Williams-Garcia, R. (2010). One crazy summer. New
York: Amistad.
This is indeed a tale of “one crazy summer” in which three
young girls are sent off to California so that they may meet their mother. Because
their mother abandoned them and had no intention of meeting them their
encounter is far from welcoming and nurturing. Instead of finding what they
hoped for, they are put in a situation far from pleasant and are introduced to
the Panthers. Though their ideologies are put in jeopardy, the young girls
learn a little bit more about their mother and despite the “one crazy summer”
that they experience, they leave California with what they came hoping to get.
Beyond the historical connection with the Panthers, I see three young girls with the hope of reconnecting with their mother, a mother that with no consideration abandoned her children. This is simply heartbreaking. It reminded me of a student I had a few years ago. She wasn't the easiest of students to deal with and until she opened up to me I understood. Her mom abandoned her and when she was ten years old she begged her grandma to take her to see her. Her words to her daughter when she saw her were, "I left you because I didn't want you. Don't look for me again." I honestly don't know how a child who has been abandoned by their parents would react to this book. I don't know if I would recommend it for that reason...
Beyond the historical connection with the Panthers, I see three young girls with the hope of reconnecting with their mother, a mother that with no consideration abandoned her children. This is simply heartbreaking. It reminded me of a student I had a few years ago. She wasn't the easiest of students to deal with and until she opened up to me I understood. Her mom abandoned her and when she was ten years old she begged her grandma to take her to see her. Her words to her daughter when she saw her were, "I left you because I didn't want you. Don't look for me again." I honestly don't know how a child who has been abandoned by their parents would react to this book. I don't know if I would recommend it for that reason...
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