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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
• Paperback to LFL • Scribd audiobook
The Coretta Scott King Award–winning Gone Crazy in Alabama by Newbery Honor and New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of the Gaither sisters as they travel from the streets of Brooklyn to the rural South for the summer of a lifetime.
Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama to visit their grandmother Big Ma and her mother, Ma Charles. Across the way lives Ma Charles’s half sister, Miss Trotter. The two half sisters haven’t spoken in years. As Delphine hears about her family history, she uncovers the surprising truth that’s been keeping the sisters apart. But when tragedy strikes, Delphine discovers that the bonds of family run deeper than she ever knew possible.
The Coretta Scott King Award–winning Gone Crazy in Alabama by Newbery Honor and New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of the Gaither sisters as they travel from the streets of Brooklyn to the rural South for the summer of a lifetime.
Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama to visit their grandmother Big Ma and her mother, Ma Charles. Across the way lives Ma Charles’s half sister, Miss Trotter. The two half sisters haven’t spoken in years. As Delphine hears about her family history, she uncovers the surprising truth that’s been keeping the sisters apart. But when tragedy strikes, Delphine discovers that the bonds of family run deeper than she ever knew possible.
I love the Gaither girls! This is a great end to their story.
2017 Well Rounded- Finish a Series
2017 Well Rounded- Finish a Series
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Once upon a time, I loved finding a good series, knowing what I was going to read next. Now, with thousands of books at my fingertips, I'm often less likely to finish a series. I have to really like it to continue on. I read the first book in this series during my MiddleGradeMay. I really enjoyed it and figured I'd finish up the two sequels next March (planning another alliterative "middlegrade" challenge) but then ... I figured I'd just go ahead and do it now ;)
4.5*
I'd found a copy of this book at the thrift store, and that might have pushed it a little (having the physical book on hand makes me more likely to get to it, even though I still end up going with the audiobook and kindle copy from the library). Again, very happy that the same narrator voices this book, she does it perfectly! There is a distinct voice as written (like in Savvy, or The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise) and the narration just brings it to life.
Again, we get a mix of historical events (moon landing) and ethical issues (slavery, KKK, Indian ancestry, even vegetarianism), family dynamics.
1st person/Past tense ... no numerical chapters, but chapter headings: (love that I can highlight them and copy&paste, as just reading through them is a good reminder of what was in the book) ... It Takes a Licking Things Fell Apart On the Road Everything Is Everything Moon House JimmyTrotter, No Space in Between Straight from Sophie Far from Net-Net and Unc Chicken Run Ruination of Things Great Miss Trotter Sophie’s On That’s Entertainment Part-time Indian How I Met My Sister Little Miss Ethel Waters Every Sprig Chickweed Going to Town Aunt Jemima, Who? Bambi’s Mother Short for Onchetty Like a Bird in the Sky Klan Keeping Up with the Kennedys The Spider Has Landed Got Milk? Pure T Spite Gone Blue Sky The Call Taranada Sister Three Dog Night You Are the Hill Mississippi Gone Crazy in Alabama Sad Irons Sign of Love Kind of Truth Act of God Maypop and Dandelion Southern Good-bye Keeps on Ticking
4.5*
I'd found a copy of this book at the thrift store, and that might have pushed it a little (having the physical book on hand makes me more likely to get to it, even though I still end up going with the audiobook and kindle copy from the library). Again, very happy that the same narrator voices this book, she does it perfectly! There is a distinct voice as written (like in Savvy, or The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise) and the narration just brings it to life.
Again, we get a mix of historical events (moon landing) and ethical issues (slavery, KKK, Indian ancestry, even vegetarianism), family dynamics.
1st person/Past tense ... no numerical chapters, but chapter headings: (love that I can highlight them and copy&paste, as just reading through them is a good reminder of what was in the book) ... It Takes a Licking Things Fell Apart On the Road Everything Is Everything Moon House JimmyTrotter, No Space in Between Straight from Sophie Far from Net-Net and Unc Chicken Run Ruination of Things Great Miss Trotter Sophie’s On That’s Entertainment Part-time Indian How I Met My Sister Little Miss Ethel Waters Every Sprig Chickweed Going to Town Aunt Jemima, Who? Bambi’s Mother Short for Onchetty Like a Bird in the Sky Klan Keeping Up with the Kennedys The Spider Has Landed Got Milk? Pure T Spite Gone Blue Sky The Call Taranada Sister Three Dog Night You Are the Hill Mississippi Gone Crazy in Alabama Sad Irons Sign of Love Kind of Truth Act of God Maypop and Dandelion Southern Good-bye Keeps on Ticking
This book is really well written, but gosh, I don't like this family. They are all super infuriating most of the time. I spent the whole book feeling very sorry for Delphine and sometimes Fern and wanting to face punch everyone else. I know people who really, really love these books, but they remain not my favorite, in spite of the parts that are super great, like all the Alabama details and the moon landing. Just can't get past the characters who make me nuts.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel to the South to stay with the grandmother and great-grandmother, spending time with extended family as well. There is a great deal of complicated family history told via word-of-mouth stories from two opposing sisters, and at times I found it difficult to follow the generic connections. This was a bit of a difficult read because it again felt as though many of the lessons the girls had learned in the prior books were lost or foggy from their minds when entering a different community. They are aware they're in a dangerous, racially tense area but despite their understanding of what that means, they also seem to disregard and forget about it. It was an odd balance that just felt a bit off, as if the girls would only ever truly understand those concepts through personal tragedy. Delphine shows the most conscious awareness of this, like being horrified to see the known klan member sheriff invited into her family home, and witnessing the way in which they are addressed and spoken to.
Would have been a 5 star except for the slow start. The end sure made up for it. I don't see many of my students picking this one up but I sure enjoyed it.
Delphine and her sisters take us on a family journey in Alabama. Not only do we get to see the various dynamics in play with their ancestors, but with their family as it is now. We see how different family members can be, and how it's okay for them to have different views. Family is more complex than that. We see how different members deal with racism, tragedy, and forgiveness.
I am sad to have finished this book. I loved these characters, bossy Delphine the oldest of the sisters, sassy Vonetta and animal loving, poetic Fern. This time they have trekked down to Alabama to be with Big Ma and her Ma, Ma Charles. The Deep South is no place to have Cecile's and the Black Panther's black power stance. Somehow, they all learn lessons from a tragedy in Alabama and lives change in relation to this. Delphine learns to live within her life calmly due to a note from her mother. Vonetta learns courage and Fern learns that life is not always fair. This is the last book in this series from Rita Williams-Garcia. I can hardly wait to meet her next book.