ONE CRAZY SUMMER

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 978-0-060076089-2

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In Oakland, California in 1968 Delphine and her two younger sisters embark on a journey to meet and rekindle a relationship with the mother that abandoned them and still doesn’t want them. Who else has a mother that won’t let you in the kitchen, cook you a meal, tuck you into bed or let you stay in the house during the day? Well, that is the kind of mother that Delphine and her sisters have and she is one crazy mother. Not only is she crazy, but her friends in the Black Panthers are also crazy with their black power and rights demonstrations. Through a series of strange events and experiences Delphine and her sisters grow together with each other and by the end of their visit they even make a connection with their crazy mother.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The author shares the unique up close experience of a young girl who finds herself at the epicenter for black rights in her mother’s neighborhood. The main character struggles to accept her mother and take care of her younger siblings all while slowly growing and accepting the message of The Black Panthers in the community. This book is about personal growth, acceptance, and learning that life outside of your comfort zone is extremely challenging, but rewarding. Williams-Garcia demonstrates the race struggles of the time through commentary between the different characters in the story. This story is a creative way to express the history of racism and the work that The Black Panthers did to help build up black communities and fight the man even though these activities were not always the best and often led to violence and arrests.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “It's the summer after Black Panther founder Huey Newton was jailed and member Bobby Hutton was gunned down trying to surrender to the Oakland police, and there are men in berets shouting "Black Power" on the news.”

BOOKLIST Review:  ““No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Like the rest of her life, Cecile’s work is a mystery conducted behind the doors of the kitchen that she forbids her daughters to enter.”

5. CONNECTIONS  

*This is a book that should prompt discussion about the role of The Black Panthers, racism, and even questions about single parent homes.

*Other similar books

Hoose, Philip. CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE. ISBN 0312661053

Haskins, Jim. POWER TO THE PEOPLE: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY. ISBN 978-0689800856 

LILY'S CROSSING

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Giff, Patricia Reilly. 1999. LILY’S CROSSING. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-440-41453-9

2. PLOT SUMMARY

LILLY’S CROSSING is the adventurous story of a young girl on her summer vacation to the bay during the summer of 1944. Lily’s vacation starts off with disappointing news from her summer friend that she is moving away and may never come back. Even though a long trusted friend is gone, a new kid appears with a strange accent and a love for orange cats. Lily’s befriends this new face and learns how to be a true friend all while World War II rages on across the globe and inconveniently interjects itself between her and her beloved father.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The story of Lily’s summer is full of her daily activities and musings about life and wild lies that correspond with her daydreams. Giff portrays Lily’s day to day life with accuracy of how hard money, groceries, and other things like gas were to get a hold of. Giff also includes details about listening to the news on the radio constantly and having it as a soundtrack to the life of everyone during the war. The war touches everyone and the daily reminders of ships passing in the ocean and patrol flights flying overhead are tough enough, but when young soldiers go missing in action and fathers are taken over seas to the front lines to rebuild; there is a depth of realism brought to the reader that is a very tangible.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

AMAZON.COM REVIEW: ”Left alone with her grandmother in the family's summer home in Rockaway, New York, Lily befriends Albert, a shy Hungarian refugee her own age.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: "has all the ingredients that best reward readers."

5. CONNECTIONS

*This book is a good way to help young readers understand what World War II was like for many young children that sacrificed along with the whole country. Teaching guides can be purchased on Amazon.com to accompany the book.

*Look for these similar books.

Burg, Ann. REBEKKAH’S JOURNEY: A WORLD WAR II REFUGEE STORY. ISBN  978-1585362752

Herman, Charlotte. A SUMMER ON 13^TH STREET:2. ISBN 978-0525446422 

THE WEDNESDAY WARS

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. THE WEDNESDAY WARS. New York, NY : Sandpiper. ISBN 978-0-618-72483-3

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Schmidt has written a funny and entertaining comedy that gradually introduces the reader to some of the history of the Vietnam War from the viewpoint of a seventh grade boy named Holling Hoodhood. Holling begins his school year as normal, but realizes quickly that his homeroom teacher Mrs. Baker hates him even though he isn’t the type of kid that teachers hate. Holling faces many new experiences and challenges as he finds new perspective on life all while learning Shakespeare.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This story is an easy gentle read that starts with a simple life problem and cleverly evolves to incorporating current events of the time such as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the new outrageous contract agreements of famous baseball players. Schmidt layers in details and wraps them into the story to make them pertinent to the main character and other characters.

Holling evolves throughout the months (chapters) by experiencing new situations with friends, classmates, and even Mrs. Baker. Mrs. Baker introduces Holling to Shakespeare and prods him along as he learns to interpret and apply Shakespeare to his own life. The story follows Hollining’s day to day adventures and experiences and by the end the story has become its own comedy with Hoodhood as the star that has chosen and is still choosing his projection through life. The details are accurate and interesting without being overbearing to the story and allow the plot to thicken and develop without getting caught up in tedious information that may bore a young reader.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “…first-person narration perfectly captures Holling's progression from an angst-filled yet innocent boy, to a wiser, self-aware young man.”

BOOKLIST: “…with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, who Holling is convinced hates his guts. He feels more certain after Mrs. Baker assigns Shakespeare's plays for Holling to discuss during their shared afternoons.”

5. CONNECTIONS 

*This book would be a great way to get students interested in the Vietnam War, Hippies, and even Shakespeare.  This book could be read to spur interest in these topics and prompt discussions and further readings.

*Similar Books:

Kadohata, Cynthia. CRACKER! THE BEST DOG IN VIETNAM.  ISBN 978-1416906384