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Glowing Reviews About "A Summer With No Ice Cream"
"A Summer with No Ice Cream" is definitely a great read thus far. The story gives a nostalgic view of all of the memories that the south has to offer especially to us "city slickers." It was also an excellent portrayal of the inner workings of the African American family dealing with issues of internal conflict, secrets, and, most importantly, how food traditions can hinder physical wellness in our community. "A Summer with No Ice Cream" serves as a motivational story in which the Perry family refused to take their diagnoses of Diabetes and Breast Cancer lying down and chose to fight by seeking the necessary education and initiating overall lifestyle changes. This book will be beneficial in encouraging others to become active participants in their healthcare journey.
LaToya D. Mauldin, MA, LAC
I was charged with the task of critically reviewing, "A Summer With No Ice Cream", a novel written by T.A. Jones, for continuity, content and readability. This book is reminiscent of a Judy Blume read with a contemporary context. The main character, Savannah, takes you on an exciting summer journey while visiting her grandparents in North Carolina chiefly addressing how diabetes has impacted their family. She describes in lay and professional terms where a "typical" middle schooler or adult can comprehend how this chronic; yet, manageable disease has inspired a family to examine their family history and to make changes to produce better health outcomes. The author does a remarkable job introducing other chronic health conditions that disproportionately impact African Americans, highlighting many of the benefits of attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities and becoming familiar with your local community based health organizations. Without giving away too much, I can envision seeing this novel being a required or suggested reading in schools, families, churches and summer enrichment programs because of it's mass appeal with a wellspring of practical information outlining basic diabetes education and management information. Additionally, this is a book that transcends ethnic, race and class boundaries too, because this a human based story that many families and communities will be able to relate to, especially in the South.
Freedom Clay
In order to fully prepare young people to function as productive members of society in the 21st century, education must include far more than reading, math, science, and technology. Research shows that whole child development is a necessity, and literature like, "A Summer with No Ice Cream," is a seamless way to introduce lessons on health, nutrition, history, culture, empathy, conflict resolution, and more. This novel entails countless opportunities to address the major work of multiple grade levels for school districts implementing Common Core State Standards, opportunities for students to make meaningful connections in traditional classrooms, as well as serving as a resource for parents to use as a root for various discussions about family dynamics. Summer time, ice cream, and spending time with grandparents are a few of our favorite things; which ingeniously hooks in readers, endears them to the characters, and cushions the impact of the sensitive topics and challenges. The settings symbolize significant historical contexts in the lives of both urban and rural families. This book would be ideal for adolescents to increase awareness and become more conscientious about the impact of chronic illness, practical prevention, and the triumph of perseverance. The unique blend of literary and informational value make it a timeless treasure for readers of all ages and backgrounds.
Vernetta Christian, JD
Principal - Washington, DC