One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

1. Bibliography
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060760907.

2. Plot Summary
     This book's story is centered around eleven-year-old Delphine as she and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern are sent to live with the mother who abandoned them when they were younger. All of this takes place in the summer of 1968--the year of the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The girls' mother, Cecile makes it clear that she wants nothing to do with them as she forces them to eat Chinese takeout dinners and forbids them to go into her kitchen. She also has strange visitors who wear Afros and black berets who come to her house often. Then Cecile sends the girls to a summer camp sponsored by the Black Panthers where they are exposed to a whole new radical existence.

3. Critical Analysis
     Young readers should be able to clearly identify with Delphine, especially if they have ever felt abandoned by a parent. Delphine's language, tone, and word usage are believable for an eleven-year-old, yet they are still grounded in the tone of appropriate for the targeted time period.
     The history of the Black Panthers presence during this time was presented accurately yet with the appropriateness for younger children to be able to grasp and understand. The plot is not overwhelmed by details and is realistic to the time period presented.
     The setting is an integral part of the story. The girls' trip to Oakland represents a change, not only in the girls' lives, but in society, as a whole. During this time,  many African-Americans were reaching a point where they were fighting for not only more respect, but for a radical change in their circumstances through participation in the Black Panthers Movement. Oakland was the center of this movement.
     The style of this book does not necessarily reflect the author's voice and manner, but it does capture the flavor of the times. It also captures the speech patterns of the era.
     What the book may be missing is proof of any thorough research conducted by the author. There was no bibliography or list of cited sources included in the book. Inclusion of these would have greatly improved the book's authenticity on the historical aspects presented.

4. 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."

5. Connections
One activity that young readers may do in relation to this book is the following activity:

I Wish I Had a Camera: Young readers will choose a scene in the book that they think is especially descriptive. Then, they may share with others why the scene is important in the developments of the characters, the plot, or theme (activity courtesy of http://www.viterbo.edu/uploadedFiles/academics/letters/english/UnitPlanOneCrazySummer.pdf).

Other great reads by Rita Williams-Garcia:

• Williams-Garcia, Rita. JUMPED. ISBN 0060760915.
• Williams-Garcia, Rita. LIKE SISTERS ON THE HOMEFRONT. ISBN 0140385614.
• Williams-Garcia, Rita. BLUE TIGHTS. ISBN 0140380450.