Williams-Garcia, Rita. One
Crazy Summer. New York: Amistad, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-06-076088-5.
PLOT SUMMARY
Delphine, raised by her father and grandmother, was taught
to be a proper child; she respects her elders - even when she doesn't quite
understand them; sees the positions of black people in a white society - and so
stays politely, if not a little resentfully, demur when encountered by inconsiderate
whites; and takes good care of her younger sisters - even though she sometimes
feels anger towards their mother who left them when her youngest sister was
born. Her father and grandmother provide a good home for them, and the girls need
nothing, except to know why their mother, Cecile, left them when the youngest daughter was born. When Delphine
turns 12 years-old, her father decides it is time for Delphine and her sisters to
meet their mother. He flies them from New York City to Oakland, California to
meet their estranged mother, Cecile. That is when their structured lives become a
little bit crazy. Celeste has taken on a new name, Nzilla. She is a poet for
The People, and even more shocking, a member of the Black Panthers. Delphine
and her sisters' lives transform as they learn about their mother and their
people in an unforgettable and witty story set in the most colorful and transitional
decade in American history, the 1960s.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Rita Williams-Garcia creates a powerful story that takes
place during a decade known for the many societal changes that occurred during
its brief but significant time in the 20th century. One
Crazy Summer tells the story of the struggle of African-Americans to gain a
rightful position in American culture and politics. The story, though, is not
harsh and tragic; instead, the story is light-hearted in the telling but strong in its message
that gaining full entitlement of the rights of American citizens for African-Americans was a collaborative movement that
took years to achieve.
The story is told by Delphine, a strong-willed, sensible 12
year-old girl who has taken the role of caring for her sisters as serious
business. Big Ma, her grandmother, enforces good sense in Delphine's actions,
and her father, a good man, always does what he feels is right for his
daughters. When her father decides it is time for Delphine and her younger sisters,
Vonetta and Fern, to meet their mother, he flies them from their settled lives in New York City to Oakland, California to spend thirty days with her. The
girls are nervous and excited. The youngest girls envision meeting a loving
mother, but Delphine feels the reality will not be as they imagine. Sure
enough, when they meet their mother at the airport, the greeting is anything
but warm and welcoming. It is clear that she does not want the children with
her in California but has agreed to the visit to appease their father. Cecile
quickly shuffles the girls out of the airport and to her small house in
Oakland. Once at the house, she establishes the ground rules: She tells them her name
is no longer Cecile: It is Nzilla. She warns them to stay out of her way and
her kitchen where she writes poetry. With the kitchen off
limits, though, the girls wonder how and when they will get their meals that
were a regular routine with Big Ma and their father. Nzilla solves the problem
by having them buy fast-food meals for dinner and arranges for them to attend a
summer day camp where they will be fed free breakfasts and lunches.
The Black Panthers, an organization with whom Cecile has
close affiliations, runs the day camp. The
teachers who plan the activities are lively and vibrant; the activities teach the children to take pride in who they are and their heritage. They
also teach the children the importance of standing up and speaking out for
their rights in the face of hostility. The days spent at the camp turn out to
be an awakening for Delphine and her sisters about the changes taking place in America for African-Americans, changes that before they only saw on the news.
As the days pass, Delphine finds herself questioning what
she had always accepted in her life and realizing the importance of making a
stand to speak out for one's rights. She decides to use this tactic with Nzilla
when she bravely confronts her mother and tells her that she will begin cooking
in her mother's kitchen, as her sisters need home cooked meals. Her mother
concedes, and this small act of speaking out plants a seed of confidence in
Delphine that grows as the story progresses. While cooking dinners in the kitchen, Delphine and her mother grow to respect and accept each other for who they are. Things begin to look up until the unexpected happens and Nzilla is arrested by the police. Faced with being alone in California with her two younger sisters, Delphine turns for help to the Black Panthers, whose members look after them until their mother is released from jail.
Williams-Garcia places
humorous anecdotes throughout the story. This technique helps the reader bond
with Delphine as she struggles to keep her younger sisters in line, as well as when
she deals with their mother's disinterested attitude towards her children. As the story unfolds, it becomes evident that
Delphine is growing as she learns the importance of standing up for oneself, for
those whom she loves, and for the rights of her people.
AWARDS AND REVIEWS
Best Books - 17 lists to include:
Best Children's
Books of the Year, 2011
Booklist
Book Review Stars, February, 2010
Booklists
Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2010
Booklist Top
10 Historical Fiction for Youth, 2010
Kirkus Best
Children's Books, 2010
Notable
Children's Books in the English Language, 2010
School Library
Journal Best Books, 2010
Awards, Honors, and Prizes - Recipient or nominee of 9 awards to include:
Audie Award,
2011 (Finalist - Ages 8-12)
Corretta
Scott King Book Award, 2011 (Winner)
John Newbery
Medal, 2011 (Honor Book)
Judy Lopez
Memorial Award for Children's Literature, 2011 (Honor Book)
Scott O'Dell
Award for Historical Fiction, 2011 (Winner)
Nominee for 7 State reading lists
"Rita
Williams-Garcia's fresh, funny novel resonates with depth and meaning that
comes through the brialliant characterizations, sparkling dialogue, and
stunningly realistic recreation of a time and place..." Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2011.
"Set
during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows
the subtle ways tjat political movements affect personal lives; but just as
memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children's reclaiming a
reluctant parent's love." Gillian Engberg, Booklist, February, 2010.
CONNECTIONS
Historical Fiction, Suggested grade
levels: 4-7
Related
Books
Turtle
in Paradise, by Jennifer L. Holm
Roll
of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred d. Taylor
Fire
from the Rock, by Sharon M. Draper
A link to a website recommending other
Civil Rights books for Grade 6-8:
http://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/civil-rights-books.html
Enrichment
Activities
Links to lesson activities:
PERSONAL RESPONSE
I vaguely remember hearing about the Black Panthers when I was a child. The name held a bad connotation for me all of these years, but after reading One Crazy Summer, I realize that perhaps my feelings were shadowed by the media portrayal of an organization that struggled to establish the rights of African-Americans. I know how persuasive the media can be, and now I would like to find out more about the Black Panthers and their role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
One Crazy Summer. Cover
illustration. Internet on-line. Accessed
November 10, 2012 from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rita-williams-garcia/one-crazy-summer/.
No comments:
Post a Comment