the Books (Middle School — 2018)
Rhode Island Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2012)
FOCAL Award (2013)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-9 — 2012)
Scott O'Dell Award (2011)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — Middle School — 2013)
The White Ravens (2011)
Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Nominee — 2014)
CCBC Choices (2011)
The Best Children's Books of the Year (Nine to Twelve — 2011)
Books From All 50 States (and Washington, D.C.!) (California)
Notable Children's Book (2011)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2011)
Idaho Battle of the Books (Elementary — 2020)
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (Top Ten — 2011)
Reading Olympics (Elementary — 2024)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Kids (Fiction for Older Readers — 2010)
Call number
J4D.Wil