The record-holder*

I hate asterisks.

When I set out to attend every WiCM event in 2011, I didn’t mean most WiCM events in 2011. I dreamed of a legitimately perfect record.

And yet, perfection…ah, she is elusive.

I missed one. And not because I was out of town or work socked me with a late night or because there was a family emergency. I missed it because I wrote the date incorrectly in my calendar. There’s no good story. There’s no intrigue. There’s no redeeming value whatsoever to this failure. I just blew it.

Grammy Award-winning* singers*

So now I’ll be the man who attended [nearly] every WiCM event in 2011. I can’t wait for all the high-fours at the Holiday Party.

But I while I clear my 2012 calendar for another run, I have a job to do. To the poor, misguided readers who actually come to wicmblog.org for event synopses, here’s the recap; recollections are courtesy of WiCM All-Star Karen Halpenny.

Sh*t

July 25, 2011

One Crazy Summer

A Sweet Evening with Author Rita Williams-Garcia

Rita Williams-Garcia, acclaimed author of several award-winning books for young readers (ages 8-18), led an informal discussion about her newest book, One Crazy Summer. Dylan’s Candy Bar, the spot where a person can order some candy and some booze with equal ease, generously donated the space. And HarperCollins, Rita’s publisher, provided 40 free copies of One Crazy Summer.

One Crazy Summer gained critical attention when children’s librarian Elizabeth Bird featured it on her blog. Before long, the book found a large and devoted audience and started collecting awards (it’s a Coretta Scott King Award-winner and a Newbery Honor book).

One Crazy Summer is about three daughters who travel across the country to reunite with their reluctant mother. Set in 1960s Oakland—within the nucleus of the Black Panther movement—the book offers a raw, honest look at a time that is often neatly smoothed by history.

Rita’s fans celebrate her ability to make initially unlikeable characters compelling. One Crazy Summer, which features an estranged mother who does not welcome the arrival of her three children, is no exception. Over the course of the story, readers learn to appreciate and understand the complex character.

Relatable struggle, such as a child’s need for a family and a burdened adult’s search for creative self, pull the reader into a story that connects. But as Karen Halpenny related to me, this is not an obvious book. Rita has a knack for smoothly integrating universal themes into the texture of her narrative.

Clearly I regret not attending this event. I missed a chance to get my hands on a free copy of what sounds like a very good story. And my attendance streak is ruined. For those of you I’ve let down, your disappointment is justified. But while my record will not be perfect, I’m still looking forward to attending all of the remaining events on the calendar. In a way, this flub is liberating. Now that the perfect record is out of reach, the only thing that’s pulling me to these events is the events themselves. Given how much fun I’ve had so far, I plan to attend all of the rest.

-Lucas