Be eleven, was also a coretta scott king award winner and an ala notable childrens book for middle readers. Before my kids read this book, we went over the main themes. In the book, one crazy summer, what shows theme song do the boys at school sing to make fun of delphines name. Delphine gaither delphine gaither is an 11yearold africanamerican girl who visits her mother in oakland, california, in the summer of 1968. The novel is about delphine, vonetta, and fern, three sisters, visiting their mother in oakland, california, during the summer of 1968.
Its a gem of a story, subtly offering details about 1968 oakland yet staying true to the story of three girls hoping to reclaim their mysterious mothers love. One crazy summer major character analysis supersummary. To me, one of the more striking things about one crazy summer was how the narrators voice sounded like the composite of child and adult voices. One crazy summer is a childrens novel and work of historical fiction by rita williamsgarcia. One crazy summer goodreads meet your next favorite book. The very mention of your name makes a picture spring to mind, whether its a picture of clashing fists or a mighty mountain that cant be knocked down. One crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia, paperback. Regimented, responsible, strongwilled delphine narrates in an unforgettable voice, but each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hardwon, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion. My kids loved the book and they identified with the thoughts and feeling of the 3 sisters. She is the winner of a number of awards for her writing including a coretta scott king honor book, newbery honor book and the scott odell award for historical fiction. Hoops mccann, a recent high school graduate, fails to get a.
One crazy summer, written by ritawilliams garcia, is the first book in the gaither sisters series. In addition to one crazy summer, rita williamsgarcia is the author of six distinguished novels for young adults. Students will enjoy discussing the character development, the conflict between delphine and her mother, and the setting of 1968 oakland california. Our fifth grade students in the grand rapids public schools have an opportunity to participate in this program. Plot summary one crazy summer, a coretta scott king book award winner and national book award nominee, is a historical novel for children that was published in 2009 by rita. In the summer of 1968, three sisters travel to california to visit their estranged mother. One summer, their father sends them to california to stay with their mother, cecile, a poet. In the book one crazy summer, written by rita williamsgarcia, you get whisked away back to oakland in the 1960s. One book, one city for kids program is made possible through our partnership with the grand rapids public library, digibridge. One crazy summer san francisco treat p 152 duration. This book club meeting focuses on finding examples from the text of how delphine guides the readers impressions of the other characters. The book also had a lot of poetic language in it and that really stood out to me because it made the book way more interesting and intriguing. Rita williams garcia discusses her book one crazy summer at vermont college of fine arts. Feb 01, 2010 a flight from new york to oakland, calif.
One crazy summer is a childrens novel of historical fiction by rita williamsgarcia. One crazy summer is a refreshing, beautifully written middle grade historical fiction novel set in 1960s oakland, california. The main characters are the three sisters, delphine the oldest, vonetta the attention grabber, and fern, the youngest, and their mom who left them when they were at a young age, whose name is cecile. One crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia, paperback barnes. A vocabulary list featuring one crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia, list 1. The original film score was composed by cory lerios. One crazy summer printables, classroom activities, teacher. This moving, funny novel won the scott odell award for historical fiction and the coretta scott king award and was a national book award finalist.
This moving, funny novel won the scott odell award for historical fiction and the coretta scott. Talk about any parallels you find between these poems and one crazy summer. Set during the summer of 1968 in oakland, california, one crazy summer follows the lives of the gaither sisters, delphine, vonetta, and fern, as they visit with their mother who abandoned them some seven years before. Each student received a copy of one crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia. Dec 27, 2011 unexpectedly, delphine, vonetta, and fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer. The characters are incredibly wellwritten and unforgettable, and not without their flaws delphine, our leading character is fascinating, as is cecile nzila, her estranged mother. A gem, with strong girl characters, 60s black history.
This list covers cassius clay cloudssecret agent mother. In this unit, students explore the meaning of family, community, and identity by reading the core text one crazy summer. One crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia in the crazy summer of 1968, three black sisters set out from brooklyn to oakland, california, to reconnect with their estranged mother, an active member of the black panther political movement. While there, they learn about the fight for equality and civil rights. In fact, what strikes me the most about the novel is how the author successfully navigates. Delphine, i think, is a reliable narrator in her descriptions of the people and world around her. In it, the three of them meet the mother who abandoned them and find a seemingly unloving mother who considers them to be a nuisance.
In this book, eleven yearold delphine and her two younger sisters travel to california to be. Though it was an eventful summer, the girls are glad to go home. One crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia is a fantastic book, it has very funny and lovable characters, they were unforgettable to me and are really one of my favorite book characters ever. One crazy summer nc kids digital library overdrive.
In 1968, delphine and her sisters travel from brooklyn to oakland to spend a month with the mother they barely know, who sends them to a black panther summer ca. This study guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of one crazy summer. With a name like crazy kelvin, we dont expect this dude to be the most levelheaded guy around pa. Published in 2010, this novel is the first in williamsgarcias gaither sisters series. One crazy summer is a historical fiction novel by american author rita williamsgarcia, published by amistad in 2010. Rita williamsgarcia, quote from one crazy summer if you knew what i knew, seen what ive seen, you wouldnt be so quick to pull the plow. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like 1968 and children and the black liberation movement. One crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia is a great read aloud for fourth or fifth grade, or literature circle book for fifth, sixth, or seventh graders.
When delphine and her two younger sisters, fern and vonetta, head out to oakland to meet up with their runaway mom after four years, theyre not sure what to expect. With john cusack, demi moore, linda warren, joel murray. It earned the scott odell award for historical fiction, the newbery honor book award, the coretta scott king award, and was a. She is involved with the black panther party and the girls get a quick education about party members. Be eleven, was also a coretta scott king award winner and an ala notable childrens book for middle. Sep 02, 2017 one crazy summer p102 big red s part one duration.
Be eleven and gone crazy in alabama, were published in 20 and 2015, respectively. One crazy summer is the first book in a truly remarkable and wonderful series featuring delphine and her little sisters. It earned the scott odell award for historical fiction, the newbery honor book award, the coretta scott king award, and was a finalist for the national book award. Who are the main characters one crazy summer book answers.
One crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia scholastic. We never actually get to meet delphine, vonetta, and ferns dad, but we hear about him in bits. The daughter of cecile johnson, who abandoned delphine and her sisters when delphine was almost 6, delphine struggles between her desire to be a child and her deep sense of responsibility toward her younger. One crazy summer is a book about all of those things yes, but above all, it is a book about a summer of discovery, about delphine and her family and as such the author manages to expertly combine a winning story about sisters with great social commentary. Three sisters, delphine, vonetta, and fern, live with their father and grandmother in brooklyn. When reading one crazy summer by rita williamsgarcia, it is important to realize that the narrators point of view influences the reader.
One crazy summer characters rita williamsgarcia this study guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of one crazy summer. If you are the publisher or author of this book and. An aspiring teenage cartoonist and his friends come to the aid of a singer trying to save her family property from developers. That was how i knew sister mukumbo was a real teacher, aside from her welcoming smile and her blackboard penmanship. Rita williamsgarcias newbery honorwinning novel, one crazy summer, was a winner of the coretta scott king award, a national book award finalist, the recipient of the scott odell award for historical fiction, and a new york times bestseller. She is uninterested in her daughters and secretive about her work and the mysterious men in black berets who visit. Once there, the negative things their grandmother had said about their mother, cecile, seem true.
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