Reading Group Guide
Every summer my cousins come to visit me in the city. They start to arrive when school ends, and leave right after my birthday. All summer long we travel uptown and downtown. We go to the pool, ride the subway, eat pretzels in the park, and end with the the absolutely mandatory viewing of The Wiz (it’s my favorite movie). Every summer my cousins chip in to buy me one amazing gift. But the gift I want this year is worth more than all the gifts in all the Gift Worlds. This summer I want a nickname.
I know, this may seem like a strange gift, but let me explain. In my family, nicknames need to be earned (it’s like a badge of honor). I am the only one who hasn’t earned one yet. But this summer is going to be different, I can feel it in my pinky. This summer I have a plan.
Lynn shows up first. We call her Spice. She is the oldest and the best cook of all the cousins. The summer Spice earned her nickname she tried to cook curry chicken but must’ve practiced the recipe wrong. It turned out to be the spiciest curry chicken in all the Curry Chicken Worlds. No one had the heart to tell her it was too spicy (we drank a lot of water that summer).
This summer I want to known for my cooking like Spice. I ask her to teach me how to make coconut rice (every batch came out either mushy or crunchy).
Jermaine arrives next, he is the strongest cousin, and everyone calls him Stone. One summer at the community pool some kids were picking on me so he choose me to be his partner in Chicken Fight. No one could knock the stone wall over and we won every battle.
This summer I ask Spice to make more vegetables and blend fruit into a smoothie so I can be strong like Stone. Every night I challenge my cousins to an arm wrestle but lose every battle (even against my younger twin cousins).
Shamyia and Eli are my twin cousins. We call them Star and him DJ-E because they are the musical duo of the family. Last summer they both earned a nickname when they burst into song on the subway. Everyone was so amused, people were clapping and cheering them on (some people even gave them money).
This summer I practice all of the songs I know in the bathroom mirror but the neighbors bang on the wall to get me to stop. Then I tried to beatbox at the dinner table but only managed to spit all over the bowl of collard greens.
Sharise comes to town next, we all call her Swift. She earned her name the summer she challenged Billy Washington to a race. She was two years younger than him but left him in the dust, ever since then we’ve been calling her Swift.
This summer I challenge my cousins to race but only end up winded and wheezing after one block.
Natasha, who we call Giggles, comes next. She earned her nickname because she’s always cracking jokes. The summer I turned my cousins chipped in to buy me The Wiz on DVD (which is now absolutely mandatory viewing on my birthday). Well, the first time we tried to watch it we had to keep pausing the movie. Every few minutes Giggles was making a joke about the Scarecrow or the Cowardly Lion. Everyone was laughing so hard I could hardly hear the movie.
This summer I practice all of the jokes I can find on the internet but they all fall flat.
Wayne arrives last to the apartment. We all call him The Ambassador because he knows how to keep the peace. He is one of the younger cousins, but he can listen and debate like a pro. The summer he earned his nickname we were having a big disagreement over which sight to see. Star and DJ-E wanted to go to Coney Island to ride the Cyclone. Spice and Stone wanted to catch a movie in the city. Giggles and I vote for the zoo. Well, The Ambassador settled it, and we all agreed to go to the beach. Later that summer we went to Coney Island, the zoo, and saw three movies on matinee.
This summer I tried to be the peacemaker when any of the cousins argued, but but I’m too small and no one ever hears me.
All summer I try on my cousins names, but none of them quite fit.
As the summer ticks away I worry about my birthday at the end of the month, but my cousins don’t seem to notice. Star and DJ-E try out their new routine during every train ride. The Ambassador settles arguments about what subway to take and what we should do on the weekends. All summer Swift out races everyone on our block, and the next block, and the next block, and on all the blocks in all the Block Worlds. Stone chooses Star to be his partner in Chicken Fight and they win every battle. Giggles tells new jokes all the livelong summer and everyone laughs, (even me even though I am worried). And every night we end the day with a tasty meal prepared by Spice (she is learning how to make pastelitos).
Before long, it's my birthday. The house is aflutter and everyone has a special job (except me). Stone is in charge of the streamers, and putting any anything up high. Swift runs back and forth to the Bodega getting last minute supplies. Spice kicks everyone out of the kitchen so the cake doesn’t fall. Star and DJ-E are in charge of all the tunes. The Ambassador is getting ready to greet people at the door. I know I am supposed to be happy, but I all I feel is dread. Once the party is over my cousins will start to leave and I will have to wait another year for a nickname.
Just before the first guest arrives, I see my cousins whispering amongst themselves. Something isn't right. I can feel it in my pinky. When The Ambassador steps forward I know its something bad.
“We can’t find The Wiz. We’ve been looking for it all night.” I can’t take anymore bad news. My eyes fill with tears and I start to cry. “But we will keep looking for it until we find it” he tries to assure me.
I am all tears and snot before I know it then I hear Stone yelling, “I found it! I found it!” from the kitchen. “Bring something skinny, and long!”
We all cram into the small kitchen to see what is going on. Wedged real deep between the refrigerator and cabinet I could see The Wiz movie box.
“The broom doesn’t work,” DJ-E whispers.
“Stone tried to use his hand, but he couldn’t fit it in the space” Spice frets. She tries a spatula, but it isn’t long enough to reach.
“We need something small,” says The Ambassador.
“Like a smurf,” Giggles jokes.
Just then I had an idea. I am the smallest of the cousin. I’m not quite as small as a smurf, but I hadn’t tried yet. “Let me try before we give up,” I say and everyone clears the way. Into the crack my arm goes. I feel around and my pinky touches the case.
When I pull the DVD box out everyone starts cheering like I have a golden ticket in my hand. Stone sweeps me onto his shoulders and parades me through the house. Then everyone starts to sing the Stevie Wonder version of Happy Birthday until Star stops them.
“Let’s sing it this way: Happy birthday to Smurf, happy birthday to Smurf, Happy Biiirrrttthhhdddaaayyyy!” Star belts.
And just like that, everyone joins in and starts singing along.
When all of the excitement settles we sit down to watch the absolutely mandatory viewing of The Wiz and I don’t even get upset when we have to pause because of Giggles. I knew this would be the summer I earned a nickname, I felt it in my pinky.
