upside down in the middle of nowhere by julie t lamana

A powerful story of courage and survival, Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere celebrates the miraculous power of hope and love in the face of the unthinkable. But when Hurricane Katrina hits the Lower Nines of New Orleans, Armani realizes that being ten means being brave, watching loved ones die, and mustering all her strength to help her family weather the storm.

It means she's older, wiser, more responsible. All her friends are coming to her party, her mama is making a big cake, and she has a good feeling about a certain wrapped box. Armani Curtis can think about only one thing: her tenth birthday. But parents will want to know that it doesn't flinch when describing the death and destruction that hit New Orleans during that time and be cautious with younger, sensitive readers.' -Cindy Hudson, author of Book by BookĪ ten-year-old girl learns the importance of family and community in this tale of love and hope set during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. An honest, bleak account of a national tragedy sure to inspire discussion and research.' - Kirkus Reviews 'I recommend the book because I think it does a good job of capturing what life was like in New Orleans both before and after Katrina and because Armani's journey will give readers a lot to think about and discuss. Praise for Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere 'Lamana goes for and achieves realism here, carefully establishing the characters and setting before describing in brutal detail, beyond what is typical in youth literature, the devastating effects of Katrina-loss of multiple family members, reports of attacks in the Superdome, bodies drifting in the current and less-than-ideal shelter conditions. A ten-year-old girl learns the importance of family and community in this tale of love and hope set during the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Upside down in the middle of nowhere by julie t lamana