Ninth Ward (Coretta Scott King Author Honor Title) - by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Paperback)

About the Book

When Mama Ya-Ya's visions show a powerful hurricane--Katrina--fast approaching, it's up to 12-year-old Lanesha to call upon the hope and strength Mama Ya-Ya has given her to help them both survive the storm. A Coretta Scott King Honor Book.

Book Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a heartbreaking and uplifting tale of survival in the face of Hurricane Katrina.

Twelve-year-old Lanesha lives in a tight-knit community in New Orleans' Ninth Ward. She doesn't have a fancy house like her uptown family or lots of friends like the other kids on her street. But what she does have is Mama Ya-Ya, her fiercely loving caretaker, wise in the ways of the world and able to predict the future. So when Mama Ya-Ya's visions show a powerful hurricane--Katrina--fast approaching, it's up to Lanesha to call upon the hope and strength Mama Ya-Ya has given her to help them both survive the storm.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Boys and Towers Falling, Ninth Ward is a deeply emotional story about transformation and a celebration of resilience, friendship, and family--as only love can define it.

Review Quotes

A CCBC Recommended Multicultural Book for Children and Teens

"Jewell Parker Rhodes has written a powerful novel about family and survival in the face of tragedy and has created in her twelve-year-old narrator Lanesha, a true heroine. [She] shows a kind of bravery and big-heartedness that is a gift she passes along to her friend, her community and the readers of this luminous book."--Walter Mosley

"A beautiful, moving, personal story. Unforgettable. I loved it."--Justine Larbalestier

"A girl with special powers awakens to the New Orleans around her in a story told with gritty poetry."--Richard Peck

"An absolutely exquisite children's debut by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Jewell's vivid writing brings the setting to life, in a story that is both timely and unforgettable."--Patricia Reilly Giff

"An enjoyable, satisfying novel about the magical spirit of a young girl navigating her way through an American tragedy."--Christopher Paul Curtis

"Another gem by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Two youngsters, friends forever, find a way to survive, to love, to begin again. Wow! What a legacy to pass along."--Nikki Giovanni

"Lanesha is a miraculous candle of a girl: her flame burns steadier in hurricane winds, and glows brighter against dark flood-waters. Jewell Parker Rhodes's book shines with love."--Sara Pennypacker

About the Author

Jewell Parker Rhodes is the author of Ninth Ward, a Coretta Scott King honor book, Sugar, winner of the Jane Adams Peace Association book award, Bayou Magic, and Towers Falling. She has also written many award-winning books for adults.