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ragesandpages's review against another edition
4.0
Lanesha is a young girl whose mother died in childbirth. Since then, the midwife Mama Ya-Ya has taken care of Lanesha. They live in poor conditions, but Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya are happy and like the neighborhood very much. However, Hurricane Katrina has other plans for them and Lanesha must do what she can to survive, even if that means leaving some people behind (including the ghost of her dead mother!)
I really enjoyed this book upon completion. I was reading reviews of this book, stating that the characters were stereotypical. But here's my thinking - there are people who practice alternative religions -Santeria - in this case. And there are people who strongly believe in ghosts and the supernatural. But I thought the ghosts were meant to be seen as a coping device; however, I could be wrong. The supernatural element sucks the reader in to Lanesha's world, and it does make the story more interesting. I thought the pacing was good and the story didn't stall. I felt bad for her friend, but I think he was the foil to show that she was a strong character overall. Of course, I cried because Mama Ya-Ya died, but I was looking for a conclusion to the story. Maybe there doesn't need to be one, because the closure we were supposed to get was that her mother is at peace and helped Lanesha survive the hurricane? I'm on the fence about the ending, but I thought the story was one that needed to be told.
I really enjoyed this book upon completion. I was reading reviews of this book, stating that the characters were stereotypical. But here's my thinking - there are people who practice alternative religions -Santeria - in this case. And there are people who strongly believe in ghosts and the supernatural. But I thought the ghosts were meant to be seen as a coping device; however, I could be wrong. The supernatural element sucks the reader in to Lanesha's world, and it does make the story more interesting. I thought the pacing was good and the story didn't stall. I felt bad for her friend, but I think he was the foil to show that she was a strong character overall. Of course, I cried because Mama Ya-Ya died, but I was looking for a conclusion to the story. Maybe there doesn't need to be one, because the closure we were supposed to get was that her mother is at peace and helped Lanesha survive the hurricane? I'm on the fence about the ending, but I thought the story was one that needed to be told.
bechug's review against another edition
1.0
I love a good book that helps me understand what people went through during difficult times, such as Hurricane Katrina. I thought this book would help my kids learn about that terrible disaster, but it mostly centered on things such as ghosts and numerology.
tlindhorst's review against another edition
4.75
Luminous. Filled with the spirit(s) of New Orleans.
joyful24's review against another edition
3.0
for some reason i thought this book would be a combination of [b:Voodoo Season|231805|Voodoo Season|Jewell Parker Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402281326s/231805.jpg|14437128] and [book:The Big Mama Stories|1558133. i seriously enjoyed reading the first book. it was almost as amazing my first actual visit to new orleans. since this is young adult fiction told from a preteen heroine birthed in the heart of the n.o. second most notorious neighborhood (after the french quarter) i figured it would have the sassy tone of the big mama stories. in a way i was correct. in a way i was wrong.
i think this book would fit well with 3rd/4th grade students. it is an excellent tool for teaching vocabulary. there are some great words woven into the tale with actual definitions and examples. it had an adolescent tone to the narrative they would appreciate. the action was swift and to the point. it was a little predictable; but that came from my own awareness about hurricane katrina.a child probably will not have the same level of memory about the event. unless they personally experienced the catastrophic natural disaster they would be spared some of the harsh reality. those of us who had cnn or wrote scholarly articles about the event are not as innocent in that regard.
i read a few chapters and stepped away from the book for a few days. i finished the rest of the story in one night. it was engaging despite the constant telling instead of showing how the story unfolds. a fair skinned child with light eyes born in a caul who sees ghosts and lives with an older woman versed in reading signs is as supernatural as it gets. the development of otherworldiness was weak until the plot climax. i got a good sense of the neighborhood. the pastel row houses, overly friendly people, and delicious food were just as i experienced it. there were lots of loose ends. i suppose its par for the course because the hurricane surely left thousands of people feeling the same way.
i think this book would fit well with 3rd/4th grade students. it is an excellent tool for teaching vocabulary. there are some great words woven into the tale with actual definitions and examples. it had an adolescent tone to the narrative they would appreciate. the action was swift and to the point. it was a little predictable; but that came from my own awareness about hurricane katrina.a child probably will not have the same level of memory about the event. unless they personally experienced the catastrophic natural disaster they would be spared some of the harsh reality. those of us who had cnn or wrote scholarly articles about the event are not as innocent in that regard.
i read a few chapters and stepped away from the book for a few days. i finished the rest of the story in one night. it was engaging despite the constant telling instead of showing how the story unfolds. a fair skinned child with light eyes born in a caul who sees ghosts and lives with an older woman versed in reading signs is as supernatural as it gets. the development of otherworldiness was weak until the plot climax. i got a good sense of the neighborhood. the pastel row houses, overly friendly people, and delicious food were just as i experienced it. there were lots of loose ends. i suppose its par for the course because the hurricane surely left thousands of people feeling the same way.
nssutton's review against another edition
4.0
I admire this book's take on a sensitive topic. At first, the devastation of New Orleans' Ninth Ward does not seem the most likely backdrop for a sci-fi/fantasty story. But Lanesha's spirit and innate goodness are a good foil to life's unpredictable moments, such as teenage motherhood, untimly parental deaths or the misfortune of living beside poorly constructed levees. JPR does heavy in a light way, never detracting from the seriousness of these topics, but focusing more on the acts of strength and love that allow children to survive when all hope seems lost.
I was hoping there'd be a sort of reader's guide in the back, with more information on the topic, but there was only a note from the author which a contained a watered down version of the situation. I think this book has the potential to be an excellent teaching tool, particularly as time goes on for students who may not have been old enough to remember watching the live video footage.
I was hoping there'd be a sort of reader's guide in the back, with more information on the topic, but there was only a note from the author which a contained a watered down version of the situation. I think this book has the potential to be an excellent teaching tool, particularly as time goes on for students who may not have been old enough to remember watching the live video footage.
librariandest's review against another edition
5.0
I really got into this story, probably because I didn't know very much about the experience of being in the Ninth Ward during Hurricane Katrina. I was fascinated by the timeline--the area flooded slowly in the days after the hurricane hit, and then people were stranded for days with no rescue. My colleagues have criticized the ending for being too vague because the story doesn't come to a satisfying conclusion (we're left wondering what is going to happen to Lanesha). But I thought it was still a very powerful little book that kept me totally enthralled. Beautifully written, with wonderful characters and a bit of a history lesson.
megatsunami's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it. Awesome story of a girl finding her own strength to make it through Hurricane Katrina in her home in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. The main criticism would be (as in "Bayou Magic" which I also loved) that Mama Yaya is just a little too perfect.
beccalove's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
cailynn_h18's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0