This was not how their trip to California was supposed to go. They were supposed to visit Disneyland and meet Tinkerbell but instead they’re stuck in Oakland eating breakfast with the Black Panthers. Delphine knew it was a bad idea to go see the mother who abandoned them. She barely even glanced at her and her sisters when they arrived and she won't let them anywhere near the kitchen where she makes her poetry. Now Delphine is stuck babysitting her younger sisters yet again. They all want to go to the Black Panther rally, but she's read about people being arrested or even killed there. What's more important: fighting for what she believes in or keeping her sisters safe? 

Williams-Garcia does a great job recreating a pivotal era and populating it with layered and endearing characters.  I'd give this to students who want to learn more about the 60's or who are looking for a good summer vacation story.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Family Life, Historical Fiction, People of Color, Summer Vacation

Do you like to get your clothes from the mall or would you rather find something vintage in a thrift shop? It's an easy choice for Will. She prefers things with a bit of history to them. She lives in an antique shop with her aunt and a dog passed down from her grandfather. Even her name is second-hand, from her great-great-grandmother Wilhelmina. But Will doesn't mind. The antiques give her plenty of opportunity to indulge in her hobby of making lamps from objects ranging from teacups to parasols. Summer is almost over and she's determined to make the last few weeks count. But when a storm comes that knocks out power to the town, everything changes. 

The best thing about this comic are the characters. Will has a wonderful old soul, Autumn puts on great puppet shows and Noel likes to test out new cookie recipes. The details are wonderful from the little references to Doctor Who to the fact that the gutters and edges of the pages during the blackout are  black so you can see the effect of the storm even on the closed book. The book has a DIY mentality and the characters put on a very creative arts carnival. I'd give this to anyone looking for a realistic, character-driven comic. Fans of Gulledge's other comic (Page by Paige) or the comics of Raina Telgemeier will be sure to enjoy this one.

Will & Whit by Laura Lee Gulledge

Erica's Picks
4th - 8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Comics, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, Issues Fiction, Makers, People of Color, Summer Vacation

Are you musically talented? Harold Knishke isn't. In fact, he’s terrible. So terrible that one summer day his flute teacher asks him to quit, and even offers to buy his instrument. With money in his pocket and free time Harold hits the streets of Chicago in search of some entertainment. He ends up at the Art Institute where he decides to become an artist. Chicago in the 1960's is an exciting time for aspiring artists and Harold soon blends in with the beatnik crowd where he learns that not everyone is as crazy as they seem, and some are even crazier. 

This book is full of a wonderful, dry humor and a strong absurdist sensibility. Harold wanders around Chicago running into one bizarre character after another. They're not entirely realistic but they are highly entertaining and they teach him real lessons.
I'd give this to fans of comedy and art who are willing to suspend disbelief.

Bushman Lives! By Daniel Pinkwater

Erica's Picks
7th - 8th Grade
Tags: Humor, Historical Fiction, Summer Vacation

Have you ever been forced to go on a family trip? Sometimes they can be fun, but sometimes you'd rather just stay home. That's how Pacy feels about her family's trip to Taiwan. To her mom and dad it's a trip to their homeland, but Pacy's home is back in America. And the worst part is that they have to stay the whole summer. A whole summer away from her friends in a country where she can't even understand what people are saying or read the signs if she gets lost. As if that wasn't bad enough, she finds out that her parents have signed her up for classes at the cultural center--classes during summer vacation! But when she gets there, Taiwan isn't anything like what Pacy expected. Her relatives are nice, the food is delicious, and she is determined to win the top prize in her painting class. Maybe the summer will be great, or maybe it will be a disaster after all. One thing is sure though--she'll never forget it!

Pacy is charming and I love the way she tells her story! The information about Taiwan is fascinating and left me wanting to learn more (and go eat some dumplings!) Lin weaves in brief stories throughout the main narration about Chinese legends or Pacy's family history. Lin is an excellent illustrator and she skillfully fits her drawings into the story as if Pacy is doodling in the margins of her diary. I'd give this to fans of novels that are written in the style of a diary with doodles like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Amelia's Notebook series.

Dumpling Days by Grace Lin

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th Grade
Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Diaries, Family Life, People of Color, Summer Vacation