Zane and the Hurricane

Starred review from November 25, 2013
In August 2005, 12-year-old Zane Dupree reluctantly travels to New Orleans with his dog Bandy to visit Miss Trissy, his paternal great-grandmother. Zane is biracial and knows nothing about his late father’s side of the family; he acquires some pieces of the puzzle—that his father ran away from home, and his uncle “got hissef killed”—but gaps remain. Hurricane Katrina arrives, and mandatory evacuation is announced, but on a bus out of town, Bandy escapes and Zane follows him back to Miss Trissy’s house. They are rescued from the surging water and relentless heat by Malvina Rawlins, a girl Zane’s age with a stream of corny jokes at her disposal, and her elderly guardian, musician Trudell Manning. Zane’s first-person account is tense and authentically youthful as the group paddles through the flooded streets of New Orleans seeking refuge. Philbrick (The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg) vividly portrays the destruction and multitude of threats facing citizens stuck in the city, along with undercurrents of racial and social tension that didn’t wash away with the levees. Ages 10–14. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary Agency.

Starred review from December 15, 2013
An appropriately serious and occasionally gruesome tale of surviving Hurricane Katina, buoyed by large doses of hope and humor. Twelve-year-old Zane Dupree, a New Hampshire native, is on his first visit to his newly discovered Grammy in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina forces them to evacuate. On the way out of the city, Zane's dog jumps out of the van, and Zane follows, soon finding himself back at his grandmother's house alone with the storm quickly closing in. When the winds die down, rising floodwaters force Zane into the sweltering attic, from which he is rescued by local musician Tru and his spunky charge, Malvina. The three embark on an epic adventure--skirting dead bodies and poisonous snakes in the floodwaters, making it to the Superdome only to realize there is no help to be had there, escaping a drug dealer intent on capturing Malvina and attempting to cross the guarded bridge to Algiers. Careful attention to detail in representations of the storm, the city and local dialect give this tale a realistic feel. Zane's perspective as an outsider allows Philbrick to weave in social commentary on race, class, greed and morality, offering rich fodder for reflection and discussion. This compelling story of Katrina is like the floodwaters it describes: quickly moving, sometimes treacherous and sometimes forgiving, with a lot going on beneath the surface. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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Starred review from February 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-A boy's visit to meet his great-grandmother for the first time turns into a nightmare when Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans. Twelve-year-old Zane has not known many family members other than his mother; after she makes contact with his deceased father's grandmother, Zane travels to the oppressively humid city. When New Orleans is placed under a mandatory evacuation, Zane and his great-grandmother leave with his dog, Bandy, and her pastor; when Bandy is spooked by growling Dobermans, he leaps from the car, followed by Zane. Zane and Bandy endure the hurricane's landfall and the failure of the levees at his great-grandmother's house until they meet a young girl, Malvina, and her guardian, Tru. The trio canoes through the snake-infested waters seeking assistance. Arriving in a neighborhood protected by privately hired security forces leads to vicious threats from the armed guards, who are loading helicopters stuffed with rugs and other expensive items. After their canoe is stolen, they head to the chaos of the Superdome and eventually to a bridge connecting the city to Algiers, in which they hope to find Tru's cousin. Vivid descriptions of the toxic waters, the commotion at the Superdome, and racial tension are handled factually yet sensitively. Information about unique New Orleans customs, including "jazz funerals," its history of biracialism, and accents are occasionally inserted. The fast bond among Zane, Malvina, and Tru is believably drawn. A time line and facts about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath are included.-Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2014
Grades 5-8 Thirteen-year-old Zane Dupree and his trusted dog, Bandy, travel from their home in New Hampshire to New Orleans to visit his great-grandmother, Miss Trissy, the only link to the father who died before he was born. But almost as soon as they arrive, they are caught up in the turmoil of Hurricane Katrina, separated from family, and left on their own to survive. The pair weathers the storm in Miss Trissy's attic, and they are rescued, via canoe, by Mr. Tru, a celebrated brass player, and his young charge, Malvina, with a story of her own. Together they face difficulties both natural and human, from terrifying swirls of snakes in the putrid floodwater to organized militia protecting affluent neighborhoods from looters. Philbrick examines issues of race and class with a deft hand (Zane is of mixed race himself), letting the story unfold directly and leaving moralizing to the reader. Though the convenience of a few plot points strains credibility, the tight prose, harrowing pace, and resonant relationships will appeal to a broad audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)