Lanesha, is a twelve year old girl who does not come from a home with a lot of money, like her uptown family or friends. What makes Lanesha special is intelligence, strength and MaMa Ya-Ya, her loving grandmother. Mama Ya-Ya is very wise and is able to predict a powerful hurricane is coming towards them. Using both Lanesha and MaMa Ya-Ya's intelligence, the two are forced to face the terrible disaster. The main themes of the book are love/family and coming of age. I would read this book with upper junior high aged students. Older students would be able to understand how natural disasters occur and much damage they can cause. I would have my students journal about their reactions while reading the book. The will be instructed to have an entry for at least each chapter of the book. I remember when Hurricane Katrina hit, hard to believe it was almost ten years ago. I like that authors are writing about this simply to give voice to the people and to bring awareness to children today that would not remember this hurricane. Lanesha is 12 years old and lives with Mama Ya-Ya in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Mama Ya-Ya is an 82 year old mid-wife whom delivered Lanesha and raised her after Lanesha's birth mom passed away after the delivery. She was only 17 years old. Now the year is 2005 and Mama Ya-Ya's dreams are making her nervous. She knows that something bas is going to happen, and that is when Hurricane Katrina is formed.Lanesha is unwanted by her uptown family, and we get the impression they are quite wealthy, yet they want nothing to do with Lanesha. She goes about her life always being the misfit in school. She is the weird girl that sees ghosts and lives with Mama Ya-Ya who believes in things that may be hard for others to accept. One day, she comes across of group of kids tormenting a boy and a dog. Lanesha steps in and breaks up the fight. The boy, TaShon, goes to school with Lanesha and never said too much to her. Somehow they strike up a friendship and TaShon wants to keep the dog, Spot, he calls him, however is unable to do so. Lanesha ends up with the dog and another wonderful friendship is formed. The first half of the story sets up Lanesha's life and friendships. She can see ghosts and frequently sees the spirit of her young mother. I really did not find this part of the story to be odd, simply because ghosts and spirituality is a large part of New Orleans culture. The second half of the book was about the Hurricane and the surge that flooded the city. It was interesting to read a book from the perspective of a young girl trapped in her house with an elderly woman, unable to leave the city because they had no vehicle or any means to do so. How many people were in this situation? It gave me a lot to think about. I know the loss of life during this event was horrific, but how many more could have survived with the proper means to evactuate?Lanesha was a likable character. I loved Mama Ya-Ya. She was 70 years old she Lanesha's mom asked her to raise the baby. She did, never actually adopting her, but caring for her as though she were her on child. Mama Ya-Ya never had children of her own, and Lanesha became her daughter. The reason I gave this book 3 stars instead of more was because at the book's conclusion I had a lot of questions that were simply not answered. I was actually annoyed of how the book ended and wanted more! I looked for a sequel and could not find one. I do hope there is more to the story. The hurricane may have been over, but I think Lanesha's story was just beginning.
What do You think about Ninth Ward (2010)?
A child's perspective of serving the infamous Katrina. It was simply told story yet still uplifting.
—rida
Good book about hurricane Katrina. for older readers.
—junietunes
