Book Blast
Book Giveaway Contest

NINTH WARD
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Grades 5-8
Twelve-year-old Lanesha lives in a tight-knit community in New Orlean's
Ninth Ward. She doesn’t have a fancy house like her uptown family or
lots of friends like 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.
"The
spare but vivid prose, lilting dialogue, and skilled storytelling brings
this tragedy to life; the powerful sense of community Rhodes evokes in
the Ninth Ward prior to the storm makes the devastation and the
hardships Lanesha endures all the more powerful."
-Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
"Although
the outcome of Hurricane Katrina is known, the clever writing allows
the unavoidable tragedy to unfold in such a haunting and suspenseful
manner that the extreme sense of foreboding and ultimate destruction is
personalized and unforgettable. Heartbreak and hope are reflected in
Lanesha’s story, which will capture even reluctant readers due to the
inventive storytelling and the author’s ability to bring history to
life."
-School Library Journal (starred review)
"The
dynamics of the diverse community enrich the survival story, and the
contemporary struggle of one brave child humanizes the historic
tragedy."
-Booklist
August Pick, Al Roker's Book Club, The Today Show
Gold Award, Parent's Choice Foundation
FOR YOUR BOOK CLUB:
Jewell Parker Rhodes: Lanesha's Birthday Treats
Jewell Parker Rhodes's Website
Schedule a Chat with Jewell Parker Rhodes
Complete the entry form below by October 31, 2010 and you have a chance to win one free copy of Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Twenty-five winners will be chosen. Submit one entry per person. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the United States to enter.