One Crazy Summer

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.

It’s the summer of 1968 and Delphine and her younger sisters are embarking on an adventure. Their father has decided they need to visit their mother, Cecile, who they haven’t seen since she abandoned them several years before. So they board a plane in New York and fly to Oakland, California with dreams of beaches, movie stars and Disneyland. Instead they encounter Chinese take out, a distant mother and day camp with the Black Panthers.

What I like about this book:

The history. I am a sucker for most historical fiction. I also love it when a well written novel gives another (and accurate) view of history that I didn’t learn while in school.

Delphine – perhaps it’s because I’m the oldest of three girls as well. I totally get the whole looking out and mothering your little siblings. I love that she grows into herself more throughout the novel, staying true to her character, but also becoming more her. If that makes any sense…

Fern – that girl’s got sass. She’s smart and sweet and she loves her Miss Patty Cake doll.

Really, I enjoyed this book. The only issue I had with it was something Fern does towards the end. While I liked that part a lot, I wonder if Fern was too young to really act that way.

This is a book group pick for May.