Parents' Guide to

Ninth Ward

By Sally Engelfried, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Gripping story of a girl's bravery during Hurricane Katrina.

Book Jewell Parker Rhodes Contemporary Fiction 2010
Ninth Ward Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

Kati H.
Kati H. Adult
January 20, 2023
age 9+

Excellent Read

Excellent read that captures the attention of kids late elementary through middle school. Teaches about Hurricane Katrina while touching on some of the mysticism and culture of New Orleans. Deals with death and loss in a respectful way, and ends with hope.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Lanesha never knew her parents, but she loves living with Mama Ya-Ya, her wise and loving foster grandmother. Though they're poor, Lanesha is content. She loves school, especially math, and thinks about being an engineer someday. But just after Lanesha's 12th birthday, Mama Ya-Ya, whose visions always come true, sees a storm coming. She knows they'll survive the hurricane itself, but she senses something else -- something bad -- is coming. She's referring, of course, to the levees breaking and flooding much of the city, hitting the Ninth Ward especially hard. How Lanesha handles the scary situation and even manages to rescue a dog and a boy becomes a fascinating and harrowing adventure that paints a realistic picture of what it must have been like to live through Hurricane Katrina.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (4):

Lanesha's simple, straightforward narration makes it easy for children to understand why she and other Ninth Ward residents had no choice but to stay put during the hurricane. Though sometimes she seems younger than her 12 years (as when she practices her cursive handwriting), Lanesha is an astute observer of humanity and has empathy even for the boys at school who make fun of her for being different. Although Lanesha's practicality and presence of mind is both believable and inspiring, the fact that she can also see ghosts muddies an otherwise gripping tale. Still, her strong, hopeful spirit will carry younger readers through the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina at an appropriate level of understanding, with lots of room for discussion for those who wish to know more about it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Hurricane Katrina and the effect it had on the city, particularly its poorer residents.

  • Could Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya could have done anything differently to protect themselves against the storm?

  • Did anything positive come from Lanesha's experience of Hurricane Katrina?

  • How do you think Lanesha's ghost visions helped her survive the storm? Could she have done it without them?

  • Have you read other stories about Hurricane Katrina? How does this one compare?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate