One Crazy Summer

It is the summer of 1968, and 11-year old Delphine and her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, are sent to Oakland to stay with their mother.  All they know about their mother, Cecile, is that she is a poet who abandoned them when Fern was still nursing, has made no effort to stay in touch with them, and has made it clear that she wants nothing to do with them. 

Delphine is determined to help her sisters get through this summer with Cecile (who now goes by Sister Nzilla), as unscathed as possible.  Cold, brusque Cecile lets her long lost daughters know from the moment they arrive that she is not interested in having them there, won't let them in her mysterious kitchen, makes them eat take-out Chinese food on the floor every night, and sends them to summer camp every day run by the Black Panthers.

Williams-Garcia does an excellent job of bringing depth to every aspect of this novel.  Her characters are well-developed, relatable, and distinct, and even though you can't help but despise Cecile just a little bit, the author manages to bring the reader to some kind of understanding, if not empathy, by the end without succumbing to the temptation to explain her behavior away through a pat, sentimental story.  She also paints a vivid portrait of a neighborhood in Oakland during this politically and socially charged time, skillfully juxtaposing it for the reader with San Francisco across the bay by an excursion taken by the girls one day.  The Black Panthers are also clearly depcited without being oversimplified or stereotyped- while Delphine and her sisters are intimidated by their initial exposure to the serious, black bereted men wearing militant t-shirts and having secret meetings with Cecile, the culture and message slowly becomes part of their characters as they attend the Black Panther's free breakfast and daycamp.  It is notable how Williams-Garcia manages to draw a wide variety of characters within the Black Panthers, including the mainly female instructors, while keeping the focus of the story on Delphine and her sisters. 

An example of her skill in weaving the elements of character, setting, and writing style together occurs on the girls' trip to San Francisco- when they encounter their first hippie (dubbed Poncho Man) they respond to his "Peace, sweet soul sisters," with their own "Power to the people," and "Free Huey."  Overall, the language throughout the novel is full of both striking eloquence and hilarious one liners.  And although Delphine may seem mature for her age that is actually an important element of her character, and the author manages to avoid making her seem wiser or more reflective than her years would call for.

Excellent read!

Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

Voting is open online and in community libraries through January 17th for anyone who has read at least four of the eight titles.

Watch the awarding of the real Newbery live from Boston at (or the podcast later, if you don't want to get up early!)

Just a few quotes from these articulate students:

• This was the best. It was a mock election and a contest. It got me to read books that I wouldn't have read. (Sterling)
• The contest was really fun. I really liked stating my opinion about the books and eating lunch in the Boardroom! (Aaron)
• This contest was so much fun! It makes me feel much more excited about reading when we do something like this! (Alayna)
• Thanks to this Newbery event, I got to read one of the best books of all time - The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had. Thank you librarians! (Madison)
• The experience helped me to speak out more! (Dylan)
• Voting in the mock Newbery election has been a great experience for me.
I read good books and found out about new authors! (Hannah)