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RE: National Book Award Winner and Nominees -- ONE CRAZY SUMMER
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From: Burgess, Francesca <F.Burgess_at_BrooklynPublicLibrary.org>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:32:06 -0500
Hi all,
On the whole, ONE CRAZY SUMMER provides an accurate depiction of the Black Panther movement, and covers many issues with sensitivity. The characters resonated with me, and the depiction of the relationships was well done - that of Delphine and her sisters, as well as the strained relationship of the girls with their mother. There's a lot to discuss, and it will raise the awareness of children about some of the issues within the black community during this historical period.
I would definitely recommend this book to children and families.
However, there is something which mars the book for me. One of the central storylines of the story is Cecile's refusal to call Fern by her name. Throughout most of the story, she addresses her as "Little Girl", or refuses to address her by any name at all. Eventually, we learn that she left her husband and daughters because he refused to allow her to name her youngest daughter Afua. We can infer that this refusal represented the ideological differences between Cecile and her husband.
The novel is set in 1968, and Delphine is 11. She says that she was 4 and Fern "wasn't on the bottle" when her mother left. Even if Fern was a newborn when her mother left, she has to be at least 7. The oldest she would be is 9, since Vonetta is the middle sister, and has to be at least one year younger than Delphine.
That means that Fern was born between 1959-1961. The conflict over whether or not to name her Fern or Afua would not have taken place during that time period.
Adults were just starting to change their names to African or Arabic names in the late sixties -- it was not very common even then. It is quite likely that a small number of people were giving their babies African names in the late 1960s. However, this phenomenon would not have been occurring between 1959-1961.
I confirmed this with a relative of mine, who is 17 years older than me (I am 48). She was active in the Black Panther movement during this period.
If this book had been edited more thoroughly, this historical inaccuracy could have been avoided. It's a shame. Otherwise, it's a very strong book. However, this innaccuracy is very problematic, especially as it connects to a major storyline in the novel.
Francesca Burgess
Francesca Burgess Children's Materials Selector Office of Materials Selection Brooklyn Public Library 10 Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11238 Phone: 718.230.2748 Fax: 718. 230-2097 f.burgess_at_brooklynpubliclibrary.org
________________________________
From: Megan Schliesman
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 5:04 PM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject:
National Book Award Winner and Nominees
I read the National Book Award winner and nominees over the course of 2010, and each one of them has been memorable:
Mockingbird was one of the early books I read. I thought the voice was incredibly distinctive. There have been a number of memorable books in recent years featuring a child or teen who falls somewhere on the autism spectrum. I thought this one stood out for its incredible honesty in portraying some of the more challenging aspects of Caitlyn's personality and also how hard she is working to meet the everyday challenges as well as extraordinary change in her life. There were elements of this book that were less successful for me, but Caitlyn's voice and characterization stood out strongly.
One Crazy Summer was one crazy, remarkable, joyful read--such a vivid portrait of place and people and a time in history. I always think it's amazing when a children's book can leave me as an adult reader wholly satisfied and yet feeling I would eagerly welcome the opportunity to read it all over again from an adult perspective--not because there was anything missing in the book as it is, but because the book makes it clear there is another story that could be told. And I find it delightful to reflect on this book as it is, and intriguing to consider the story from the mother's perspective.
Ship Breaker offered up a vision of the future that was breathtakingly, believably disturbing. I didn't want to pick this book up, and then I couldn't put it down as I was drawn into this account of a post-global warming breakdown of society in which each day is a struggle for survival for Nailor--one that makes moral choices anything but easy.
Lockdown offers a look at the present that is breathtakingly, believably disturbing. Reese's experiences in the juvenile justice system were chilling. Overcoming the perception of those who have already decided who and what he is--criminal, lost cause--he benefits from the guidance of one or two individuals who believe in him and try to help him see he has the power to affect his own future by the choices he makes, but he is also dogged by racism, prejudice, poverty and the threat of violence very step of the way. Every scene felt achingly real, whether they were full of action or reflection. I liked Reese so much, and I think Walter Dean Myers taps into something essential that is too easily buried or lost in kids whose lives are so hard and who don't believe they have choices: the desire to be loved and respected, to do the right thing, to be given a chance.
And then there is Dark Water. I read this one just last week and though it was amazing--beautiful writing and an incredibly compelling plot in a story that touches on so many themes--poverty and classism, racism and prejudice, friendship and families. Laura McNeal captures character, setting, scenes and emotions with vivid language and descriptions that are like true gifts--unexpected and perfect. I thought the character of Pearl is one of the finest portraits of adolescence I've read in a long time. There is something unformed and therefore so very real about her. She's smart and yet knows so little, even as she feels and cares so much--whether she wants to or not.
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:32:06 -0500
Hi all,
On the whole, ONE CRAZY SUMMER provides an accurate depiction of the Black Panther movement, and covers many issues with sensitivity. The characters resonated with me, and the depiction of the relationships was well done - that of Delphine and her sisters, as well as the strained relationship of the girls with their mother. There's a lot to discuss, and it will raise the awareness of children about some of the issues within the black community during this historical period.
I would definitely recommend this book to children and families.
However, there is something which mars the book for me. One of the central storylines of the story is Cecile's refusal to call Fern by her name. Throughout most of the story, she addresses her as "Little Girl", or refuses to address her by any name at all. Eventually, we learn that she left her husband and daughters because he refused to allow her to name her youngest daughter Afua. We can infer that this refusal represented the ideological differences between Cecile and her husband.
The novel is set in 1968, and Delphine is 11. She says that she was 4 and Fern "wasn't on the bottle" when her mother left. Even if Fern was a newborn when her mother left, she has to be at least 7. The oldest she would be is 9, since Vonetta is the middle sister, and has to be at least one year younger than Delphine.
That means that Fern was born between 1959-1961. The conflict over whether or not to name her Fern or Afua would not have taken place during that time period.
Adults were just starting to change their names to African or Arabic names in the late sixties -- it was not very common even then. It is quite likely that a small number of people were giving their babies African names in the late 1960s. However, this phenomenon would not have been occurring between 1959-1961.
I confirmed this with a relative of mine, who is 17 years older than me (I am 48). She was active in the Black Panther movement during this period.
If this book had been edited more thoroughly, this historical inaccuracy could have been avoided. It's a shame. Otherwise, it's a very strong book. However, this innaccuracy is very problematic, especially as it connects to a major storyline in the novel.
Francesca Burgess
Francesca Burgess Children's Materials Selector Office of Materials Selection Brooklyn Public Library 10 Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11238 Phone: 718.230.2748 Fax: 718. 230-2097 f.burgess_at_brooklynpubliclibrary.org
________________________________
From: Megan Schliesman
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 5:04 PM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject:
National Book Award Winner and Nominees
I read the National Book Award winner and nominees over the course of 2010, and each one of them has been memorable:
Mockingbird was one of the early books I read. I thought the voice was incredibly distinctive. There have been a number of memorable books in recent years featuring a child or teen who falls somewhere on the autism spectrum. I thought this one stood out for its incredible honesty in portraying some of the more challenging aspects of Caitlyn's personality and also how hard she is working to meet the everyday challenges as well as extraordinary change in her life. There were elements of this book that were less successful for me, but Caitlyn's voice and characterization stood out strongly.
One Crazy Summer was one crazy, remarkable, joyful read--such a vivid portrait of place and people and a time in history. I always think it's amazing when a children's book can leave me as an adult reader wholly satisfied and yet feeling I would eagerly welcome the opportunity to read it all over again from an adult perspective--not because there was anything missing in the book as it is, but because the book makes it clear there is another story that could be told. And I find it delightful to reflect on this book as it is, and intriguing to consider the story from the mother's perspective.
Ship Breaker offered up a vision of the future that was breathtakingly, believably disturbing. I didn't want to pick this book up, and then I couldn't put it down as I was drawn into this account of a post-global warming breakdown of society in which each day is a struggle for survival for Nailor--one that makes moral choices anything but easy.
Lockdown offers a look at the present that is breathtakingly, believably disturbing. Reese's experiences in the juvenile justice system were chilling. Overcoming the perception of those who have already decided who and what he is--criminal, lost cause--he benefits from the guidance of one or two individuals who believe in him and try to help him see he has the power to affect his own future by the choices he makes, but he is also dogged by racism, prejudice, poverty and the threat of violence very step of the way. Every scene felt achingly real, whether they were full of action or reflection. I liked Reese so much, and I think Walter Dean Myers taps into something essential that is too easily buried or lost in kids whose lives are so hard and who don't believe they have choices: the desire to be loved and respected, to do the right thing, to be given a chance.
And then there is Dark Water. I read this one just last week and though it was amazing--beautiful writing and an incredibly compelling plot in a story that touches on so many themes--poverty and classism, racism and prejudice, friendship and families. Laura McNeal captures character, setting, scenes and emotions with vivid language and descriptions that are like true gifts--unexpected and perfect. I thought the character of Pearl is one of the finest portraits of adolescence I've read in a long time. There is something unformed and therefore so very real about her. She's smart and yet knows so little, even as she feels and cares so much--whether she wants to or not.
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
---Received on Tue 23 Nov 2010 05:32:06 PM CST
