Customer Reviews

A Summer of Kings

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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.

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:-)

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!!

"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.

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.

I received the book in excellent condition.....I wish I would have received it a little faster as it was for a required Pre-AP English book for my daughter but I would definitely buy from this again! Thank You!

We're reading this in english class for our civil rights unit, and i wait with bated breath every day for the last bell when i can go read some more!! This book is so fantastic so far!!!! Thank you, Han Nolan!

I read this book because I was browsing different works by Han Nolan. The only other book I'd read by the author was 'Born Blue.' That book was amazing so I figured I'd give one of her other books a try. I was laughing out loud through the early parts of the book, then, before I knew it, I was feeling the lowest of lows along with the narrator of the story. I ended up loving this book more than I thought it would. In my opinion, 'Born Blue' is the better book of the two, but it's still worth a read.

I discovered this book in the teen area of our library. The teen librarians had this as a recommended favorite of the month, or I would have never known it's existance. I picked it up out of curiosity, and decided it looked good,and maybe I could learn something about Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. as they relate to when I was a child too young to be aware.
There are so many books I had been aching to read, but I had to stop and read this one. Then, when I did start reading, I couldn't put it down. That is so very unlike me. I read it in three days! Unlike me again. Fiction is usually too sappy and unreal for me to enjoy.

It was so well written that I believed all the way through that it was a biography. How could anyone describe so accurately the feelings of Esther unless she was Esther! I so related to those feelings, and I believe we all do. The character development of everyone involved was so real. It seemed obvious to me that Esther was ADHD and had an gift of understanding people.
The book was so good that I, being over 40, was crying in the middle because I so related to how Esther felt. Don't get me wrong, it's not really a tear jerker, and not really negative.
I am going to buy it to keep a copy for myself. I will also read it to my 12 year old daughter, and perhaps use it as a home school unit.
I am now in search of other Han Nolan titles in hopes of finding other awesome titles. Maybe the author will indulge us with sequels!

A Summer of Kings, is a realistic fiction book it contains adventure. The book is written by Han Nolan, takes place in the 1960s during a time when the world was facing racial tensions between African Americans and Anglos. This book is realistic, historical and emotional. It disputes both sides of racism, the violence of the white man against the black man and the anger of the black man towards the white man.

In the book, one of the main characters, King-Roy Johnson, is accused of murdering an Anglo man. Esther, the 14 year old Anglo girl, has very strong emotions about wanting to become something new, something better. She is very frustrated with herself because her family makes statements to her about her being stupid because she failed the 3rd grade. This is obvious when she is told that she should be a gym teacher since it does not require intelligence. She believes that by falling in love with King-Roy, this will begin the process of becoming something new.

King-Roy begins to believe the teachings and philosophies of Malcolm X, who promotes the use of violence to resolve racial issues, after meeting Ax (who doesn't like the "white-devils" which are Anglos) on the bus to live at the Young's House. Esther learns the peaceful ways of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ghandi principles.

Esther and King-Roy produced issues between them. Esther is approaching the issues as not keeping promises and honesty. Esther's first matter is promises because King-Roy said that he would meet her, Sophie, and Stewart at the bus station, but in spite of his honesty they went to Harlem to get him so they would be home on time for dinner.


Esther's friend, Pip was "in training" for cross-country so Esther would run with him every morning at 5:00 a.m. Later in the city, King- Roy and Esther agreed to meet at the bus station at 4:00 p.m. to go back home; King- Roy never showed up after Sophie and Stewart's auditions. King-Roy was found in Harlem with his friend, Ax (who didn't like "white devils" which are Anglos). Esther then climbed up a tree because she was mad that her family was making fun of her. Her father came to her and said that he was sorry about the incident that happened. Next, King-Roy came and said that he would teach Esther how to tap dance. Lastly, Mrs. Young, Esther's mother, came outside to apologize Esther was complaining because she never received a thank-you for everything that she did. Mrs. Young said that she never receives a thank-you from anybody in the house-hold.

I really liked the book, its description and mental visualization. I didn't really like the lack of honesty between each character. The narrator explained their story very well and simple so it was easy to receive the information.


The book is one of my new favorite books. It is in my top 3 books!!!