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stephxsu's review
4.0
I've been wanting to read this for a long time. Finally got to with my EL510 class. The book didn't disappoint, though it didn't blow me away either. I thought Delphine's narrative voice was strong, I was expecting more "oomph" from the plotlines of the Black Panthers and the girls' relationship with their estranged poet mother. The strongest part of this book for me was Delphine's voice and the connection she shares with her sisters. Anyone with siblings will be able to understand the ups and downs of Delphine's, Vonneta's, and Fern's relationships. Pretty pleased that there is a sequel about how the normalcy of growing up changes the sisters' relationship!
mollyjordan's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
shelhamm9's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
whatsthestorywishbone's review
4.0
Listened to this audiobook with Reid. It was narrated really well but I don’t think it was a good pick for an eight year old. There are a lot of references that just went right over his head (and probably would go over any middle grade reader’s head). They were not references you could just pass on by either. They were important references you needed to understand for the plot. I really loved the complexity of the children, they were funny and relatable. The book itself focuses on the children going to stay with their mother that abandoned them and she forces them to go to a black panther community camp for food and entertainment since she can not be bothered to associate with her kids. It does a nice job introducing the black panthers to a young audience but it is definitely one of those award winning books that kind of feels like it was written to be an award winner if that makes sense. Would love a more casual less “let’s learn about civil rights” book with the same author and characters because they are great.
awilsonmomof2's review
4.0
Loved this book and loved how it was written from 11 year old Delphine's point of view.
awhitson's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
4saradouglas's review
3.0
I thought this was a really interesting book, but it has been a hard-sell for students. It was a little slow in the beginning and hard to get into. The girls are great characters, though, and you really see them grow throughout the story. This would be a historical fiction novel to introduce the 60's and all the turmoil of the time.
rachelsweeney's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mmotleyu's review
5.0
Our family read this aloud together on a recent car trip. I wasn't looking forward to it based on the description, but it was a BOB book, and we have to read all of those (according to the girls anyway). What a pleasant surprise! The writing was good, and the story was good. We had great discussions about the civil rights movement and the Black Panthers. This book gave a face to the Black Panthers and taught us all about first appearances. The characters of Cecille and Big Ma are well-developed as are each of the girls. We are now reading book 2, P.S. Be Eleven.
fantasydragongirl14's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0