Wednesday, April 27, 2016

K10: Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere

The Kidliterati Ten is an interview series with young readers. We ask them about a favorite book and hope you enjoy the answers.

Tell us a little about yourself: what is your first name, how old are you, and what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
My name is Julia and I'm 11 years old. My favorite ice cream? Oh my gosh, this is hard. My favorite is... candy cane ice cream made by my mom. She made some last week and it was awesome!

What book did you read and why did you choose it?
I read Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana

Can you describe this book in one word?
Exciting.

What was your favorite part of this story?
After Hurricane Katrina, the family is on the roof because the house is floating in the middle of nowhere and then the puppy starts chasing her tail. She chases her tail like crazy until she falls off the house and into the water. Then the brother jumps off to rescue the puppy. 

If you had a problem similar to the main character's problem, what would you do?
I would not jump off the house!

What would you say to your best friend to convince them to read this book?
Some of my friends have already read it. But I'd say it has a lot of turns so you never know what's coming.

What do you think about the book's cover?
The artwork is a pair of muddy boots, and you can't really tell if they're on the floor or on a wall. I thought it was very, very interesting since you can't tell where the boots are sitting and you can't tell what's coming up next in the story. The cover doesn't give a clue about what will happen. You're not in a hurricane everyday.

Would you want to read another book about these characters? Why or why not?
Yes. The characters are in a really hard position, but the girl, Armani, is sassy and funny and she makes me laugh. So, it's not all serious. 

Can you name another book that reminds you of this one?
The I Survived Hurricane Katrina and other disaster stories. But all the other books about Katrina were serious. They didn't have fun characters like Armani.

If you could ask the author one question about this book, what would it be?
Where did you come up with the character? Her personality is so different. Even though she's in a disaster, she's still cracking jokes inside her head. 

We can't find an interview where Julie T. Lamana talks about her characters. However, we found out that after Hurricane Katrina, Ms. Lamana worked in after-school programs to help the children who were displaced by the disaster.  

Thank you, Julia!

by Julie Lamana

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.  



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