About this ebook
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.
Armani Curtis can think about only one thing: her tenth birthday. 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. Turning ten is a big deal to Armani. It means she’s older, wiser, more responsible. 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.
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.
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. 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. 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 Book
Armani Curtis can think about only one thing: her tenth birthday. 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. Turning ten is a big deal to Armani. It means she’s older, wiser, more responsible. 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.
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.
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. 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. 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 Book
Ratings and reviews
4.8
33 reviews
Laquita Maxwell
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August 14, 2018
Oh..my..God!!! This book had me in tears!! I felt like I was right with
Armani on her journey!! I absolutely love this book especially after being
through Katrina and witnessing the aftermath first hand. The spirit of New
Orleans lives on!! And the killer part about it I ordered this book because
it was mandatory for my 7th graders class!!
42 people found this review helpful
Jasmyn London
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December 1, 2016
It feels like as if it takes you in the book. Also, very sad; seeing loved ones die. You might need a Kleenex!
7 people found this review helpful
Sheila Spangler
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May 26, 2015
OMG I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK! I READ IT AT SCHOOL AND THEN I BOUGHT IT. I ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH HURRICANE KATRINA, SO THIS BOOK WAS SO REAL. I LOVED IT YOU NEED TO BYE IT!!!!!!
49 people found this review helpful
About the author
Julie T. Lamana lives in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana, and worked in an after-school program for children displaced by Hurricane Katrina, gaining a unique insight into their experiences surviving the storm. This book is a reflection of those experiences.
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