ONE CRAZY SUMMER
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York, NY: Amistad-HarpersCollins. ISBN 9780060760892.
PLOT
Delphine, the eleven year old narrator, travels with her two younger sisters on a plane from New York to Oakland, California for a month-long visit with their mother, who had abandoned them years ago. The story is placed in 1968 during one of the roughest times in American History. The girls' mother seems to be bothered by the fact that they have come to stay with her and Delphine begins to believe the stories that her grandmother has told her about her mother: that she is no-good and crazy. Their mother doesn't let them in the kitchen, because that is where she works on her poetry. So the girls have to go get their breakfast and stay for most of the day (so that they stay out of their mother's path) at the center run by The Black Panthers where they learn about Huey Newton, Bobby Hutton and the "Black Power" movement. In the end, the girls unveil some truths about their mother and re-connect in a powerful way.
Delphine, the eleven year old narrator, travels with her two younger sisters on a plane from New York to Oakland, California for a month-long visit with their mother, who had abandoned them years ago. The story is placed in 1968 during one of the roughest times in American History. The girls' mother seems to be bothered by the fact that they have come to stay with her and Delphine begins to believe the stories that her grandmother has told her about her mother: that she is no-good and crazy. Their mother doesn't let them in the kitchen, because that is where she works on her poetry. So the girls have to go get their breakfast and stay for most of the day (so that they stay out of their mother's path) at the center run by The Black Panthers where they learn about Huey Newton, Bobby Hutton and the "Black Power" movement. In the end, the girls unveil some truths about their mother and re-connect in a powerful way.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Williams-Garcia, an accredited historical-fiction author, does a fine job with the authenticity of this story. She builds the characters with strengths and weaknesses characteristic of the times. Delphine, who is only eleven, had to grow up fast because she was responsible to take care of her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern (even when they fight with each other) because their mother abandoned them when they were very young. When the girls arrived in Oakland to see their mother, Cecile, she was not excited to see them. Cecile said, “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Even though Delphine and her sisters lived with a loving father and grandmother, the pain of not feeling her mother's love was evident. "We weren't about to leave Oakland without getting what we'd come for. It only took Fern to know we needed a hug from our mother."
Williams-Garcia portrays the emotions of the times through Delphine's voice and dialect. She tells the story through Delphine who speaks with a great deal of honesty and candor. Although she is only eleven, her innocence has been tainted by the realities of the world around her. "His hard stare was for the other reason store clerks' eyes never let up. We were black kids, and he expected us to be in his gift shop to steal." Delphine was painfully aware of the racism that existed in these times. "The last thing Pa and Big Ma wanted to hear was how we made a grand Negro spectacle of ourselves." The author tries to give the reader different perspectives into The Black Panther movement. Delphine says of the center, "It wasn't at all the way the television showed militants (that's what they called the Black Panthers). Militants, who from the newspapers were angry fist wavers with their mouths wide-open and their rifles for shooting. They never showed anyone like Sister Mukumbu or Sister Pat, passing out toast and teaching in classrooms." Delphine wanted to see the good in people. "I watched the white guys leave unharmed, laughing even....then I heard Crazy Kelvin say, that's the least that the racist dogs can do, and just like that, he spoiled what I thought I knew."
Williams-Garcia, an accredited historical-fiction author, does a fine job with the authenticity of this story. She builds the characters with strengths and weaknesses characteristic of the times. Delphine, who is only eleven, had to grow up fast because she was responsible to take care of her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern (even when they fight with each other) because their mother abandoned them when they were very young. When the girls arrived in Oakland to see their mother, Cecile, she was not excited to see them. Cecile said, “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Even though Delphine and her sisters lived with a loving father and grandmother, the pain of not feeling her mother's love was evident. "We weren't about to leave Oakland without getting what we'd come for. It only took Fern to know we needed a hug from our mother."
Williams-Garcia portrays the emotions of the times through Delphine's voice and dialect. She tells the story through Delphine who speaks with a great deal of honesty and candor. Although she is only eleven, her innocence has been tainted by the realities of the world around her. "His hard stare was for the other reason store clerks' eyes never let up. We were black kids, and he expected us to be in his gift shop to steal." Delphine was painfully aware of the racism that existed in these times. "The last thing Pa and Big Ma wanted to hear was how we made a grand Negro spectacle of ourselves." The author tries to give the reader different perspectives into The Black Panther movement. Delphine says of the center, "It wasn't at all the way the television showed militants (that's what they called the Black Panthers). Militants, who from the newspapers were angry fist wavers with their mouths wide-open and their rifles for shooting. They never showed anyone like Sister Mukumbu or Sister Pat, passing out toast and teaching in classrooms." Delphine wanted to see the good in people. "I watched the white guys leave unharmed, laughing even....then I heard Crazy Kelvin say, that's the least that the racist dogs can do, and just like that, he spoiled what I thought I knew."
This is a very emotional story that raises cultural and ethnic questions. It is beautifully and passionately written and reveals how important a mother's love is. It also gives us a great history lesson and helps us to realize how politics can affect our lives and the strong feelings and emotions during the 1960s.
AWARDS
2011 Coretta Scott King Award Winner
2011 Newbery Honor Book
2011 Scott O’Dell Prize for Historical Fiction
2010 National Book Award Finalist
Junior Library Guild Selection
Texas Library Association Best Book for 2010
REVIEW EXCERPTS
“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...” -Horn Book (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. With memorable characters (all three girls have
engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading
and rereading.”-School Library Journal (starred review)
“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.”-Publishers Weekly
CONNECTIONS
The themes in this book include family and race. It can be paired with other books during The Civil Rights movement and The Black Panthers, such as THE ROCK AND THE RIVER by Kekla Magoon.
This book also focuses on poetry and a good lesson on poetry could be incorporated as well.
Also consider reading,
LIKE SISTERS ON THE HOMEFRONT by Rita Williams-Garcia
The themes in this book include family and race. It can be paired with other books during The Civil Rights movement and The Black Panthers, such as THE ROCK AND THE RIVER by Kekla Magoon.
This book also focuses on poetry and a good lesson on poetry could be incorporated as well.
Also consider reading,
LIKE SISTERS ON THE HOMEFRONT by Rita Williams-Garcia
