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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Child abuse
There is a lot of insensitive parenting that might trouble children today.
A complicated, but fulfilling ending.
This book is the end of the story where we first meet Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern in One Crazy Summer. I wasn’t sure what or how I expected this trio of books to end, but I was satisfied with it. Again, this series makes me wish it was around when I was the age these books are aimed at. Thankfully, I’ll read anything, so coming across gems in children’s books isn’t too wild for me and I’m glad I decided to read these books. They weave a nice, if painful (depending on your heritage, possibly) story, yet it’s still child-friendly. Again, depending on your heritage, you won’t be surprised by much in this book; at least, I remember that I wouldn’t have been surprised, but again, this was a case of me reading a lot, even when I was young... as well as hearing stories from my own family.
It wasn’t until this specific book that racism and how mixed and complicated America’s history is. Which I think is very important for this year of 2020. If history books are accurate, people who read this review in the future will know why I think it’s important to remember that almost every American has a complicated history. We have two elder sisters who love each other, but don’t like each other because of their mixed blood. One claims her Native American heritage, while the other just claims being black. If you’re black and have a similar history (I do), you know how you probably have some family members who claim their NA history and others who don’t because [of America’s one drop rule] it makes very little difference how you identify as long as you have even a speck of African blood in you. It only might matter if you’re light-skinned or white-passing; this is a good book to introduce the conversation of colorism, as well, which exists in most cultures of People of Color and isn’t unique to black culture. Then, one of these elder sisters was involved with someone of European ancestry, which again, is common with many black people in America; either because of later relationships with European peoples or the... unfortunate situation regarding slaves and their masters or overseers, which resulted in many, many mixed births during the time and also gives us another base to start the conversation of colorism and the one drop rule imposed on black America. It was interesting, but also not very shocking that the white part of this black family was involved with the KKK or thought lowly of their “colored” family. I’m sure this situation still plagued us today and can confuse many mixed families, but it also makes you pause because just as black people have white family, white family has black family... yet racism has been a problem and issue since day one of America’s beginnings. I’m sure this is also an issue in Europe, but this book is specifically about America, so I’ll stick to that. This book really reminds you of a reality that America, well, white America, seems to ignore or forget. Many of us are connected by more than just the title of American, we are connected by blood, and it would be great if America, if the world, remembered that. We are all human, not one better or worse than any based on skin tone, yet that very thing has kept us fighting for so long and keeps injustices acted out for no good reason.
If you want to have a conversation with your child about race in America, this trio of books is a great place to start. It’s plain with the information, yet isn’t too harsh or overwhelming for young readers.
This book is the end of the story where we first meet Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern in One Crazy Summer. I wasn’t sure what or how I expected this trio of books to end, but I was satisfied with it. Again, this series makes me wish it was around when I was the age these books are aimed at. Thankfully, I’ll read anything, so coming across gems in children’s books isn’t too wild for me and I’m glad I decided to read these books. They weave a nice, if painful (depending on your heritage, possibly) story, yet it’s still child-friendly. Again, depending on your heritage, you won’t be surprised by much in this book; at least, I remember that I wouldn’t have been surprised, but again, this was a case of me reading a lot, even when I was young... as well as hearing stories from my own family.
It wasn’t until this specific book that racism and how mixed and complicated America’s history is. Which I think is very important for this year of 2020. If history books are accurate, people who read this review in the future will know why I think it’s important to remember that almost every American has a complicated history. We have two elder sisters who love each other, but don’t like each other because of their mixed blood. One claims her Native American heritage, while the other just claims being black. If you’re black and have a similar history (I do), you know how you probably have some family members who claim their NA history and others who don’t because [of America’s one drop rule] it makes very little difference how you identify as long as you have even a speck of African blood in you. It only might matter if you’re light-skinned or white-passing; this is a good book to introduce the conversation of colorism, as well, which exists in most cultures of People of Color and isn’t unique to black culture. Then, one of these elder sisters was involved with someone of European ancestry, which again, is common with many black people in America; either because of later relationships with European peoples or the... unfortunate situation regarding slaves and their masters or overseers, which resulted in many, many mixed births during the time and also gives us another base to start the conversation of colorism and the one drop rule imposed on black America. It was interesting, but also not very shocking that the white part of this black family was involved with the KKK or thought lowly of their “colored” family. I’m sure this situation still plagued us today and can confuse many mixed families, but it also makes you pause because just as black people have white family, white family has black family... yet racism has been a problem and issue since day one of America’s beginnings. I’m sure this is also an issue in Europe, but this book is specifically about America, so I’ll stick to that. This book really reminds you of a reality that America, well, white America, seems to ignore or forget. Many of us are connected by more than just the title of American, we are connected by blood, and it would be great if America, if the world, remembered that. We are all human, not one better or worse than any based on skin tone, yet that very thing has kept us fighting for so long and keeps injustices acted out for no good reason.
If you want to have a conversation with your child about race in America, this trio of books is a great place to start. It’s plain with the information, yet isn’t too harsh or overwhelming for young readers.
I’m sad that I didn’t love this book… I really wanted to love the finale to this trilogy because I had loved it when I started, but sadly, this book was just okay for me. I struggled to identify the main idea of this story for so long. Really, up until the climax I was pretty unsure. I mean, I knew that it was collectively about the importance of family, but there didn’t seem to be a common throughline. It seemed like several vignettes pushed together haphazardly. Once the climax hit, there was clearly a main plotline being followed, but I didn’t like that I had to wait so long to get to that point of consistency.
Going along with this, the beginning of the story was so slow. I felt like I had to force myself through the story, and I wasn’t nearly as engaged as I had been in the first two books which was a major disappointment. However, once I hit the aforementioned climax, I was hooked and was desperate to finish it. I really just wish it had been more exciting sooner because god it was torturous.
One of the things I really did like about this book was that all of the characters and family members from the series were brought together for the finale. I loved seeing Pa and Mrs. down in Alabama, and seeing Cecile show up was a pleasant surprise, especially since she wasn’t in the second book. It was frustrating, though, trying to keep all of the older female characters separate. There was Big Ma (their grandma), Ma Charles (their great-grandma), Miss Trotter (their great-great-aunt), and Mrs. (their step-mom). I had to constantly sit and think about who was being referenced when these characters were talking or being spoken about. I feel like some different names could’ve been chosen.
Probably my favorite part of this entire series was getting to see the juxtaposition of being black in Oakland, Brooklyn, and Alabama. I really loved exploring the different levels of progressiveness in each location and how the girls adjusted to it. Their experiences in each setting were so vastly different, and I loved that.
Going along with this, the beginning of the story was so slow. I felt like I had to force myself through the story, and I wasn’t nearly as engaged as I had been in the first two books which was a major disappointment. However, once I hit the aforementioned climax, I was hooked and was desperate to finish it. I really just wish it had been more exciting sooner because god it was torturous.
One of the things I really did like about this book was that all of the characters and family members from the series were brought together for the finale. I loved seeing Pa and Mrs. down in Alabama, and seeing Cecile show up was a pleasant surprise, especially since she wasn’t in the second book. It was frustrating, though, trying to keep all of the older female characters separate. There was Big Ma (their grandma), Ma Charles (their great-grandma), Miss Trotter (their great-great-aunt), and Mrs. (their step-mom). I had to constantly sit and think about who was being referenced when these characters were talking or being spoken about. I feel like some different names could’ve been chosen.
Probably my favorite part of this entire series was getting to see the juxtaposition of being black in Oakland, Brooklyn, and Alabama. I really loved exploring the different levels of progressiveness in each location and how the girls adjusted to it. Their experiences in each setting were so vastly different, and I loved that.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
Sound way to wrap up the saga of Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern. Even more characters to love and wonder about. Lots of historical moments and truths. Would be great for a children’s book club.
This book still had the historical aspect that the previous two had, but it focused more on family.
Being a big sister is hard, whether in the country or in the city. Delphine and her sisters Vonetta and Fern go down South to visit their grandmother and great-grandmother for the summer. There the three learn the true meaning of who they are as a family and as sisters.
The three sisters were a delight to read. They remind me a lot of how my sister and I acted as kids. All the bickering and teasing and goading, but at the heart of it the love between sisters.
The three sisters were a delight to read. They remind me a lot of how my sister and I acted as kids. All the bickering and teasing and goading, but at the heart of it the love between sisters.
Delphine learns what oppression really is, takes a step back from mothering her sisters and being hard on them (though I'm still frustrated by the expectations of the adults around her), and learns a lot about her family and what it is to be a family in this final installment in the trilogy. Not as strong as the first book, with too much confusing family history/genealogy wrapped into the story. More significant history here, but also a lot that will go over a modern kid's head.
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
I completely fell in love with Vonetta, Delphine, and Fern when I first met them in "One Crazy Summer". My love for the authors use of time and space to create authentic characters only intensified when I read "P.S. Be Eleven". Ms. Garcia has crafted relationships that transcend the setting of the story. The setting starts in the Jackson 5 era but the relationship dynamics are accessible to all readers. "Gone Crazy in Alabama" continues in the same vein, crafting a complicated weave of familial relationships inherent in many blended families. The themes of love, forgiveness, and finding what's really important in life resonate in the story. Great story for children of blended families who may be struggling to find the ways to connect their various parts.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
Middle grade, 1960s