“One Crazy Summer absolutely blew me away. What an amazing and beautifully written story. This novel is just glorious.” - Jacqueline Woodson, author of the Newbery Honor Book After Tupac & D Foster

“Delphine’s growing awareness of injustice on a personal and universal level is smoothly woven into the story in poetic language that will stimulate and move readers.” - Publishers Weekly

“Told in first person, this novel skillfully invites readers into the organized, responsible mind of Delphine, and as her worldview expands, her character becomes all the more genuine and engaging. The historical details sprinkled throughout the book do not seem forced; rather, they lend authenticity to the setting, and the portrayal of the Black Panthers breaks with the harsher stereotypes. All in all, this is a great read for fans of both modern and historical works.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

★ “Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

“Rita Williams-Garcia’s One Crazy Summer absolutely blew me away. What an amazing and beautifully written story. I find myself still thinking about Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern and all the many other people Rita brought to life. Rita took me right into the world of the Black Panthers and Oakland in the 1960s. This novel is just glorious.” - Jacqueline Woodson, author of the Newbery Honor Book After Tupac & D Foster

“In One Crazy Summer Williams-Garcia presents a child’s-eye view of the Black Panther movement within a powerful and affecting story of sisterhood and motherhood.” - Monica Edinger, The New York Times

“One Crazy Summer is a genuine rarity: a book that is both important in its contents and utterly engaging in its characters…with the tremendous bonus of being beautifully written.” - Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medal–winning author of A Single Shard

★ “Delphine is the pitch-perfect older sister, wise beyond her years, an expert at handling her siblings...while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ “Regimented, responsible, strong-willed Delphine narrates in an unforgettable voice, but each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion.” - Booklist (starred review)

★ “The setting and time period are as vividly realized as the characters, and readers will want to know more about Delphine and her sisters after they return to Brooklyn.” - Horn Book (starred review)

Set during one of the most tumultuous years in recent American history, One Crazy Summer is the heartbreaking, funny tale of three girls who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 in search of the mother who abandoned them. It's an unforgettable story told by a distinguished author of books for children and teens, Rita Williams-Garcia.