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Rita Williams-Garcia

リタ・ウィリアムズ＝ガルシア

Rita Williams-Garcia

Aliases: Rita Williams

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1957-04-13 （Queens, New York City, U.S.）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Jamaica, Queens, New York, U.S.

Career

Occupations
Writer, Children's and Young Adult novelist, Teacher
Active Years
1980-2016
Affiliations
Vermont College of Fine Arts (faculty)

Education

Hofstra University
Year of Graduation: 1980
Country: United States
Studied with Richard Price and Sonya Pilcer

Awards

Newbery Honor
2011
Work: One Crazy Summer
Organization: Association for Library Service to Children
Result: honor
Coretta Scott King Award
2011
Work: One Crazy Summer
Organization: Coretta Scott King Book Awards (ALA)
Result: winner
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
2011
Work: One Crazy Summer
Organization: Scott O'Dell Award Committee
Result: winner
PEN/Norma Klein Award
Organization: PEN American Center
Result: winner
Coretta Scott King Award
2014
Work: P.S. Be Eleven
Organization: Coretta Scott King Book Awards (ALA)
Result: winner
Coretta Scott King Award
2016
Work: Gone Crazy in Alabama
Organization: Coretta Scott King Book Awards (ALA)
Result: winner
National Book Award (finalist)
2010
Work: Jumped
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: finalist
National Book Award (finalist)
2017
Work: Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: finalist

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

One Crazy Summer

2010 Children's literature / Historical fiction

Set in 1968 (note: commonly referenced as late 1960s), the novel follows three sisters who travel to California to spend the summer with their mother; themes include family, identity and the Black Panther movement.

FamilyComing-of-ageAfrican-American historyPolitical awareness / Civil Rights era

P.S. Be Eleven

2013 Children's literature

A sequel to One Crazy Summer, continuing the story of the sisters as they grow and navigate family dynamics.

FamilyGrowing up (girls)Intergenerational relationships

Gone Crazy in Alabama

2015 Children's literature / Historical fiction

The concluding book of the trilogy in which the sisters travel to Alabama and confront family history and past secrets.

FamilyMemory and the pastRegional identity (the South)

Jumped

2009 Young adult novel

A gritty young adult novel that addresses school violence, bullying and the consequences for teenagers and communities.

ViolenceFriendshipResponsibility and maturation

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground

2017 Children's literature / Young adult

Tells the story of a boy who rediscovers family and identity through blues music; themes center on music and intergenerational connection.

Music (blues)FamilyLoss and renewal

Blue Tights

1988 Children's literature

One of her early children's works; detailed information is limited.

Fast Talk on a Slow Track

1991 Young adult

A young adult novel about adolescent struggles and growth.

AdolescencePeer relationships

Like Sisters on the Homefront

1995 Children's literature

A children's book focusing on home life and friendship.

FriendshipHome/family

Every Time a Rainbow Dies

2001 Young adult / Children's

A work dealing with adolescent issues; detailed information is limited.

No Laughter Here

2004 Children's literature

A children's novel that addresses family and hardship.

Bottle Cap Boys: Dancing on Royal Street

2015 Children's literature

A 2015 children's title; detailed information is limited.

A Sitting in St. James

2021 Children's literature / Young adult

Published in 2021; a story about family and memory.

FamilyMemory

Bibliography

  • Blue Tights (1988)
  • Fast Talk on a Slow Track (1991)
  • Like Sisters on the Homefront (1995)
  • Every Time a Rainbow Dies (2001)
  • No Laughter Here (2004)
  • Jumped (2009)
  • One Crazy Summer (2010)
  • P.S. Be Eleven (2013)
  • Gone Crazy in Alabama (2015)
  • Bottle Cap Boys: Dancing on Royal Street (2015)
  • Clayton Byrd Goes Underground (2017)
  • A Sitting in St. James (2021)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Realistic depictionDialogue-driven narrationEmotionally expressive prose
Recurring Motifs
Family and sibling relationshipsComing-of-age and independenceAfrican-American culture and history

Legacy

Rita Williams-Garcia is an important author in children's and young adult literature, acclaimed for works addressing family, coming-of-age and African-American history. She has received multiple major awards and contributed as an educator.

Archives

  • Library of Congress authority records

Trivia

  • Her father served in the military.
  • Taught for many years at Vermont College of Fine Arts.
  • Official website: www.ritawg.com, Twitter: @OneCrazyRita