Gone Crazy in Alabama

Gaither Sisters #3

by Rita Williams-Garcia

The Coretta Scott King Award–winning Gone Crazy in Alabama by Newbery Honor and New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of the Gaither sisters as they travel from the streets of Brooklyn to the rural South for the summer of a lifetime.

Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama to visit their grandmother Big Ma and her mother, Ma Charles. Across the way lives Ma Charles’s half sister, Miss Trotter. The two half sisters haven’t spoken in years. As Delphine hears about her family history, she uncovers the surprising truth that’s been keeping the sisters apart. But when tragedy strikes, Delphine discovers that the bonds of family run deeper than she ever knew possible.

Powerful and humorous, this companion to the award-winning One Crazy Summer and P.S. Be Eleven will be enjoyed by fans of the first two books, as well as by readers meeting these memorable sisters for the first time.

Readers who enjoy Christopher Paul Curtis's The Watsons Go to Birmingham and Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming will find much to love in this book. Rita Williams-Garcia's books about Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern can also be read alongside nonfiction explorations of American history such as Jason Reynolds's and Ibram X. Kendi's books.

Each humorous, unforgettable story in this trilogy follows the sisters as they grow up during one of the most tumultuous eras in recent American history, the 1960s. Read the adventures of eleven-year-old Delphine and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, as they visit their kin all over the rapidly changing nation—and as they discover that the bonds of family, and their own strength, run deeper than they ever knew possible.

“The Gaither sisters are an irresistible trio. Williams-Garcia excels at conveying defining moments of American society from their point of view .” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Coretta Scott King Award winner * ALA Notable Book * School Library Journal Best Book of the Year * Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year * ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice * Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year * Washington Post Best Books of the Year * The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book * Three starred reviews * CCBC Choice * New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing * Amazon Best Book of the Year

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Family, Historical, African American, Childrens

320 pages, Unknown Binding

First published April 21, 2015

About the author

"I was born in Queens, N.Y, on April 13, 1957. My mother, Miss Essie, named me 'NoMo' immediately after my birth. Although I was her last child, I took my time making my appearance. I like to believe I was dreaming up a good story and wouldn’t budge until I was finished. Even now, my daughters call me 'Pokey Mom', because I slow poke around when they want to go-go-go.

"I learned to read early, and was aware of events going on as I grew up in the 60s. In the midst of real events, I daydreamed and wrote stories. Writing stories for young people is my passion and my mission. Teens will read. They hunger for stories that engage them and reflect their images and experiences."

Author of four award winning novels, Rita Williams-Garcia continues to break new ground in young people's literature. Known for their realistic portrayal of teens of color, Williams-Garcia's works have been recognized by the Coretta Scott King Award Committee, PEN Norma Klein, American Library Association, and Parents' Choice, among others. She recently served on the National Book Award Committee for Young People's Literature and is on faculty at Vermont College MFA Writing for Children and Young People.

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a conceited enough children’s librarian that I like it when a book wins me over. I don’t want them to make it easy for me. When I sit down to read something I want to know that the author on the other side of the manuscript is scrabbling to get the reader’s attention. Granted that reader is supposed to be a 10-year-old kid and not a 37-year-old woman, but to a certain extent audience is audience. Now I’ll say right off the bat that under normal circumstances I don’t tend to read sequels and I CERTAINLY don’t review them. There are too many books published in a current year to keep circling back to the same authors over and over again. There are, however, always exceptions to the rule. And who amongst us can say that Rita Williams-Garcia is anything but exceptional? The Gaither Sisters chronicles (you could also call them the One Crazy Summer Books and I think you’d be in the clear) have fast become modern day literary classics for kids. Funny, painful, chock full of a veritable cornucopia of historical incidents, and best of all they stick in your brain like honey to biscuits. Read one of these books and you can recall them for years at a time. Now the bitter sweetness of “Gone Crazy in Alabama” gives us more of what we want (Vonetta! Uncle Darnell! Big Ma!) in a final, epic, bow.

Going to visit relatives can be a chore. Going to visit warring relatives? Now THAT is fun! Sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern have been to Oakland and Brooklyn but now they’ve turned South to Alabama to visit their grandmother Big Ma, their great-grandmother Ma Charles, and Ma Charles’s half sister Miss Trotter. Delphine, as usual, places herself in charge of her younger, rebellious, sisters, not that they ever appreciate it. As she learns more about her family’s history (and the reason the two half sisters loathe one another) she ignores her own immediate family’s needs until the moment when it almost becomes too late.

I’m an oldest sister. I have two younger siblings. Unlike Delphine I didn’t have the responsibility of watching over my siblings for any extended amount of time. As a result, I didn’t pay all that much attention to them growing up. But like Delphine, I would occasionally find myself trying, to my mind anyway, to keep them in line. Where Rita Williams-Garcia excels above all her peers, and I do mean all of them, is in the exchanges between these three girls. If I had an infinite revenue stream I would solicit someone to adapt their conversations into a very short play for kids to perform somewhere (actually, I’d just like to see ALL these books as plays for children, but that’s neither here nor there). The dialogue sucks you in and you find yourself getting emotionally involved. Because Delphine is our narrator you’re getting everything from her perspective and in this the author really makes you feel like she’s on the right side of every argument. It would be an excellent writing exercise to charge a class of sixth graders with the task of rewriting one of these sections from Vonetta or Fern’s point of view instead.

As I might have mentioned before, I wasn’t actually sold initially on this book. Truth be told, I liked the sequel to One Crazy Summer (called P.S. Be Eleven) but found the ending rushed and a tad unsatisfying. That’s just me, and my hopes with Gone Crazy were not initially helped by this book’s beginning. I liked the set-up of going South and all that, but once they arrived in Alabama I was almost immediately confused. We met Ma Charles and then very soon thereafter we met another woman very much like her who lived on the other side of a creek. No explanation was forthcoming about these two, save some cryptic descriptions of wedding photos, and I felt very much out to sea. My instinct is to say that a child reader would feel the same way, but kids have a way of taking confusing material at face value, so I suspect the confusion was of the adult variety more than anything else. Clearly Ms. Williams-Garcia was setting all this up for the big reveal of the half-sister’s relationship, and I appreciated that, but at the same time I thought it could have been introduced in a different way. Things were tepid for me for a while, but then the story really started picking up. By the time we got to the storm, I was sold.

And it was at this point in the book that I realized that I’d been coming at the book all wrong. Williams-Garcia was feeding me red herrings and I’m gulping them down like there’s no tomorrow. This book isn’t laser focusing its attention on great big epic themes of historical consequence. All this book is, all it ever has been, all the entire SERIES is about in its heart of hearts, is family. And that’s it. The central tension can be boiled down to something as simple and effective as whether or not Delphine and Vonetta can be friends. Folks are always talking about bullying and bully books. They tend to involve schoolmates, not siblings, but as Gone Crazy in Alabama shows, sometimes bullying is a lot closer to home than anyone (including the bully) is willing to acknowledge.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about needing more diverse books for kids, and it’s absolutely a valid concern. I have always been of the opinion, however, that we also need a lot more funny diverse books. When most reading lists' sole hat tip to the African-American experience is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (no offense to Mildred D. Taylor, but you see what I’m getting at here) while the white kids star in books like Harriet the Spy and Frindle, something’s gotta change. We Need Diverse Books? We Need FUNNNY Diverse Books too. Something someone’s going to enjoy reading and want to pick up again. That’s why Christopher Paul Curtis has been such a genius the last few years (because, seriously, who else would explore the ramifications of vomiting on Frederick Douglass?) and why the name Rita Williams-Garcia will be remembered long after you and I are tasty toasty worm food. Because this book IS funny while also balancing out pain and hurt and hope.

An interviewer once asked Ms. Williams-Garcia if she ever had younger sisters like the ones in this book or if she’d ever spent a lot of time in rural Alabama, like they do here. She replied good-naturedly that nope. It reminded me of that story they tell about Dustin Hoffman playing Richard III. He put stones in his shoes to get the limp right. Laurence Olivier caught wind of this and his response was along the lines of, “My dear boy, why don’t you try acting?” That’s Ms. Williams-Garcia for you. She does honest-to-goodness writing. Writing that can conjure up estranged siblings and acts of nature. Writing that will make you laugh and think and think again after that. Beautifully done, every last page. A trilogy winds down on just the right note.

For ages 9-12.

[TheBookSmugglers · Rating 4 out of 5]

History, self-awareness, negotiated boundaries and family secrets are at the heart of Gone Crazy in Alabama, the third – and final – book in Rita Williams Garcia’s excellent Gaither Sisters series.

Sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel from Brooklyn to Alabama to spend their summer visiting their grandmother, Big Ma, and her mother, Ma Charles. In Alabama, the cultural shock they face is only the beginning of their problems: there is also the matter of meeting Uncle Darnell for the first time since he betrayed their trust, the discovery that their family has feuds and long kept secrets and dealing with the evolving dynamics within their own group.

Ma Charles lives across the way from her half-sister Miss Trotter but they don’t talk to each other apart from hurling insults back and forth through a third party. Middle sister Vonetta takes over that role with aplomb not only because of her propensity for theatrics but also because this allows her to have a degree of power within their family. This is the core of the ever-present conflict between the three sisters since Delphine is always in charge – it’s a role she has taken for herself but one that seems expected of her by the older members of their family. It’s a lot of pressure for a girl of thirteen and this is deftly explored in this novel in a way that nearly broke me.

This is also a book that delves deep into storytelling and history. The youngest sister Fern is developing her poetry skills, following in her mother’s footsteps. In here, Fern is more Afua than Fern (and God, that moment when we learn where the name Fern comes from. MY HEART). Vonetta is all Vonetta though and as she carries back and forth the stories that Ma Charles and Miss Trotter tell, she becomes increasingly confident – those stories when they leave the older ladies’ mouths are rooted in southern tradition. When Vonetta retells them, she is all modern and theatrical. More than that, those stories concern their past, the half-truths about their bigamist father and the terrible consequences of his actions. But they are also entrenched in America’s racial history and the kids come to learn their African-American family is entwined with Native Americans and whites in truly hurtful ways.

This leads to the most impacting scene for me in Gone Crazy in Alabama with Delphine’s realisation of what being oppressed truly means. One of the greatest things about this series is the balance between the deeply personal and the wider historical context of American society in the late 60s. The series takes place against the backdrop of the Civil Rights and Feminist movements and they are there at the forefront in books one and two. In here, the younger kids become the voice of modernity having spent some time with the Black Panthers and living in Brooklyn. But their modernity and awareness is often in contrast with their more traditional grandmother, Big Ma. Big Ma’s internalised racism is quite probably one of the saddest things about this series. Delphine and Big Ma are constantly butting heads throughout the novel: Delphine calling out the ways that Big Ma “oppresses” her by telling her to iron sheets or take care of house duties. Delphine is finding her voice and is insistent on experimenting with the boundaries of her freedom, which his awesome and even funny.

But then one day, the family – subserviently and convivially – welcome into their homes a White cousin, the town’s sheriff and a known member of the Klu Klux Klan. They do so because they have no choice, they do so at the expense of their pride, they do so because it would be dangerous otherwise and Delphine is completely horrified and finally understands.

There is a lot to digest here and once again, Rita Williams Garcia awes me with the complexity of her writing. There is layer upon layer to discover in this series. It’s hard to say goodbye to these beloved characters but it’s even harder to say goodbye to the way Rita Williams Garcia infuses their story with depth and heart.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was fun and enjoyable, like the previous books in the series. However, this book really brought to the front something that bothered me about the other books. It has bothered me since One Crazy Summer how Delphine is expected to be a mother to her sisters. Everyone expects it, and she is punished for not doing it. If her sisters misbehave, Delphine is often the one who is held responsible for their behavior; for not keeping them in line. It comes to a head here when Vonetta, understandably, rebels against her control. Delphine is 12, she hasn't had the time, maturing, or modelling necessary to be a good mother. Why does it surprise anyone when she isn't a good mother. She is 12, for Pete's sake! At the end of the book she talks about people showing her mercy when she didn't deserve it. That just got to me. It's the adults who should be ashamed for not being the adults to these children. Delphine, in my opinion, is the most wronged of all the girls, and no one ever acknowledges or validates her as a child. Cecile tries to, a bit, in P.S. Be 11, but being Cecile, she doesn't do in a clear way that Delphine can understand. I want to give Delphine a big hug and tell her that none of it is her fault, she should never have been put in the situation in the first place.

[Sarah Weathersby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have fallen in love with Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, the Gaither Sisters. I was late discovering this series for "Middle Grades" with great historical lessons.

It started with "One Crazy Summer," with the sisters visiting their wayward mother in Oakland, CA. Then the aftermath and return home to Brooklyn in "P.S. Be Eleven."

The latest installment is "Gone Crazy in Alabama" when Pa sends the girls "Down South" to meet the relatives on the farm. I so much enjoyed the voices of the girls as they complete each others' explanations in an almost poetic harmony. They remind me so much of my middle sister, my niece, and me.

I was so charmed that everytime I opened the book at the next chapter, I couldn't hold back the smile on my face. Their adventures, learning the family history, helping gather the fresh eggs, and help milk the cow reminded me of days in Forsythe, Georgia, so long ago.

I was happy just reminiscing until something went terribly wrong, when I found myself in the middle of the night, with an unexpected page-turner. No spoilers here. You have to read it for yourself.

Rita Williams-Garcia is a winner.

[C-shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to my Goodreads friend Orinoco Womble for recommending this.
* * * * *
This is No. 3 in the Gaither Sisters series, but the first I've read. I started with this one because it was on sale for $1.99 in Kindle version. This is a great story about three close young (8, 10, & 12) sisters who travel alone from Brooklyn to Alabama to visit relatives for the summer. Adventures ensue and the Alabama characters are hilarious. This is a great, easy read with an underlying thread of familial love. Some favorite lines:
". . .our voices either followed or lay on top of one another's for as long as I could remember."
"Our grandmother used to fuss with us so much that all we heard was the fussing and not the words."
"It wasn't fair to have waited for so long to read a book that was less than what I'd imagined."
"I wanted us to all be together. As many of us under one roof as could fit. I needed to know we weren't all falling apart."
". . . his dog song, which was neither a true howl nor a bark."
"I took it all in: the firm but biscuit-doughy feel of Big Ma's arms; her gardenia talcum powder and Dixie Peach hair grease dabbed under her wig around her temples. It was good to be circled by hands that smelled of pine cleaner and to be blotted by her coffee-breath kisses."
"'Big Ma! Come quick!' Big Ma didn't post herself up in the door frame immediately. . ."
"All them starving children in Africa going to bed hungry. You get in your bed and have a taste of hungry along with them." [What child hasn't heard the first part, but the second sentence was new to me and tickled me so.]
"Big Ma used to tell me: 'Scrub like a gal in a one-cow town.'" [Huh? Doesn't make sense, but still is funny, like my friend's granny's saying, 'Makes my butt want to dip snuff.']
"'That's right, dear one,' Miss Trotter said. And Vonetta rolled around in that 'dear one' name like it was a pink rabbit-fur jacket." [Ah ha ha!]
I highly recommend this book! The rest of the series is on my to-read list as well.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent. The Gaither sisters head down south to spend some time with their relatives in Alabama (Big Ma and her mother Ma Charles). While there the girls learn a lot about their ancestry and the feud going on between Ma Charles and her half-sister Miss Trotter.

The elderly sisters are storytellers, which really appeals to Vonetta who ends up carrying bickering messages between the two front porches for nearly the entirety of her time down south. When an act of nature sets the whole clan to worrying, family ties from all across the nation end up at Big Ma's.

Though there are bound to be questions as to whether this book can truly stand on its own considering the 2 previous books featuring this unforgettable trio of sisters, this book takes a sharp right turn by focusing on the family history. The author gives readers adequate information about characters appearing in previous novels and previous altercations (i.e. Uncle Darnell's theft of the girls' hard-earned money). This is handled so expertly that I would argue the entire effect for a reader just meeting the Gaither sisters for the first time would come away with the feeling that if they wanted to know more about the backstory in depth, they could consult the previous books as opposed to it being necessary to have read these books to understand this book.

The author excels at her craft here. Every opportunity to invoke the senses is taken. The characterization is so fully realized that readers know who is talking without the aid of an identifier at the end of a line of dialogue just based on the way something is phrased or the details chosen to present. The setting is so well described and richly imagined that I feel as though I could draw a fairly accurate map of the woods, possibly even the state of Alabama!

Highly recommended historical fiction read for grades 5-8.

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

1960s Oakland, California and its tumultuous social justice scene provided a scintillating backdrop for One Crazy Summer. We were then spirited across the United States to Brooklyn, New York for P.S. Be Eleven, where people had a different attitude from the Black Panthers of California. Another extreme culture shift takes place in Gone Crazy in Alabama as sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel by themselves for an extended stay with Big Ma (their paternal grandmother) and her mother, Ma Charles, in small-town Alabama. If Brooklyn was hesitant to embrace the Black Panther philosophy of racial outspokenness, Alabama is miles behind Brooklyn, and Delphine's father makes sure his three girls know this prior to their trip. Social rhetoric that would be praised in Oakland and accepted without comment in Brooklyn could be downright dangerous in the Deep South, and Papa doesn't want his daughters shipped back to New York in coffins because they couldn't control their smart mouths. It's Delphine's responsibility to keep them out of trouble, and she takes it seriously. This summer is certain to be an illuminating adventure.

"You don't know something bothers you until you no longer have to do it. Suddenly you're both angry and glad. Angry you did it for all those years and glad you'll never do it again."

—Gone Crazy in Alabama, P. 33

On the family farm in Alabama, Ma Charles is as authoritative a figure as Big Ma was in Brooklyn. A spry, almost sassy eighty-two years of age, she welcomes her great-granddaughters affectionately, but lets them know how things are going to be soon after they arrive. Miss Trotter, Ma Charles's sister, is one of only two neighbors within shouting distance, and she and Ma Charles have quarreled for years. As Delphine and her younger sisters get to know their great-aunt, Miss Trotter and Ma Charles take turns telling them stories and tossing in barbs at each other for the girls to deliver, an insult war that is entertaining for Vonetta and Fern if nothing else. Delphine wants the elderly sisters to reconcile, but they seem content taking jabs at each other about their confusing family history. The other close neighbor, Mr. Lucas, is sweet on the widowed Big Ma, but she wants nothing to do with him, pointedly ignoring his overtures despite Ma Charles's exasperated protests. The big city is its own brand of insane, but Delphine has never seen crazy like social life down South.

Maybe sibling rivalry is contagious. Delphine and Vonetta sure rub each other wrong as their stay in Alabama continues. Vonetta picks on Fern and Delphine feels compelled to stand up for her youngest sister, which triggers Vonetta's anger. The sisters' uncanny ability to always be on the same page is floundering, but that could just be because they're getting older and forming individualized lives. Delphine doesn't want her relationship with Vonetta to someday mirror Ma Charles's with Miss Trotter, but it's hard to get along with Vonetta when she acts thorny as a porcupine. The vacation veers into scary territory the afternoon of the worst storm in local memory, when everything Delphine thought was hers forever is jeopardized in a nightmare parade of bad choices. Is a family so fragile it can be obliterated in a few tragic seconds, with no do-over? If a second chance emerges from out of mourning, will we learn from the past and snatch it before the offer is rescinded? Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern have much to learn about family, love, prejudice, and justice on their march toward adolescence, and no member of their inner circle is close to being a perfect example. But it starts with a family who will do and sacrifice anything for one another, and they no doubt have that.

"(I)f you prayed for the miracle you'd sell your most treasured possession for, you don't care about anything else but waiting on that miracle."

—Gone Crazy in Alabama, P. 251

The story isn't as cohesive as P.S. Be Eleven, nor is the wisdom as winsome, but Gone Crazy in Alabama has its sparkling moments. The Gaither sisters have deep wounds inside they need to heal, such as their mother (Cecile) and others walking out on them. We see the hurt in Delphine's recurring dream: "I've been dreaming...running to the door to keep it from closing hard...to keep footsteps from walking out...walking away...away...But as long as my legs are, I never get to the front door fast enough. As strong as my arms are, I can't keep Cecile from leaving. Uncle Darnell from leaving. Big Ma from leaving. Or Mrs., when she's mad...I can't stop the dreams. I can't stop seeing the opened door and the footsteps." How can you feel secure when the ones you love might leave and never return because you aggravate them, or you're not enough to make them want to stay? Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern know the pain of goodbye when it truly means gone. And slavery in the U.S. may have been abolished a hundred years earlier, but there's danger for young blacks who lack caution. The Ku Klux Klan is past its heyday even in Alabama, but men in white sheets still ride, and some foes are less easily recognizable. "There's Klan everywhere," a close family member warns Delphine. "You just have to see them." When you're vulnerable to injustice because of who you are, enemies don't always announce their presence, but they're watching. Avoid giving them an excuse to persecute you, and you'll survive to make your case for equality. Something tells me Delphine and her sisters could do a lot to enlighten the world through their childhood experiences.

Gone Crazy in Alabama has more in common with One Crazy Summer than with P.S. Be Eleven. To me the middle novel is by far the best, and the other two are roughly equal. The Gaither/Charles/Trotter family tree is convoluted and challenging to follow, but the people we meet from it are warm, real, and all have their place in the story. I'm not as big a Rita Williams-Garcia fan as some, but I respect her writing and plan on reading more. I might give Gone Crazy in Alabama two and a half stars, and I recommend it to those who loved One Crazy Summer. I wish the Gaither sisters my best, and the same for the author who brought them to life. These books have helped open eyes and minds, and for that they deserve to be honored.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was, admittedly, my least favorite of the three Gaither sisters books. I felt it got off to a slow start, and I quickly tired of the back and forth between Ma Charles and Miss Trotter. However, the book did start picking up, and the central theme of family being there for each other no matter what was strong. After having read the entire series, I can honestly say that I feel these books are very important for children. Williams-Garcia brings to light many otherwise heavy topics and historical events, and makes them understandable to children. Issues such as the emergence of the Black Panthers, Vietnam, and the Ku Klux Klan, segregation, and discrimination are all explored in a way that shows how these groups and events affected the lives of everyone during that time, whether directly or indirectly. Williams-Garcia explored three very distinct settings in each book, and each time I felt like I was there, experiencing everything along with the sisters. Her easy inclusion of small details to set up the time period was extremely effective and served to root the reader completely in the time and place. She is a wonderful storyteller and these books need to be shared.

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and very entertaining. Three sisters traveling to Alabama, for the summer, from Brooklyn, NY. Being the oldest, Delphine is in charge of her two younger sisters, Vonetta & Fern.

The best way to learn about your family history is through your family. The story provided insight about the silky arguments that sometimes separate families for years. It also includes information about Klansmen and the Black Panther party.

A book that can be enjoyed in any reading group.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a disappointment. I loved the first one, the second one was pretty good, but this last one just seemed to have lost its way. Stick with One Crazy Summer, and don't worry about the others.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Gaither sisters. This time, they’ve gone down to Alabama for the summer, and spend time with Big Ma, Ma Charles (her mother) and Darnell, who’s cleaned up.
Delphine’s been charged with looking out for her younger sisters, and she takes it very seriously. Vonetta and Delphine snipe almost constantly at each other as they settle in, while Fern confounds her grandmothers with her preferences and opinions. I was at times wincing at the opinions expressed by Big Ma, with her internalized racism and her disgust with feminism, while laughing out loud at the back and forth needling between Big Ma and her half-sister.
There's something about these stories that I love, and it includes the humour, of which there is plenty in the series. And while Rita Williams-Garcia touches upon a number of societal and fairly heavy family issues, they're presented from Delphine's now 13-year old perspective and don't overwhelm. I think what I love the most in these books about the Gaither sisters is the love between the members of this family. Delphine, Vonetta and Fern might all repeatedly get on each others' nerves, but they are a tight and deeply loving group. I kept wondering what these girls would be like in their 20s as I neared the end of this book. Unless Rita Williams-Garcia ever returns to this family, I'll just have to content myself with this and the two previous books about these wonderful girls.

[La La · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 on the blog.

I adored this trilogy!

[Devin Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 8/2020
In 𝘎𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘮𝘢, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama for the summer to visit their grandmother, Big Ma, and their great-grandmother, Ma Charles. They are warned many times by their father that Alabama is not Brooklyn, and that they must keep themselves and their tendency toward outspokenness under wraps. ⁣
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The girls enjoy their time down South and learn about their family’s history from the back and forth stories between Ma Charles and her half-sister, and lifelong nemesis who lives across the creek, Aunt Miss Trotter. ⁣
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Throughout the summer, Delphine continues to be the big sister, Vonetta refines her acting skills by performing the bickering dialogue between Ma Charles and Aunt Miss Trotter and continues to hold her grudge against Uncle Darnell. Fern holds fast to her beliefs, often waxing poetic about them. But when tragedy strikes, can the family bury their resentments and work together as a unified force? ⁣
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I loved this one as much as all of the others. Read them even if you’re an adult. They’ll make you laugh and cry. ⁣
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#readingisgoodcontagious #publiclibraries #librarylover #library #books @ritawilliamsgarcia #ritawilliamsgarcia #curriculumwriting⁣


The Gaither sisters, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are some of my very favorite characters in recent books. I love the way they echo each other and finish each other's sentences while maintaining their own personality. This last book tells the story of the girls spending their summer in Alabama with their grandma and great-grandma in the late 60s. This book would require a special reader as it isn't action packed but is based more on characters and back and forth dialogue. I will miss this series. I love the strong women, and Cecile, the sisters' mom, might be my favorite, too. 4th grade and up.

[Kris Springer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started out pretty slowly and I was feeling a bit aimless. But then it heated up and a tornado shook everything up and illuminated Williams-Garcia's main theme--family, love, what's most important. Great characters, great humor and amazing conflict and resolution. With the 3rd book, these are real people to me, not just characters. I've felt that in each book but this one really ended the series well (I think the author says this is the last one.)

If you like family stories, humor, people encountering cultural change (takes place in 1969 when Apollo 11 lands on the moon) and just plain old good writing, this one's for you. Recommended for ages 11 and older.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The final book in the series does not live up to the previous titles. The book is too bogged down in the family's genealogy. The only action in the story comes 2/3 of the way through the book. I struggled to stay interested. There was not enough humor, and there is only so much I can take of sisters bickering.

[Colby Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

[Abby Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Gaither sisters, I love you so.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only criticism is that I wish this wasn't the last book in the series. Thank you Rita Williams-Garcia for creating these characters. I wish I could read about them forever.

[Kris Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look at me! I read an entire series. That has happened like never.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable book that not only is fun to read, great characters, but it brings with it a taste of history. I didn't realize it was part of a series. It was good as a stand alone book too.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally had the chance to read the third volume in the series, and it's just as good as the first two, if not better. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are spending their summer vacation in Alabama with their grandmother and great-grandmother; their great-grandmother has never been able to reconcile with her half-sister, and the sisters, particularly Vonetta, carry the two elders' often-amusing stories back and forth across the creek that separates their houses. In the process, they learn a lot about their family history, both as African American descendants of enslaved people, and as Native American descendants of Creek freedmen. The reader also learns a lot about the civil rights movement of the 1960's; both the girls' mother and stepmother are empowered Black women who won't settle for the way things are in the deep South, and their example inspires the three sisters. The social issues, though, don't overpower the depth of the family love and the extent of the laughter, humor, and compassion that this family shares. It's a great ending to the story (although I would love to read more about their adventures and find out whether the girls get a stepbrother or stepsister - maybe Rita Williams-Garcia will eventually write a fourth book).

[Dinah Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

History, self-awareness, negotiated boundaries and family secrets are at the heart of Gone Crazy in Alabama, the third – and final – book in Rita Williams Garcia’s excellent Gaither Sisters series.

Sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel from Brooklyn to Alabama to spend their summer visiting their grandmother, Big Ma, and her mother, Ma Charles. In Alabama, the cultural shock they face is only the beginning of their problems: there is also the matter of meeting Uncle Darnell for the first time since he betrayed their trust, the discovery that their family has feuds and long kept secrets and dealing with the evolving dynamics within their own group.

The girls are in for quite a shock as Alabama is far different from New York.
Once again the tumultuous era of the 1960s is put on full display with a large sections dealing with encounters with the KKK and the launch + landing of Apollo 11.

This book is 100% lives up to the previous two.
The series as a whole gets a strong and solid five stars.

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series! Definitely worthy of rereading someday.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say that I love this (audible) culmination of the Gaither Sisters trilogy would be an understatement. Delphine is set in her role as the momma/sister to her younger siblings Vonetta, and Fern. She continues to carry the weight of her sisters choices, her parents expectations. and her grandmother's pressure of perfection. She still shoulders it all and is figuring out how to be a pre-teen, until...Miss Vonetta decides, in typical middle child fashion that she has to have her way, a decision that coincides with powers that are way out of her control. Fern is coming into her own person, her own choices, and finding her own poetic voice to express it all, and she is not backing down. Family far away, and family close are drawn together in crisis, and prove again that we are bigger than our differences especially when our loved are in peril.
This book is a great read for middle schoolers who can relate to all of the outside pressure from "everybody". A great exploration of the ability of young people to bounce back. The voices of the readers enhance the journey of this story.

[Brandy Painter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.

Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams Garcia is the final book in the trilogy about the Gaither Sisters of Brooklyn, NY.


Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern and are spending the summer in Alabama with Big Ma. Cows, chickens, and encounters with the KKK are far cry from the streets of the city they're used to. It's also a far cry from their last summer experience in Oakland, CA. It's not entirely bad though as the girls learn more of their family's history. But things in the family are far from perfect. There are many divisions, rivalries, and long-standing resentments that need to be faced and dealt with. It will take a tragic turn of events to bring everyone together again.

Delphine is still trying to adjust to the changes in her life the past year has wrought. Things are changing more than ever now as their dad's wife is pregnant, and she will be entering junior high. The conflicts between her and Vonetta are becoming more frequent too. Despite the lessons learned in the previous book, Delphine is having a hard time letting go of being in charge of her sisters, and Vonetta is fighting hard against it. Delphine is constantly mad at her for the way she treats Fern, oblivious to how she treats Vonetta the same way. This conflict is the center of the story and is mirrored in the sibling rivalry between their great grandmother and her sister.

The family history the girls learn is an interesting one, and the way it is injected so organically into the story keeps things interesting and funny. The humor in the rivalry between the elderly sisters is a humorous balance to the more fraught parts of the story. Uncle Darnell is getting back on his feet after his issues in P.S. Be Eleven, but Vonetta is determined to never forgive him. Big Ma is as sour as ever towards life in general and, often, the girls in particular. She seems to see them as the evidence of everything that is going wrong with the world. All of these are dealt with beautifully and realistically. And we get to see Cecile again too. There is a few chapters where everything is just awful, but even in these chapters Garcia adds enough humor to take the edge of it without detracting from the horror of the situation.

P.S. Be Eleven is still my favorite of the trilogy, but I like the way Gone Crazy in Alabama resolves a lot of the issues that hadn't yet been dealt with and looks toward a bright and hopeful future.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept holding myself ready to be disappointed, as so few contemporary authors seem to be able to hold onto the quality of their writing...which, given the proliferation of novel series (or series novels), is odd--but there it is. Thankfully, Williams-Garcia's narrative skill never flagged.

The sisters are sent down to Alabama to stay with their grandma and great-grandma, perhaps as an antidote for all that radical stuff they picked up in Oakland. They spent time there as little kids and loved it, but now Delphine isn't so sure. For one thing, Uncle Darnell is down there, and Vonetta still hasn't forgiven him and doesn't intend to. For another, Delphine gets stuck on that long bus ride with the wrong book! Oh boy do I hear you. I've done it, and it's agony. That's one of the good things about an ebook reader; if I picked wrong, I have literally a thousand other titles to choose from at my fingertips.

The only clunky bit of foreshadowing is the title of that book, Things Fall Apart. They surely do. And there's poor old 12 year old Delphine, trying to mother on her sisters and keep it all together--not just for them, but for everyone around her. Oh, Delphine, I hear you. Keep the peace, keep everything nice, keep quiet. No wonder she feels excluded when her sisters act their ages; she can't afford it. I wasn't even the eldest, but I soon learned the need for peace at any price. I later learned that if I had stood up for myself I might have suffered physically, but perhaps I'd have saved myself some PTSD. But when you're under the harrow, you don't think about standing up for yourself, especially when your only 12, or 11, or 8, and everyone around you is blaming you for something they should be protecting you from.

Yes, Delphine, things do fall apart. But often we have to break old structures to make new ones. And sometimes broken people can heal in new, effective ways. Five stars for a satisfying end to the trilogy.

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final book of trilogy about the young Gaither sisters in the 1960s – great historical children's fiction set in the civil rights era of the 1960s. My favorite is the first in the series, One Crazy Summer, in which the girls, whose home is in Brooklyn, visit their long absent mother, a poet living in Oakland, and get involved in the Black Power movement. The second book, P.S. Be Eleven follows them through a school year, 6th grade for oldest sister, Delphine, in Brooklyn.

This, the third book, finds them traveling by bus to Alabama to visit their grandma, great-grandma, and various other relatives. They are amazed at how different life is in Alabama, and by the long-standing feud between their great-grandmother and her half sister. The importance of family becomes especially important after disaster strikes.

Highly recommended series for middle graders but need to be read in order to be most appreciated.

[Monica Edinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I owe this one a proper review. Been mulling it over for months. So, meantime, here's a place-holder comment (from the Heavy Medal blog):

This has been on my list of books to blog about, but I admit it feels daunting to both honor the arc of the trilogy and the specifics of this one title. The relationship between the older generation sisters, the interrelatedness among those in that small rural community, the young girls’ growing awareness of how not-so-simple hard things in life are….all of it wowed me. Images have stayed with me months after reading it — sheet ironing (probably because my mother did it too), the revelations about family, the older sisters steady ornery behavior toward each other, the vividly evoked Alabama setting, the reality of complicated people being both good and bad (a theme through all three books), and so forth. I knew, come closer to Newbery season, I’d want to reread and write about this one.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third part of the family story about the Gaither sisters. It is the summer of 1969 and the three girls are sent to Alabama for the summer to visit relatives. Their complicated ethnic heritage and family stories are intermingled with Ku Klux Klan sightings and a close encounter with a tornado.

Williams-Garcia captures the spirit and the tone of the 60s assuming the reader's knowledge of the time period but this could be confusing for readers who aren't acquainted with the issues of the time. I appreciated the family tree and the author's note at the end. The family relationships are complicated and at times I needed a score card. Also I was surprised (and distressed) by the family story about the treatment of former slaves by Native American nations and appreciated the author's references.

Overall this is a powerfully written family story -- rich in detail, authentic in tone, and totally honest in depth and feeling; a genuine American saga.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 5 out of 5]

GRADE: A-

Delphine and her younger sisters are in Alabama for the summer visiting their grandmother and great-grandmother where they experience multigenerational sibling rivalry, the KKK, family secrets and a tragedy in this last book in the trilogy.

Rita Williams-Garcia series about Delphine Gaither and her sisters is the Little House on the Prairie for the twentieth century. Williams-Garcia has given Delphine a smart, insightful voice and equally compelling personality. Younger sisters Vonetta and Fern, and all the minor characters are multidimensional and complex.

Williams-Garcia crafted a story with subplots as interesting and rich as the history they describe. While GONE CRAZY IN ALABAMA drags a bit in the middle, for the most part my interest didn't waiver.

Both children and adults should start with ONE CRAZY SUMMER, then read PS BE ELEVEN and finish the series with GONE CRAZY IN ALABAMA. Then cross your fingers and hope Williams-Garcia decides to continue the series.