c. 2008, Viking
Miles feels ambivalent about the changes in his life. One one hand, he’d love to stay in Chicago with his mother, but doesn’t want to be around her new husband and his four kids. On the other hand, he hasn’t seen his dad in a long time, but New Orleans?? Come on….
He doesn’t make the decision – his mother does – and Miles is sent to New Orleans to stay with his dad, a trumpet player in jazz bands throughout the city. Miles loves football, his dad loves his horn, and there is little love lost between the two. To make it even worse, the weather center has issued an evacuation of the city because of a hurricane, and Miles, his father and his dad’s buddy start out of the city, cramped in a rundown car.
When they can’t get out of the city, they find refuge in the Super Dome, a day before Hurricane Katrina hits. At first, Miles is amazed that he can play on the field – the same field as the Saints!! But that’s only on day one – Sunday, August 28. Three days later, Miles comes out a different person, after witnessing the horrors that have taken place inside the Super Dome, from the thugs, to the filthy living conditions; from the soldiers to people who are victims of crime, both self-imposed and unasked for. New Orleans is gone…but his father still remains. And their bond couldn’t be any closer after this ordeal.
The after-effects of Hurricane Katrina are slowly mending themselves in our world today, but Paul Volponi will take the reader back to the day it happened and allow us to witness what went on inside the Super Dome as well as what New Orleans, to both the people and the city. It’ll make the reader seriously think differently about the survivors not only of the hurricane but of the evacuation as well. Small book, great for reluctant readers, but packs a powerful punch. I couldn’t stop thinking about if it were me…..what would I do?
He doesn’t make the decision – his mother does – and Miles is sent to New Orleans to stay with his dad, a trumpet player in jazz bands throughout the city. Miles loves football, his dad loves his horn, and there is little love lost between the two. To make it even worse, the weather center has issued an evacuation of the city because of a hurricane, and Miles, his father and his dad’s buddy start out of the city, cramped in a rundown car.
When they can’t get out of the city, they find refuge in the Super Dome, a day before Hurricane Katrina hits. At first, Miles is amazed that he can play on the field – the same field as the Saints!! But that’s only on day one – Sunday, August 28. Three days later, Miles comes out a different person, after witnessing the horrors that have taken place inside the Super Dome, from the thugs, to the filthy living conditions; from the soldiers to people who are victims of crime, both self-imposed and unasked for. New Orleans is gone…but his father still remains. And their bond couldn’t be any closer after this ordeal.
The after-effects of Hurricane Katrina are slowly mending themselves in our world today, but Paul Volponi will take the reader back to the day it happened and allow us to witness what went on inside the Super Dome as well as what New Orleans, to both the people and the city. It’ll make the reader seriously think differently about the survivors not only of the hurricane but of the evacuation as well. Small book, great for reluctant readers, but packs a powerful punch. I couldn’t stop thinking about if it were me…..what would I do?
1 comment:
I absolutely love all of Paul Volponi's books and can't wait to get my hands on Hurricane Song!!! I am a YA librarian who does lots of booktalks to reluctant readers and so far- they all clamor for Paul's books!!!
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