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When Winter Robeson Came
The whole world seems to transform during the summer of 1965, when Eden’s cousin from Mississippi comes to visit her in L.A. just as the Watts Riots erupt, in this stirring new novel by Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brenda Woods.When Eden’s cousin Winter comes for a visit, it turns out he’s not just there to sightsee. He wants to figure out what happened to his dad, who disappeared ten years earlier from the Watts area of L.A. So the cousins set out to investigate together, and what they discover brings them joy—and heartache. It also opens up a whole new understanding of their world, just as the area they’ve got their sights on explodes in a clash between the police and the Black residents. For six days Watts is like a war zone, and Eden and Winter become heroes in their own part of the drama. Eden hopes to be a composer someday, and the only way she can describe that summer is a song with an unexpected ending, full of changes in tempo and mood--totally unforgettable.
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 11, 2022
10 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Woods
24 books70 followersBrenda Woods was born in Ohio, grew up in Southern California, and attended California State University, Northridge. Her award-winning books for young readers include The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond (a CCBC choice and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book); the Coretta Scott King Honor winner The Red Rose Box; the ALAN Pick Saint Louis Armstrong Beach; and VOYA Top Shelf Fiction selection Emako Blue. Woods’s numerous awards and honors include the Judy Lopez Memorial Book Award, the FOCAL International Award, and the ILA Children’s Choice Young Adult Fiction Award. She lives in the Los Angeles area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
January 16, 2022
This was such a quick read and I went in blind without reading the description so I had no idea that it covered the Watts Riots in Los Angeles. Clearly, this is written for a middle grade audience so it doesn't necessarily go into graphic details, but it covers enough to give readers a grasp of this specific event that happened in the 1960s.
When Winter Robeson Came focuses on Eden and her family after they have moved from the South to Los Angeles. When Eden's cousin Winter comes to visit, they do a little exploring of the city, but mainly they work on helping finding Winter's father who has been missing for 10 years. One of the things that I really appreciated about this book was the historical knowledge presented. Woods doesn't shy away from comparing and contrasting the experiences of Black families and communities in the West to those living in the South. When Winter realizes small things like the fact that they don't have to sit in the back of the bus, he is quick to assume that people out West aren't racist. This is corrected quickly as other characters let him know that though it's not as bad as the South, racism is still alive and well, but in a less obvious way. This statement will continue to hold true as Winter and Eden spend time in the community.
One of the main discussions that has been evident in the book community is the balancing of focusing on Black trauma and Black joy. While this is a historical fiction book that specifically is looking at the impact of the Watts Riots, I do appreciate that Woods gives readers the opportunity to see Black families in the community doing every day things. It gives great context for the various things that kids were doing in the 60s. And it's a nice balance to the more difficult parts of the story that look at race relations. The writing was great as well and I loved the development of the secondary characters. It was interesting to see Woods use Winter's visit as a catalyst for everything that happens in the book. The one thing I would have loved to see more of is the exploration of Eden's love for music. We get a little bit of that in the beginning and end of the book, but it could have been incorporated with greater detail.
If you're looking for a new children's to middle grade historical fiction book to check out, I would recommend this.
When Winter Robeson Came focuses on Eden and her family after they have moved from the South to Los Angeles. When Eden's cousin Winter comes to visit, they do a little exploring of the city, but mainly they work on helping finding Winter's father who has been missing for 10 years. One of the things that I really appreciated about this book was the historical knowledge presented. Woods doesn't shy away from comparing and contrasting the experiences of Black families and communities in the West to those living in the South. When Winter realizes small things like the fact that they don't have to sit in the back of the bus, he is quick to assume that people out West aren't racist. This is corrected quickly as other characters let him know that though it's not as bad as the South, racism is still alive and well, but in a less obvious way. This statement will continue to hold true as Winter and Eden spend time in the community.
One of the main discussions that has been evident in the book community is the balancing of focusing on Black trauma and Black joy. While this is a historical fiction book that specifically is looking at the impact of the Watts Riots, I do appreciate that Woods gives readers the opportunity to see Black families in the community doing every day things. It gives great context for the various things that kids were doing in the 60s. And it's a nice balance to the more difficult parts of the story that look at race relations. The writing was great as well and I loved the development of the secondary characters. It was interesting to see Woods use Winter's visit as a catalyst for everything that happens in the book. The one thing I would have loved to see more of is the exploration of Eden's love for music. We get a little bit of that in the beginning and end of the book, but it could have been incorporated with greater detail.
If you're looking for a new children's to middle grade historical fiction book to check out, I would recommend this.
May 18, 2022
It'll be a piano concerto, I decide, with changes in tempo from slow-largo-to fast-allegro.
A mixture of happy, sad, and strange-festoso, mesto, and misterioso-
the same way life, as I am learning, tends to be.
I will read anything Brenda Woods writes. Every title I have picked up that she has written teaches me empathy and history. Told in verse, this latest release by Woods is set during the Watts Riots and the summer of 1965 in Los Angeles. Eden Coal lives in LA and her cousin Winter Robeson comes to visit from Indianola, Mississippi. Winter's #1 item on his To Do list is to find his dad. Eden and Winter do some detective work and find themselves in the midst of the Watts Riots. Brenda Woods actually witnessed the events of that summer firsthand. Filled with musical terms, family values, and historical significance; this is a title you won't want to miss.
A mixture of happy, sad, and strange-festoso, mesto, and misterioso-
the same way life, as I am learning, tends to be.
I will read anything Brenda Woods writes. Every title I have picked up that she has written teaches me empathy and history. Told in verse, this latest release by Woods is set during the Watts Riots and the summer of 1965 in Los Angeles. Eden Coal lives in LA and her cousin Winter Robeson comes to visit from Indianola, Mississippi. Winter's #1 item on his To Do list is to find his dad. Eden and Winter do some detective work and find themselves in the midst of the Watts Riots. Brenda Woods actually witnessed the events of that summer firsthand. Filled with musical terms, family values, and historical significance; this is a title you won't want to miss.
March 6, 2024
A nice story 👌. Important to know about and learn to do/be better.
One part felt kinda rushed,but I was happy for the one character.
Would love a companion novel to see what what happens with Winter and family after the events of this one. Curious to see how everything turned out for them.
My favorite character besides the kids was
I didn't feel as connected to everything like I wanted. Not sure if it's my depression or the book.
Would recommend to everyone.
One part felt kinda rushed,but I was happy for the one character.
Would love a companion novel to see what what happens with Winter and family after the events of this one. Curious to see how everything turned out for them.
My favorite character besides the kids was
I didn't feel as connected to everything like I wanted. Not sure if it's my depression or the book.
Would recommend to everyone.
January 19, 2022
When Winter Robeson Came is a rich, immersive middle grade verse novel about family, LA in 1965, and the mystery of a missing parent. One of the kids, Eden loves music and is learning to play the piano, which may appeal to music-loving kids. This book also has a strong historical component as it highlights events of the Watts riots in 1965. Overall, I really liked this one and hope to read more from the author.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2022
"Little did I know, fourteen days ago when Winter Robeson came, just how unusual and unforgettable these two weeks would be." p. 151
December 18, 2023
Good characters and story
January 16, 2022
A strong 3.5. Winter comes to California to visit his cousins. While doing this he has his own agenda. Finding his father, that's been missing for ten years... Even though certain events has happened and Winter found his father. The ending and in-between time was vague. What did Winter do with his dad while he was with him? But we found out what Eden was doing. I feel like this story was more about Eden. Would I recommend this book. Yes. But I wanted to find out more about Winter. Did he check more off his list? How did his mother feel when Winter told her he found his dad? Just so many unanswered questions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2022
Richie’s Picks: WHEN WINTER ROBESON CAME by Brenda Woods, Penguin Random House/Nancy Paulsen Books, January 2022, 176p, ISBN: 978-1-5247-4158-7
“SACRAMENTO– Gov.elect Ronald Reagan will ask the legislature early next year to repeal the Rumford Open Housing Act because it interferes with the rights of individuals to dispose of their property as they see fit. In a series of campaign speeches, Reagan deplored racial bigotry but said prejudice could not be prevented by law. He said all persons in a free society have a ‘basic and cherished right’ to do as they please with their property. If an individual wants to discriminate against Negroes or others in selling or renting his house, he has a right to do so, Reagan said, even though such a prejudice is morally wrong. Reagan denounced the Rumford Act which outlaws racial discrimination in the sale and rental of real estate as an attempt ‘to give one segment of our population rights at the expense of the basic rights of all our citizens.’”
– Madera Tribune, November 21, 1966
“Shotgun
Shoot him ‘fore he run now
Do the jerk baby
Do the jerk now”
– Junior Walker (1965)
Brenda Woods’s WHEN WINTER ROBESON CAME is an engaging piece of historical fiction written in prose poetry. Set in Los Angeles, before and during the summer of 1965 Watts Rebellion, it’s a relatively quick read about Eden Coal’s 13 year-old cousin, Winter Robeson, coming to visit, and the two cousins seeking to track down Winter’s father, who disappeared in LA a decade earlier.
The majority of books for young readers that deal with civil rights and the 1960s are set in the South, where racism was up front, and often deadly. WHEN WINTER ROBESON CAME examines the more subtle racism that existed outside the South. Events and dialogue in the story match what I observed as a kid on suburban Long Island where the history of redlining meant that the Black population was shoehorned into a few scattered towns, and a Black family that sought to move into a white neighborhood was subject to violent rejection. (I’ve detailed elsewhere the community agitation against integration, and even firebombings, in my suburban childhood town.)
“Steps in Different Directions
Daddy pokes his head outside. Eden and Winter, y’all hurry,
Lyndon Johnson’s ‘bout to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965!
Together, in front of the television, we huddle.
The president puts pen to paper and signs.
This is monumental, Mama declares, a step in the right direction.
Daddy cheers and proclaims, Thought our hope had died with JFK,
but LBJ might just do us right.
Immediately, Winter disagrees. Some folks in Mississippi might still be too scared to vote, like my mama. You know, after the Freedom Summer murders and the bombing of that Freedom School and then those houses in Indianola just this past May…
Daddy hangs his head. We knew some of those folks who had their houses bombed. It’s why we left. Too many folks wanting to kill us when we try to claim our rights.
Winter says, I’ve been begging Mama to leave, move here to California, where it’s nice.
Daddy, as always in the mood for truth, tells him,
It may look nice, son, but even here it doesn’t take long to learn we’re not always welcome. There may not be signs posted, but segregation’s alive here too.
Plenty of places we can’t rent or buy.
The Fair Housing Act was supposed to change all that.
But, of course, it was repealed.
One step forward, another step back.”
Wait. This confused the heck out of me. The Fair Housing Act wasn’t enacted until 1968, right?
What I didn’t understand, before doing a bit of research, is that the California legislature and then-Governor Pat Brown had enacted a STATE fair housing law that took effect in 1963. It was repealed in 1964 through California’s initiative, or proposition, process. Proposition 14 made it onto the ballot, and nearly every county in the state voted to eliminate the fair housing law. The proposition was overturned by the California Supreme Court as unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Governor Pat Brown’s support for fair housing likely cost him the 1966 gubernatorial election and this issue was later behind Reagan’s “states’ rights” rhetoric as a presidential candidate.
There are some weighty history lessons tucked below the surface in this tale of two kids on a family mission who suddenly face grave danger when Black dissatisfaction with a plethora of inequalities hits a boiling point. Such lessons will enlighten middle graders and tweens who might mistakenly believe that racial animus in modern times has been limited to the former slave and border states.
(For another look at the 1965 Watts Rebellion, see the 1995 Caldecott Medal-winning SMOKY NIGHT by Eve Bunting and David Diaz.)
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
https://twitter.com/richiespicks
richiepartington@gmail.com
“SACRAMENTO– Gov.elect Ronald Reagan will ask the legislature early next year to repeal the Rumford Open Housing Act because it interferes with the rights of individuals to dispose of their property as they see fit. In a series of campaign speeches, Reagan deplored racial bigotry but said prejudice could not be prevented by law. He said all persons in a free society have a ‘basic and cherished right’ to do as they please with their property. If an individual wants to discriminate against Negroes or others in selling or renting his house, he has a right to do so, Reagan said, even though such a prejudice is morally wrong. Reagan denounced the Rumford Act which outlaws racial discrimination in the sale and rental of real estate as an attempt ‘to give one segment of our population rights at the expense of the basic rights of all our citizens.’”
– Madera Tribune, November 21, 1966
“Shotgun
Shoot him ‘fore he run now
Do the jerk baby
Do the jerk now”
– Junior Walker (1965)
Brenda Woods’s WHEN WINTER ROBESON CAME is an engaging piece of historical fiction written in prose poetry. Set in Los Angeles, before and during the summer of 1965 Watts Rebellion, it’s a relatively quick read about Eden Coal’s 13 year-old cousin, Winter Robeson, coming to visit, and the two cousins seeking to track down Winter’s father, who disappeared in LA a decade earlier.
The majority of books for young readers that deal with civil rights and the 1960s are set in the South, where racism was up front, and often deadly. WHEN WINTER ROBESON CAME examines the more subtle racism that existed outside the South. Events and dialogue in the story match what I observed as a kid on suburban Long Island where the history of redlining meant that the Black population was shoehorned into a few scattered towns, and a Black family that sought to move into a white neighborhood was subject to violent rejection. (I’ve detailed elsewhere the community agitation against integration, and even firebombings, in my suburban childhood town.)
“Steps in Different Directions
Daddy pokes his head outside. Eden and Winter, y’all hurry,
Lyndon Johnson’s ‘bout to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965!
Together, in front of the television, we huddle.
The president puts pen to paper and signs.
This is monumental, Mama declares, a step in the right direction.
Daddy cheers and proclaims, Thought our hope had died with JFK,
but LBJ might just do us right.
Immediately, Winter disagrees. Some folks in Mississippi might still be too scared to vote, like my mama. You know, after the Freedom Summer murders and the bombing of that Freedom School and then those houses in Indianola just this past May…
Daddy hangs his head. We knew some of those folks who had their houses bombed. It’s why we left. Too many folks wanting to kill us when we try to claim our rights.
Winter says, I’ve been begging Mama to leave, move here to California, where it’s nice.
Daddy, as always in the mood for truth, tells him,
It may look nice, son, but even here it doesn’t take long to learn we’re not always welcome. There may not be signs posted, but segregation’s alive here too.
Plenty of places we can’t rent or buy.
The Fair Housing Act was supposed to change all that.
But, of course, it was repealed.
One step forward, another step back.”
Wait. This confused the heck out of me. The Fair Housing Act wasn’t enacted until 1968, right?
What I didn’t understand, before doing a bit of research, is that the California legislature and then-Governor Pat Brown had enacted a STATE fair housing law that took effect in 1963. It was repealed in 1964 through California’s initiative, or proposition, process. Proposition 14 made it onto the ballot, and nearly every county in the state voted to eliminate the fair housing law. The proposition was overturned by the California Supreme Court as unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Governor Pat Brown’s support for fair housing likely cost him the 1966 gubernatorial election and this issue was later behind Reagan’s “states’ rights” rhetoric as a presidential candidate.
There are some weighty history lessons tucked below the surface in this tale of two kids on a family mission who suddenly face grave danger when Black dissatisfaction with a plethora of inequalities hits a boiling point. Such lessons will enlighten middle graders and tweens who might mistakenly believe that racial animus in modern times has been limited to the former slave and border states.
(For another look at the 1965 Watts Rebellion, see the 1995 Caldecott Medal-winning SMOKY NIGHT by Eve Bunting and David Diaz.)
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
https://twitter.com/richiespicks
richiepartington@gmail.com
October 9, 2025
you go compose, lil Eden.
We love a historical fiction with LAYERS. Good stuff.
We love a historical fiction with LAYERS. Good stuff.
December 22, 2021
The narrator, Eden Louise Cole, wants to be a songwriter, and her thoughts come out of her like spontaneous poetry, and the structure of the prose cleverly reflects this. Eden relates how in 1965 her thirteen-year old cousin, Winter Robeson, comes to L.A. for a two-week visit from Sunflower, Mississippi. Eden’s mum has lots planned for the pair to do, but Winter confesses to Eden that he’s actually in L.A. to find his now ten-years lost dad.
When Eden and Winter aren’t on planned activities, they become detectives, looking for clues that could lead them to information about what happened to Winter’s dad. Though the pair luck out, larger events in L.A. overtake them when riots break out in Watts. And though the kids are told to stay indoors, they rush out to help a kind woman who was helpful in Winter’s search.
There is so much love, humour and music in this story. Eden describes the action around her in poetry and in musical terms, drawing vivid pictures in my head of the people surrounding her.
There was a lot packed into this slim book:
-I loved the way Eden and Winter immediately got along; their relationship was a joy to read.
-Though it's only mentioned, Eden's street, and probably neighbourhood, is a victim of white flight.
-It was both exciting and sad how the kids managed to do what police couldn’t do, or be bothered to do, when locating clues to Winter’s missing dad, a Black man.
-I liked how the author showed how the fear of what was happening in Watts, and spilling over a little onto their street, affected Eden’s family and neighbourhood. And, some teachers demotivating girls from following their dreams
I loved this terrific story.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.
When Eden and Winter aren’t on planned activities, they become detectives, looking for clues that could lead them to information about what happened to Winter’s dad. Though the pair luck out, larger events in L.A. overtake them when riots break out in Watts. And though the kids are told to stay indoors, they rush out to help a kind woman who was helpful in Winter’s search.
There is so much love, humour and music in this story. Eden describes the action around her in poetry and in musical terms, drawing vivid pictures in my head of the people surrounding her.
There was a lot packed into this slim book:
-I loved the way Eden and Winter immediately got along; their relationship was a joy to read.
-Though it's only mentioned, Eden's street, and probably neighbourhood, is a victim of white flight.
-It was both exciting and sad how the kids managed to do what police couldn’t do, or be bothered to do, when locating clues to Winter’s missing dad, a Black man.
-I liked how the author showed how the fear of what was happening in Watts, and spilling over a little onto their street, affected Eden’s family and neighbourhood. And, some teachers demotivating girls from following their dreams
I loved this terrific story.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.
January 24, 2022
I heard about this book on a podcast and picked it up because it's about Los Angeles. It is the summer of 1965 and Eden's cousin Winter is cominig to visit her family in Los Angeles. They are all set to have a wonderful time sightseeing--and they do some of that--but they also spend time trying to find Winter's father, who disappeared in Los Angeles 8 years before. This happens as the Watts Riots/Rebellion occurs, and the children play a part in that too. It's a heartwarming story and all the pieces come together in the end.
September 21, 2025
This was an enjoyable verse novel about an event (the Watts Riots) I knew nothing about. I enjoyed the warm family relationship, and that there were happy endings for the main characters despite the traumatic event(s) surrounding them. My heart was certainly in my throat for a few pages when the kids went on their rescue mission!
February 4, 2022
This was surprisingly sweet. My favorite was when Winter asked if the girl was a "head turner, or got eye traffic from the ladies". I love how this book rounded out.
February 21, 2024
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
When Winter Robeson Came is a soulful and expressive verse novel that explores race relations in LA in the 60s. The book starts out with a visit from Eden’s cousin who, it turns out, is there for more than a friendly visit—he’s determined to find out what happened to his father, who disappeared ten years ago. The book is a mystery of sorts because of the storyline with Winter’s father, but then the Watts Riots start, and Winter’s situation takes a backseat to the chaos that erupts around them. Kids will learn about an important historical event and the mystery will keep them hooked!
When Winter Robeson Came is a soulful and expressive verse novel that explores race relations in LA in the 60s. The book starts out with a visit from Eden’s cousin who, it turns out, is there for more than a friendly visit—he’s determined to find out what happened to his father, who disappeared ten years ago. The book is a mystery of sorts because of the storyline with Winter’s father, but then the Watts Riots start, and Winter’s situation takes a backseat to the chaos that erupts around them. Kids will learn about an important historical event and the mystery will keep them hooked!
February 7, 2022
2.75 stars. I should have reviewed this book immediately after reading it, although I only finished it 3 days ago, But basically not much happened in the book, Eden's cousin, Winter Robeson comes to visit LA from Mississippi and is set in the backdrop of the summer of 1965 and the Watts Riots. Winter's main purpose in visiting is to find his father who disappeared 10 years ago, but basically not much happens in the story and at least for me, is immemorable.
February 1, 2023
When Winter Robeson Came is a decent historical fiction book for lower middle grade - heavy emphasis on the lower middle grade part.
It provides an adequate if not simplistic idea of the obstacles Black people faced in the 60s. The Watts Riots are not as central as the synopsis makes them out to be as they start 65% into the book. The tension and inequality that led to the riots is exposition dumped literally at the 65% mark the moment the characters find out it's started. Despite having 114 pages (approximately, I was listening on audio) to sprinkle it in, Woods chooses to have Eden's father suddenly go on a tirade about the ills plaguing the area and call it square instead. It felt like she suddenly remembered Watts is one of the 'lesser' (ie not one often discussed in the media) riots and she would actually have to explain before jumping in.
The riots themselves are mostly skimmed over. The kids spend maybe an hour in the riots on day 1 which translates to maybe 3 or 4 pages total. The rest is Eden relaying what happens until the end. It felt a little dismissive of the riots' significance. I would have preferred them bearing witness to more turmoil or possibly adding a character for the kids to befriend who lived in the heart of the area to relay more details.
Before the riots begin the book is dedicated purely to searching for Winter's father which is super straightforward and utterly lacking in any kind of tension. It's literally just talking to one person then talking to one other person then oh wow lucky break, the second person we talked to was the key all along. There are no twists, no puzzles, no clues. It's simply following up on leads in the most basic way possible.
Characters other than Winter and Eden have little development which meant when I was supposed to feel bad about something that happened I was unable to muster up the energy.
There is one white man, Fitz, left on the street - the few others already having flown the coop - who is finally pushed to move in with his daughter after the riots happen. Eden is heartbroken that another person is leaving. I was confused by how seriously Woods expected me to take this considering the fact that when he tells them he's leaving it's only his second appearance in the entire book. Why should I care about some random minor character moving? Why does Eden even care that much? He's just some guy on her street.
This went double for Eden's friends. I don't expect a neighbor to be super relevant unless the plot calls for it but I do expect people Eden purports to care about to actually appear often regardless of actual narrative merit so as to provide evidence as to their so-called relationship.
On a positive note, I did enjoy how Eden's love of piano carried over to how she saw the world. Music was not only something she could play, her entire perspective would be filtered through her love for it. For instance if she was feeling things were moving quickly she might think allegro instead of fast or occasionally wonder how a certain interaction would feel if she were writing a concierto. It made her voice feel distinct.
All in all, not a bad book. It reads like a kids' first introduction to social revolt. It gets the barebones of why rebellions happen, provides a general overview of how this specific one went down and lays the groundwork for a kid to begin asking questions regarding injustice around them. Despite how disparaging I'm sure this review seems, I had a good time reading the book and I respect what Brenda Woods has done.
Everyone has got to start learning about racial injustice somewhere and while I do think elements could have been better, kids are not going to notice and for the age group it's a fine lead-in to more engrossing or difficult material. That being said, intention aside, I'm not certain a kid would enjoy this as it largely reads like a book written for adults to recommend to children for educational purposes rather than a kid book that happens to take place in the 60s.
Not-not a recommendation, but not a recommendation either.
It provides an adequate if not simplistic idea of the obstacles Black people faced in the 60s. The Watts Riots are not as central as the synopsis makes them out to be as they start 65% into the book. The tension and inequality that led to the riots is exposition dumped literally at the 65% mark the moment the characters find out it's started. Despite having 114 pages (approximately, I was listening on audio) to sprinkle it in, Woods chooses to have Eden's father suddenly go on a tirade about the ills plaguing the area and call it square instead. It felt like she suddenly remembered Watts is one of the 'lesser' (ie not one often discussed in the media) riots and she would actually have to explain before jumping in.
The riots themselves are mostly skimmed over. The kids spend maybe an hour in the riots on day 1 which translates to maybe 3 or 4 pages total. The rest is Eden relaying what happens until the end. It felt a little dismissive of the riots' significance. I would have preferred them bearing witness to more turmoil or possibly adding a character for the kids to befriend who lived in the heart of the area to relay more details.
Before the riots begin the book is dedicated purely to searching for Winter's father which is super straightforward and utterly lacking in any kind of tension. It's literally just talking to one person then talking to one other person then oh wow lucky break, the second person we talked to was the key all along. There are no twists, no puzzles, no clues. It's simply following up on leads in the most basic way possible.
Characters other than Winter and Eden have little development which meant when I was supposed to feel bad about something that happened I was unable to muster up the energy.
There is one white man, Fitz, left on the street - the few others already having flown the coop - who is finally pushed to move in with his daughter after the riots happen. Eden is heartbroken that another person is leaving. I was confused by how seriously Woods expected me to take this considering the fact that when he tells them he's leaving it's only his second appearance in the entire book. Why should I care about some random minor character moving? Why does Eden even care that much? He's just some guy on her street.
This went double for Eden's friends. I don't expect a neighbor to be super relevant unless the plot calls for it but I do expect people Eden purports to care about to actually appear often regardless of actual narrative merit so as to provide evidence as to their so-called relationship.
On a positive note, I did enjoy how Eden's love of piano carried over to how she saw the world. Music was not only something she could play, her entire perspective would be filtered through her love for it. For instance if she was feeling things were moving quickly she might think allegro instead of fast or occasionally wonder how a certain interaction would feel if she were writing a concierto. It made her voice feel distinct.
All in all, not a bad book. It reads like a kids' first introduction to social revolt. It gets the barebones of why rebellions happen, provides a general overview of how this specific one went down and lays the groundwork for a kid to begin asking questions regarding injustice around them. Despite how disparaging I'm sure this review seems, I had a good time reading the book and I respect what Brenda Woods has done.
Everyone has got to start learning about racial injustice somewhere and while I do think elements could have been better, kids are not going to notice and for the age group it's a fine lead-in to more engrossing or difficult material. That being said, intention aside, I'm not certain a kid would enjoy this as it largely reads like a book written for adults to recommend to children for educational purposes rather than a kid book that happens to take place in the 60s.
Not-not a recommendation, but not a recommendation either.
October 19, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this book about a black family living in 1960s California at the time of the Watts Riots. Eden and her family live in a nice black neighborhood on the border between the lower class area known as Watts and the affluent area known as Baldwin Hills. In the summer of 65, her Mississippi cousin, Winter, comes for a two week visit. Her parents have lots of fun activities planned, but Winter has a secret plan. He has come to find his dad who moved to California 10 years earlier, then disappeared.
As I read this book, I found myself reminiscing about the carefree summer days of kids born in the 1970s and earlier. Eden and Winter, roughly age 12 and 13, have free rein to go anywhere and do anything they want. It's because of this freedom that they are able to bike or bus around town and do the sleuthing required to find Winter's dad. It's remarkable compared to the over scheduled, over protected life of kids today. I absolutely adored how these kids were so sure of themselves, so independent, so eager to talk to people, so motivated. I also loved how easily people made lasting connections and felt compelled to help one another. When a woman they met while searching for Winter's dad finds herself in the middle of the riot zone, they think nothing of racing into the fray to rescue her. Incredibly, they end up pushing her in a wheelchair back to Eden's house. That would never in a million years happen today, but it was the way things were back then. I love books that remind me of the days when a kid's self worth came from within, from his own actions, not because someone told him he was important.
Besides all that, this book expanded my knowledge of the Watts Riots. I had never heard of the Watts Towers either and had to look that up online. Very cool. This is a quick read. Not full-on prose, but not verse either. A great choice for reluctant readers, although Brenda Woods is a talented author so from a writing standpoint, it's not watered down. A definite must for every historical fiction collection.
As I read this book, I found myself reminiscing about the carefree summer days of kids born in the 1970s and earlier. Eden and Winter, roughly age 12 and 13, have free rein to go anywhere and do anything they want. It's because of this freedom that they are able to bike or bus around town and do the sleuthing required to find Winter's dad. It's remarkable compared to the over scheduled, over protected life of kids today. I absolutely adored how these kids were so sure of themselves, so independent, so eager to talk to people, so motivated. I also loved how easily people made lasting connections and felt compelled to help one another. When a woman they met while searching for Winter's dad finds herself in the middle of the riot zone, they think nothing of racing into the fray to rescue her. Incredibly, they end up pushing her in a wheelchair back to Eden's house. That would never in a million years happen today, but it was the way things were back then. I love books that remind me of the days when a kid's self worth came from within, from his own actions, not because someone told him he was important.
Besides all that, this book expanded my knowledge of the Watts Riots. I had never heard of the Watts Towers either and had to look that up online. Very cool. This is a quick read. Not full-on prose, but not verse either. A great choice for reluctant readers, although Brenda Woods is a talented author so from a writing standpoint, it's not watered down. A definite must for every historical fiction collection.
May 17, 2022
This historical fiction is set in 1965 Los Angeles, where a 12-year-old Black Southern transplant Eden Louise Coal eagerly awaiting the arrival of her 13-year-old cousin Winter who will be visiting from Mississippi. She's looking forward to summer fun like the beach, Disneyland, and also a visit to the Watts Towers, but it turns out Winter has an agenda. His number w thing to do on a very long todo list is locate his father who left Mississippi 10 years ago for Los Angeles. The fathers’ plan was to find work, a home and bring the family. But it seems he simply and vanished. It’s been 10 years now and Winter’s mama is bitter toward her husband named JT. Wee anyway, Winter's making the most of his L.A. visit, and a 10-year-old return address, to find his long-lost dad. In the course of their quest, they visit new neighborhoods, make new friends, learn some history, compare a lot of notes, make some great discoveries and then racial violence is about to explode a few blocks away.
Eden is musical and thrown in piano terms throughout the book to describe situations like giocosi for a playful and merry situation and rubato for flexible. I found The Watts towers to be quite intriguing and looked up the reference and pictures. Then there are the historic Watts racial riots that lasted six days leaving 34 dead, 23 of which were killed by police and national guard.
I recommend this for diverse representations and positive role models, there is violence during rioting but it is not graphically written. I lived the liv8ng family atmosphere.
Eden is musical and thrown in piano terms throughout the book to describe situations like giocosi for a playful and merry situation and rubato for flexible. I found The Watts towers to be quite intriguing and looked up the reference and pictures. Then there are the historic Watts racial riots that lasted six days leaving 34 dead, 23 of which were killed by police and national guard.
I recommend this for diverse representations and positive role models, there is violence during rioting but it is not graphically written. I lived the liv8ng family atmosphere.
April 1, 2022
I happened to read two books back-to-back that were even more fascinating when read that way. One was Troublemaker by John Cho and the other was When Winter Robeson Came by Brenda Woods. Both books take place in LA and both books take place during riots. Troublemaker deals with a young Korean American boy during the riots after the Rodney King verdict was announced. Jordan has been having trouble in school and with his family lately and when he finds out that his father has gone to the family-owned liquor store to protect it as the riots are moving to Koreatown, he creates a plan to help his father but everything goes awry from his first steps. When Winter Robeson Came takes place during the LA Watts riots and deals with Eden and her cousin Winter who is visiting from Mississippi. As Winter comments on things that are different and the same between their cities before the riots begin, it creates a background for the understandable fury that sets the spark. While I certainly don't condone rioting because it never actually solves a problem and in fact creates more, I do understand the anger and frustration and wish that equitable, respect, and honor were words we all lived up to instead of what has happened in our country. These books are important for students to read for many reasons and I will be recommending them both.
January 10, 2022
When Winter Robeson Came takes place in Los Angeles the summer of 1965. In august of that year, a black man was pulled over for drunken driving. He resisted arrest, which led to physical confrontation. Crowds gathered and more police were called in. In less than an hour, chaos had erupted. Over the next six days, 34 people would die, 1,032 would be injured, 200 buildings would be destroyed and at least 600 more damaged from fires or looting.
Though When Winter Robeson Came takes place during turbulent events, the book is also full of hope and joy. The story unfolds over two weeks, bookending the riots. Winter arrives in L.A. full of hope and excitement. And Eden is just as excited. The two are well paired. You can’t help but feel author Brenda Woods had a true sense of their relationship long before the story took hold.
What makes When Winter Robeson Came really stand out, though, is Woods’ prose. This is her first book written in free verse, but you’d never know that. Her smooth cadence draws you in from the beginning and gracefully pushes the narrative forward throughout.
This is a fantastic look at the strength of family and friendship against the backdrop of civil rights.
Though When Winter Robeson Came takes place during turbulent events, the book is also full of hope and joy. The story unfolds over two weeks, bookending the riots. Winter arrives in L.A. full of hope and excitement. And Eden is just as excited. The two are well paired. You can’t help but feel author Brenda Woods had a true sense of their relationship long before the story took hold.
What makes When Winter Robeson Came really stand out, though, is Woods’ prose. This is her first book written in free verse, but you’d never know that. Her smooth cadence draws you in from the beginning and gracefully pushes the narrative forward throughout.
This is a fantastic look at the strength of family and friendship against the backdrop of civil rights.
August 21, 2022
"Little did I know, fourteen days ago when Winter Robeson came, just how unusual and unforgettable these two weeks would be."
🚲
Eden lives in LA and her cousin, Winter Robeson, lives in Mississippi in the summer of 1965. When Winter comes for a visit one summer Eden can’t wait to show him around, but he is on a mission to find out what happened to his father ten years ago when he disappeared. As the two venture into Watts they get caught up in six days’ worth of riots that take over the city. Told in a #novelinverse we see these historic events from two young Black kids’ point of view.
🚲
A historical fiction MG story that will have you rooting for two kids as they try to get answers and also try to survive during the Watts Riots. Woods is able to give readers a look at both Black joy and Black trauma in equal measure, which I think must be a fine line to walk as a Black author, but she did it very well. If you’re looking for a quick middle grade book that packs a punch, grab this one!
CW: rioting, racism, racist laws, police brutality, missing parent, death, violence
3.75 ⭐️
🚲
Eden lives in LA and her cousin, Winter Robeson, lives in Mississippi in the summer of 1965. When Winter comes for a visit one summer Eden can’t wait to show him around, but he is on a mission to find out what happened to his father ten years ago when he disappeared. As the two venture into Watts they get caught up in six days’ worth of riots that take over the city. Told in a #novelinverse we see these historic events from two young Black kids’ point of view.
🚲
A historical fiction MG story that will have you rooting for two kids as they try to get answers and also try to survive during the Watts Riots. Woods is able to give readers a look at both Black joy and Black trauma in equal measure, which I think must be a fine line to walk as a Black author, but she did it very well. If you’re looking for a quick middle grade book that packs a punch, grab this one!
CW: rioting, racism, racist laws, police brutality, missing parent, death, violence
3.75 ⭐️
September 1, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
I really wanted to like this book, but I think reading it on audio didn’t do me any favours. I normally love listening to novels in verse (like Acevedo's!) but to me, it seemed more like a novel in prose when I was listening. Reading it on paper would be a much more enjoyable experience, I think. I also struggle with reading middle grade books on audio in general, since the narrators often make themselves sound TOO young - but that's a me-hang-up, so I wasn't doing the actual book any favours I guess.
That being said, When Winter Robeson Came ticks a lot of boxes for things I look for in books for my classroom: it's short (176 pages), it's got great representation, and it's by an award-winning author. I think it would be a great addition to a historical fiction book club set, or one focused on societal change. It addresses white flight, the Watts Riots/Rebellion of 1965, sexism, racism, and growing up with an absent father. If you're a music person, you'll like it, since there's a running theme of the narrator comparing peoples' moods and key moments to music.
I really wanted to like this book, but I think reading it on audio didn’t do me any favours. I normally love listening to novels in verse (like Acevedo's!) but to me, it seemed more like a novel in prose when I was listening. Reading it on paper would be a much more enjoyable experience, I think. I also struggle with reading middle grade books on audio in general, since the narrators often make themselves sound TOO young - but that's a me-hang-up, so I wasn't doing the actual book any favours I guess.
That being said, When Winter Robeson Came ticks a lot of boxes for things I look for in books for my classroom: it's short (176 pages), it's got great representation, and it's by an award-winning author. I think it would be a great addition to a historical fiction book club set, or one focused on societal change. It addresses white flight, the Watts Riots/Rebellion of 1965, sexism, racism, and growing up with an absent father. If you're a music person, you'll like it, since there's a running theme of the narrator comparing peoples' moods and key moments to music.
June 4, 2022
Eden and Winter are two cousins who are getting reacquainted during the summer of 1965 in Los Angeles.Eden discovers that Winter isn’t really there to sightsee. He wants to know what happened to his dad, who disappeared in the Watts area of L.A. ten years before. So the cousins set out to investigate.
I didn’t know much about the Watts riots and, like all historical novels, this was a great way to learn about the clash between the police and the black residents. For six days, Watts is like a war zone, and Eden and Winter become heroes in their own part of the drama.
This book is short and written in verse. The author does a great job developing the characters and the story quickly and I appreciated that. Students will not wade through a hundred pages just to get to the meat of a story. I love how Woods incorporates music throughout the story. It is a beautifully told story about how family and friends can hold you together in both the hardest and best times.
I didn’t know much about the Watts riots and, like all historical novels, this was a great way to learn about the clash between the police and the black residents. For six days, Watts is like a war zone, and Eden and Winter become heroes in their own part of the drama.
This book is short and written in verse. The author does a great job developing the characters and the story quickly and I appreciated that. Students will not wade through a hundred pages just to get to the meat of a story. I love how Woods incorporates music throughout the story. It is a beautifully told story about how family and friends can hold you together in both the hardest and best times.
March 9, 2023
Winter Robeson comes to LA to visit his cousin - but he has a secret mission. His time in LA will change his life - and the world - forever.
Set during the Watts Riots in 1965, this novel in verse is a quick, fairly effective read. My problems with the novel come from it's free verse format. I don't think it's particularly effective poetry, just more like a prose novel that the author happened to break into stanzas. I question if the novel would have been any different if a traditional structure had been utilized. And if the answer's no... then why put it in verse to begin with?
Mostly read in the waiting area of Roush Honda after on a slightly memorable morning when my car wouldn't start. Is reading juvenile fiction in a car showroom close enough to work that I don't have to use personal time?
Set during the Watts Riots in 1965, this novel in verse is a quick, fairly effective read. My problems with the novel come from it's free verse format. I don't think it's particularly effective poetry, just more like a prose novel that the author happened to break into stanzas. I question if the novel would have been any different if a traditional structure had been utilized. And if the answer's no... then why put it in verse to begin with?
Mostly read in the waiting area of Roush Honda after on a slightly memorable morning when my car wouldn't start. Is reading juvenile fiction in a car showroom close enough to work that I don't have to use personal time?
April 24, 2023
4.5
A short, punchy, novel told through brief journal-type entries. Eden’s cousin Winter comes from Mississippi to visit her in California. They have big plans, especially Winter who is hoping to solve the mystery of his missing father. They meet some helpful neighbors on their quest, but before Winter’s visit is over they find themselves in the midst of the Watts Riots.
For as short and breezy as the writing is, the story offers a nice amount of depth and detail. And while it is discouraging to know that Black Americans have been protesting the same basic things for so long, it is always enlightening to see the continuity of the struggle and to know that perseverance does enable incremental movement.
My only complaint is that it would have been nice to have a bit more meat on the author’s note, or to have some other sources included.
A short, punchy, novel told through brief journal-type entries. Eden’s cousin Winter comes from Mississippi to visit her in California. They have big plans, especially Winter who is hoping to solve the mystery of his missing father. They meet some helpful neighbors on their quest, but before Winter’s visit is over they find themselves in the midst of the Watts Riots.
For as short and breezy as the writing is, the story offers a nice amount of depth and detail. And while it is discouraging to know that Black Americans have been protesting the same basic things for so long, it is always enlightening to see the continuity of the struggle and to know that perseverance does enable incremental movement.
My only complaint is that it would have been nice to have a bit more meat on the author’s note, or to have some other sources included.
December 14, 2021
This is a great snapshot of middle class African American life in Los Angeles in the two week period surrounding the Watts Riots. Eden and her family have been living in Los Angeles for several years now. Her cousin Winter is coming to visit from Mississippi. While Eden has made a lot of plans of what to show him (the beach, Disneyland, etc), Winter is intent on finding his father who disappeared in Los Angeles 10 years before. As they explore the areas where he was last seen, they learn more about life in Los Angeles. Contains great information on the Watts Riots, "white flight," discriminatory housing practices, and the fight for civil rights. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
February 22, 2022
Edin's family moved from Mississippi to Los Angeles and now in 1965 her thirteen-year-old cousin Winter Robeson is coming to visit her family for two weeks. She has plans to show him the sights, but Winter also wants to look for his father who's been absent from his family for ten years and Winter knows his last address was in Watts. As Edin and Winter search for his father, they experience part of the riots in Watts and learn that racism is as alive in Los Angeles as it in in the south.
Even though I remember the news about the sculpture in the Watts area and about the riots, I enjoyed vicariously exploring this time period through a black family's perspective. The author's experiences living near Watts during that time period made this history come more alive for me.
Even though I remember the news about the sculpture in the Watts area and about the riots, I enjoyed vicariously exploring this time period through a black family's perspective. The author's experiences living near Watts during that time period made this history come more alive for me.
May 16, 2023
i got this from my local library leaning program ...kind of curiosity question and i wonder why ... all that into one question ... why are there no pictures?? when i have read to little ones ...they want and wish for photos? illustrations? that beginning book cover ...it's breathtakingly beautiful ...why no photos with all the words? please add them and that will make this book priceless. i am curious why the publisher ...editor ...whomever didn't recommend that as well??! i know ...what year was that ...5 grade ... i think it was ...we wrote books as a part of our grade ...then we took those to read to the younger kids ...what did they want??! pictures!! add pictures please.
December 4, 2021
I just finished this very important book. Novels that address topics that make the reader think are learn are so important to our middle grade readers. This book was set in 1965 in Los Angeles during the time of the Watts Rebellion. Admittedly, I had to search and learn about this time period myself. Students will love the relationship of the two cousins as they search for Winter’s father. 5 stars. Another spectacular book by @nancyrosep and @penguinkids. If you haven’t read The Unsung Hero by Birdsong, USA also by @brendawoods
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