One Crazy Summer

Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. One Crazy Summer.  New York: Amistad/HarperCollins Publishers.  ISBN 9780060760885

(Photo obtained from ritawg.com)

   Plot Summary

One Crazy Summer tells the story of Delphine and her two sisters, being raised by their father and paternal grandmother, who go on a trip to visit their mother.  Bothered by their presence, their mother sends them to a Black Panther Community Center to spend their days.  Set in 1968, the story is told through Delphine’s eyes on the path towards acknowledgement and racial freedom. 

Analysis

First and foremost, the characters within One Crazy Summer are lovable and identifiable despite the backdrop of the story being set in the 1960s which some young readers may find hard to fathom (or relate to).  The children are humorous (“The feds hire midgets to front as kids.  They infiltrate families with long-lost cousins who don’t look a thing like you”); the adults are lime lighted appropriately which lands the reader alongside Delphine and her sisters while they eat take-out Chinese food on the living room floor because they’re not allowed in the kitchen.  The adventures page after page will keep children enthralled.  Williams-Garcia’s creative use of poetry to bring the story full circle deserves a standing ovation as she combines narrative poetry with historical fiction.

When considering the merits of One Crazy Summer as historical fiction literature, the setting is a huge factor.  I have family who lives in the Oakland area of California.  Coupled with the information I obtained from them and some limited research, there are some issues with the street names references and the landscape as Williams-Garcia describes it.  The streets don't exist and the landscape is flat, not hilly as written.  Aside from the minor details that most readers would gloss over, another issue is glaringly apparent: I feel as if the nonfiction aspect of the story and the introduction of the Black Panther Party were severely underplayed.  This affects the overall integrity of this book as a historical portrayal.  While the words command compassion or the characters (even the unlovable ones), the words lack the connection to solidify the foreign concept of this political revolution for younger readers.  Williams-Garcia does not spend any time explaining who the party was, what they aimed to do aside from “Huey is in jail” or that the girls’ father does not support the movement.  However, with what the story lacks in setting the stage for the Black Panther Party, Williams-Garcia knocks it out of the park in terms of a lesson on civil rights.   

Overall, One Crazy Summer was an enjoyable read.  One Crazy Summer is an appropriate addition to elementary curriculum, setting the stage for further research, cultural awareness/diversity and the concept of self.  Join Delphine, Vonetta and Fern on the road to learning about themselves individually, their family and the larger world as they’re torn between whom they have been taught to be and the identity which the Black Panther Party encourages them to be proud of. 

Review Excerpts

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “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.”

BOOKLIST – “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.”

Awards, Mentions and/or Honors

2011 Winner – Coretta Scott King Award

2011 Winner – ALA Notable Books for Children

2011 Winner - Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award

2010 Winner – School Library Journal Best Books of the Year

2010 Finalist – National Book Award

2011 Nomination – Newbery Medal

2011 Nomination - Judy Lopez Memorial Award (Women's National Book Association, Los Angeles Chapter) 2011 Nomination - Georgia Children's Book Award 2011 Nomination - Black-Eyed Susan Book Award 2011 Nomination - West Virginia Children's Choice Book Award 2012 Nomination - Young Hoosier Book Award 2011 Nomination - Maryland Children's Book Award 2011 Nomination - Great Lakes' Great Books Award 2012 Nomination - Rhode Island Children's Book Award 2012 Nomination - North Carolina Children's Book Award 2012 Nomination - Volunteer State Book Award 2013 Nomination - California Young Reader Medal

Enrichment Activities

Lesson Ideas -- http://book-blurbialessonideas.blogspot.com/2011/04/one-crazy-summer-by-rita-williams.html

Unit Plans -- http://www.viterbo.edu/uploadedFiles/academics/letters/english/UnitPlanOneCrazySummer.pdf

 

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