One Crazy Summer (Gaither Sisters, #1)

One Crazy Summer (Gaither Sisters, #1)

Rita Williams-Garcia

Enjoyment: 5.0Quality: 5.0Characters: 5.0Plot: 5.0
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In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp. In a humorous and breakout book by Williams-Garcia, the Penderwicks meet the Black Panthers.


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  • Thoughts from 29%

    I love these characters. They all feel very real and vibrant. I fear I went into this intending to only read this book from the series but I might end up reading all the books because the writing is wonderful.

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  • aepstone
    Aug 22, 2024
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  • clubby
    Apr 16, 2025
    Enjoyment: 5.0Quality: 5.0Characters: 5.0Plot: 5.0
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    This book was so much better than I ever anticipated. This deserved all the awards it got and then some. It was both cute and clever in all the right ways. It made a statement while still being accessible to young readers and staying true to the voice of the characters. (Characters which btw feel like they could pop out of the book at any moment, that’s how real they feel.) I feel like this age of books is really hit or miss when the author tries to make a statement they’re either too direct with it or not direct enough. This was the perfect blend which allows readers to come to their own conclusions without it being forced. 10/10 I guess I’ve got a new series to read.

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  • lapetite
    Apr 14, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    Oh my goodness, this BOOK! I didn't expect to love it so much, but I did. It's so incisive, so emotional, so real, and also fun. I related so hard to Delphine, her desire to be a kid but having to take care of her sisters, her desire for her mother to notice her. The character arc here is fulfilling on all ends.

    The author did an amazing job weaving the historical details about the Black Panthers, and the 1960's.

    Also, if you can get this in audiobook format, do it! The narrator was fantastic and each character's voice was distinctive.

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