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| | | Memoirs | Home » » » A Summer of Kings | | | | | | | Description: | | It's 1963 and fourteen-year-old Esther Young is looking for excitement. Cursed with a lack of talent in a family filled with artistic types, Esther vows to get some attention by initiating a summer romance with a black teen accused of murdering a white man in Alabama.
King-Roy Johnson shows up on Esther's doorstep that summer, an angry young man who feels betrayed by the nonviolent teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. Sent north by his mother to escape a lynch mob, he meets a follower of Malcolm X's who uses radical teachings about black revolution to fuel King-Roy's anger and frustration. But with each other's help, both Esther and King-Roy learn the true nature of integrity and find the power to stand up for what is right and true.
National Book Award-winning author Han Nolan brings readers a bold new voice--by turns funny and poignant, innocent and worldly--in this powerful coming-of-age story set during the turbulent struggle for civil rights.
| | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Han Nolan | | Hardcover:
| 352 pages | | Publisher:
| Harcourt Children's Books | | Publication Date:
| 2006-03 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0152051082 | | Product Length:
| 8.66 inches | | Product Width:
| 5.6 inches | | Product Height:
| 1.07 inches | | Product Weight:
| 1.03 pounds | | Package Length:
| 8.3 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.6 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.2 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.1 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 11 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 11 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Don't miss this book!May 30, 2006
By Armchair Interviews
The year is 1963. Fourteen-year-old Esther Young is used to being considered the dunce of her family. All she wants is something new, something exciting to come along and give her an opportunity to show her family how special she is. She sees her chance when King-Roy Johnson, a black man accused of killing a white man in Alabama, comes to stay with her family for the summer.
Esther's parents believe that he is innocent; Esther doesn't know what to believe. But she determines to get to know the mysterious stranger living down the hall, and, in the process, learn a little bit more about herself.
A Summer of Kings mixes one girl's coming-of-age story with a powerful message about human nature. Full of well-rounded characters that are easy to relate to, Kings engages both the heart and the mind. It deals with the issue of racial discrimination--from the two sides. Both white brutality against blacks and black resentment against whites are dealt with in equal measure. The author uses Esther's story to show readers how the two sides justify their hatred by dehumanizing each other.
Esther and King-Roy want an end to segregation and racial prejudice in their country. But while King-Roy is drawn by the fiery messages of angry black leaders such as Malcolm X, who calls for violent uprising, Esther discovers the "peaceful resistance" teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi--and begins to long for an end to the violence.
Together, Esther and King-Roy find a way to face use these teachings to change their own lives and show the world that love is greater than hatred, and brotherhood stronger than bitterness.
Armchair Interviews says: A Summer of Kings is a not-to-be-missed books for young adults.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 One of her best works!Apr 04, 2006
By Sze Min
"Adrienne"
I've read this novel and I'd like to say that it is really one of the best that Han Nolan had written. The whole story regarding civil rights is gripping, page-turning and very realistic. A very thoughtful novel and I truly recommend this to anyone who just wants to know more about human rights and freedom. Some parts were really touching and I was actually crying half-way through this book...lol! All Han Nolan fans out there, go get a copy right now! I guarantee that you would not regret it:-)
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful historical fiction/coming of age novel!!Jul 21, 2006
A Summer of Kings is a great book. Part Historical Fiction, part a story about finding out who you are and what your place in the world is. It is very well written, thought provoking, has wonderfully developed characters, humor, and romance.
The plot:
Esther young is 14 years old, and is the black sheep of the family. She is viewed as untalented, stupid, and ugly. She is actually quite the opposite, and she is looking for a change. The perfect chance comes when she learns that a black man named King-Roy Johnson is coming to live with them, after being accused of murdering a white man. She is determined to fall in love with him, and have him return her feelings, an idea that receives much scorn from her best friend 'Pip'. When King-Roy arrives, Esther immediatly likes him, and he immediatly feels comfortable with her. They would be fast friends, except for King-Roy's internal struggle with what he believes is right. After a terrible tragedy results from the peaceful teaching of Martin Luther King Jr., King Roy is more enclined to believe in the teachings of Malcom X, A man who is against whites and believes that the only way to freedom is through violence. King-Roy and Esther will both go through a tough time in there life, in which they search for what is right, and what the true meaning of freedom is.
This book is wonderful! Han Nolan fans will thouroughly enjoy it, and so will first time readers of her work! ENJOY!!
A Summer Of Kings, an amazing bookApr 24, 2007
"I decided that this would be the summer of a new me, a more mature me, a more mysterious and exotic me, and I determined that are new houseguest, the murderer, was to play a starring role in my new life." This is a quote from the amazing historical fiction novel, A Summer of Kings, by Han Nolen.
Esther is 14 years old, and she is always getting "left behind". Everyone is always telling her to grow up and her family is mean to her. She wants this summer of 1963 to be different, and it will be.
Esther plans on falling in love with King-Roy, who is an 18 year old African American sent to live with Esther's family after being accused of killing someone. King-Roy feels that the only way to get his rights is by being violent. He hates whites and is upset by the segregation going on in the world. Esther tries to help and understand while learning about what is happening in the world and "being the change she wants to see in the world'.
This is an amazing story, telling people to stand up for what is right and reminding people what life was like in the 1960's and the importance of freedom. Ester's feelings come right out of the book and I feel as if everything happening to Esther is happening to me.
I would recommend this book to anyone in 6th to 8th grade. I would also recommend this book to people who enjoy learning about the past and the life and problems of people who lived during that time.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A Summer of Kings reigns trueJul 12, 2006
By faithfan_01
The story of Esther Young's summer preceding the famous March on Washington is one not to be missed. It was amazing how Nolan was able to intertwine such an important piece of history with a fictional story of a young girl's road to self-discovery. Whether the fiction or the history encompassed by this story is of interest to any reader, he or she is bound to love the story for all its parts.
See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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