Book Review: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Title: One Crazy Summer
Author: Rita Williams-Garcia
Publisher: Amistad
Publication Date: January 26, 2010
ISBN: 978-0060760885

PLOT SUMMARY
In the summer of 1968, eleven-year-old Delphine and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, are sent by their father and grandmother from Brooklyn, New York, to Oakland, California, to stay with their estranged mother Cecile. Cecile, who abandoned her daughters seven years earlier, has no interest in spending time with her daughters and sends them to a daily summer school sponsored by the Black Panthers. Delphine learns about the Black Panther Party's role in the civil rights movement, while she faces the burden of protecting her sisters from everyone, including their mother. Through Delphine's determination to make the summer enjoyable for her sisters and their hilarious squabbling, Williams-Garcia creates an enjoyable and funny story.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Many readers should be able to connect and identify with the characters, especially older siblings. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are believable as sisters and the love siblings have for each other and their squabbles and fights. Their conversation pings off each other in a realistic sibling-like manner and Delphine even mentions she knows exactly what makes her sisters happy and mad (Williams-Garcia, 2010, pp. 143).

The attitudes and clothing ground the characters in the time period, such as when Big Ma reprimands Delphine for calling collect at the payphone (source) because of the cost, and the white boots and daisy dresses worn by the Ankton sisters (Williams-Garcia, 2010, pp. 62).

The setting is integral to the story because the Black Panther Panther Party of Self Defense was formed in Oakland, California in 1966 (Visit Oakland, 2019). The setting is vividly described, mentioning pivotal historical locations, such as the park that the party wanted to be renamed Lil' Bobby Hutton Memorial Park. Much of the book takes place at a community center that hosted a "Free Breakfast for School Children" program, which was one of the Blank Panther Party's most effective social programs (Blakemore, 2018). The time of the setting is also grounded in references to historical figures, events, popular culture of the time, and technology of the time. Even Delphine and her sisters' recreational activities are authentic to the time, which is mostly spent playing outside. There is a chapter in the book when Delphine tries to negotiate with Cecile for a television set, but she and her sisters are thrilled to receive a radio (Williams-Garcia, 2010, pp. 116-120).

Williams-Garcia balances fact and fiction; historical elements are sprinkled through the narrative, but there are no farfetched plots involving the characters impacting history. Williams-Garcia also avoids stereotyping. In a story set with the backdrop of the Black Panther Party and the civil rights movement, it was refreshing that the book did not stereotype the Black Panthers as violent or militant, showing the other side of the movement.

Williams-Garcia does not shy away from serious subject matter that is still relevant today, subtly mentioning it in a way that is easily understandable to children without being too intense or traumatic. For example, there is a reference to abortion when Cecile mutters "Didn't want you in the first place. Should have gone to Mexico to get rid of you when I had the chance" (Williams-Garcia, 2010, pp. 26). The second-to-last chapter, "Be Eleven," is especially heartbreaking, as readers learn Cecile's background history. After losing her single mother to a hit-and-run at age eleven, Cecile lived with her aunt as a maid and nanny. She was kicked out at age sixteen because her aunt was getting married, insinuating that she did not want a young teenage girl around her husband. Cecile tells Delphine that she was homeless and talked to herself at night to keep herself awake and safe, explaining her habit of muttering to herself, and insinuating that she suffers from mental illness. What is especially troubling is that Delphine's father took the homeless Cecile in as a maid, who became pregnant a year later. It is never mentioned whether this was a consensual or loving relationship. It is believed throughout the book that Cecile left her children because their father, Louis, did not let her name the youngest daughter Afua, instead of Fern. While Cecile does not explicitly confirm this, her speech about her desire to take Delphine with her implies that names were the only way she connected to her youngest two children.Williams-Garcia mentions researching books, articles, and interviews in her author's note, but she does not cite her sources. The only source she mentions by name is David Hilliard's book The Black Panther: Intercommunal News Service, 1967-1980 (Williams-Garcia, 2010, pp. 218).

AWARDS
2011 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
2011 Coretta-Scott King Award for Authors
2011 John Newbery Honor Book
2011 ALSC Notable Children's Books list
2011 YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
2010 National Book Award Finalist

REVIEW EXCERPTS

"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." - Booklist, starred review

"Delphine is the pitch-perfect older sister, wise beyond her years, an expert at handling her siblings... Each girl has a distinct response to her motherless state, and Williams-Garcia provides details that make each characterization crystal clear. The depiction of the time is well done, and while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"The setting and time period are as vividly realized as the characters, and readers will want to know more about Delphine and her sisters after they return to Brooklyn." - The Horn Book, starred review

"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. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading." - School Library Journal, starred review

"Delphine's growing awareness of injustice on a personal and universal level is smoothly woven into the story in poetic language that will stimulate and move readers." - Publishers Weekly

CONNECTIONS
Enrichment activities: Children can learn about the Black Panther party from numerous resources, especially the impact on their free breakfast program, which pressured the government to have free breakfast offered in public schools in the United States (Blakemore, 2018; Milkman, 2016). Visit Oakland's website also has a page about the Black Panther Party's history in the city (Visit Oakland, 2019), which features photos and information about several locations that were mentioned in the book. The Black Panther Headquarters was even a green house like Cecile's in the book.

Related books:
Williams-Garcia, R. (2013). P.S. Be Eleven. Quill Tree Books.
ISBN: 978-0061938627

Williams-Garcia, R. (2015). Gone Crazy in Alabama. Quill Tree Books.
ISBN: 978-0062215871

Curtis, C. P. (1995). The Watsons Go to Birmingham. Delacorte Books for Young Readers.
ISBN: 978-0385321754

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl Dreaming. Nancy Paulsen Books.
ISBN: 978-0399252518

REFERENCES

Blakemore, E. (2018). How the Black Panthers' breakfast program both inspired and threatened the government. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/free-school-breakfast-black-panther-party

Milkman, A. (2016). The radical origins of free breakfast for children. Eater. https://www.eater.com/2016/2/16/11002842/free-breakfast-schools-black-panthers

Visit Oakland. (2019). Explore the Black Panther Party's history in Oakland, CA. https://www.visitoakland.com/blog/post/black-panther-party/

Williams-Garcia, R. (2010). One Crazy Summer. Amistad.

Book Review: The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Title: The Midwife's Apprentice
Author: Karen Cushman
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication Date: March 27, 1995
July 30, 2019 (reprint edition)
ISBN: 978-1328631121 (2019 reprint edition)

PLOT SUMMARY
Cushman's novel is set in medieval England and tells a story about overcoming adversity, discovering self-identity, and gaining purpose. The story follows a nameless orphan girl, often called names like "Brat" and "Dung Beetle," who is told she is nothing and believes she is nothing. She gradually becomes a confident and intelligent midwife's apprentice with a name she chooses for herself - Alyce. The journey is difficult, and often heartbreaking, as Cushman is realistic about the treatment of orphan children, especially girls, in medieval times. Alyce finds strength through her friendship with a cat she rescues, and later names Purr, and gains confidence from those around her as she gradually shows that she has always been worthy of respect.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Readers will connect to Alyce's struggles because the themes of overcoming adversity and finding one's place in the world are universal across time. Although the story is set in medieval times, the tragic experience of being a homeless, an orphan, or both can still be relatable to some children. Even Alyce's experiences with boys tormenting her can be related to painful playground antics, as well as modern awareness regarding consent. Alyce's internal despair over her failures and disappointment is especially relatable regardless of the situation; it is a human experience that we have all felt.

The plot is not overwhelmed with details, but some are left to the imagination or what is available on the cover of the book, such as the clothing of the characters. This might make it difficult for children to imagine unless they see images beforehand. Details about the time and place are also vague. Even with the mention of London and York (Cushman, 2019, pp. 54), the lack of details makes it easy to imagine the story in any European country during medieval times.

What lacks in those details is compensated with attitudes and language that are realistic to the time. The language is a balance between readable and accurate to the time, so it seems close enough to give the impression of how people spoke during medieval times. For example, when Alyce rescues Purr, she says, "Cat, are you drownt? I'd open the sack and let you out, but I be sore afraid of the eel." (Cushman, 2019, pp. 8).

Cushman does not sugarcoat the attitudes of people during medieval times or their behavior and treatment to girls, especially orphans girls who were judged as unintelligent. Alyce is tormented by village boys who pinch and kick her and call her names. The midwife often slaps Alyce or throws things at her in anger. Alyce is not the only one who receives this treatment, as other women, often those who are in labor, are handled roughly by their husbands and the midwife.

Alyce's story is not stereotyped or sugarcoated, either. This is even mentioned in chapter seven: "If the world were sweet and fair, Alyce (she must be called Alyce now) and Will would become friends and the village applaud her for her bravery and the midwife be more generous with her cheese and onions. Since this is not so, and the world is just as it is and no more, nothing changed." (Cushman, 2019, pp. 40). Even though Alyce's ending is a happy one, it is still realistic to the time because she still had to struggle and fight for her place in the world.

Cushman's author's note includes more information about midwives, but, unfortunately, did not include citations for her resources or recommendations for further reading. There is a bibliography on her website of sources she refers to (Cushman, n.d., "My bookshelves"), but it is unclear if all of those sources were used for this specific book.

AWARDS
1996 John Newbery Medal
1996 ALSC Notable Children's Books list

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone." - Booklist, starred review

"Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature." - School Library Journal, starred review

"From the rebirth in the dung heap to Brat's renaming herself Alyce after a heady visit to a medieval fair, this is not for fans of historical drama only. It's a rouser for all times." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A fascinating view of a far distant time." - The Horn Book, starred review

CONNECTIONS
Enrichment activities: A discussion guide is available from the author's website, which contains open-ended questions for children to answer about the themes of overcoming adversity and finding identity (Cushman, n.d., "A discussion guide"). Cushman's website also includes a list of books she used as reference material (Cushman, n.d., "My bookshelves"). The book Growing Up in Medieval London: The Experience of Childhood by Barbara A. Hanawalt may be the most useful book to use in an enrichment activity for children because it includes fictional but historically accurate composite profiles based on the experiences of real children in medieval times (Kirkus Reviews, 2010).

Related books:
Cushman, K. (2020). Rodzina (reprint edition). Clarion Books.
ISBN: 978-0358097518

Cushman, K. (2019). Catherine, Called Birdy (reprint edition). Clarion Books.
ISBN: 978-1328631114

Cushman, K. (2019). The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (reprint edition). Clarion Books.
ISBN: 978-1328631138

Cushman, K. (2014). Matilda Bone (reprint edition). Clarion Books.
ISBN: 978-0547722429

Cushman, K. (2014). Will Sparrow's Road (reprint edition). Clarion Books.
ISBN: 978-0544336322

Cushman, K. (2011). Alchemy and Meggy Swann (reprint edition). Clarion Books.
ISBN: 978-0547577128

REFERENCES
Cushman, K. (2019). The Midwife's Apprentice. Amistad.

Cushman, K. (n.d.). A discussion guide: The Midwife's Apprentice [PDF]. Karen Cushman. https://www.karencushman.com/books/bk_midwifes_apprentice.html

Cushman, K. (n.d.). My bookshelves - medieval times. Karen Cushman. https://www.karencushman.com/resources/bookshelf_reference_medieval.html

Kirkus Reviews. (2010). Growing up in medieval London: The experience of childhood [Book Review]. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/barbara-a-hanawalt/growing-up-in-medieval-london/