Jewell Parker Rhodes: Children Site

A beautiful, moving, personal story of the Ninth Ward and Hurricane Katrina. Unforgettable. I loved it.

— Justine Larbalestier, author of Liar

Another gem by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Two youngsters, friends forever, find a way to survive, to love, to begin again. Wow! What a legacy to pass along.

— Nikki Giovanni, author of Bicycles: Love Poems

Lanesha is a miraculous candle of a girl: her flame burns steadier in hurricane winds, and glows brighter against dark flood-waters. Jewell Parker Rhodes's book shines with love.

— Sara Pennypacker, author of Clementine

An absolutely exquisite children's debut by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Lanesha is an honest and believable young heroine, resilient and inspiring in the face of disaster. Jewell's vivid writing brings the setting to life, in a story that is both timely and unforgettable.

— Patricia Reilly Giff, author of Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods

Jewell Parker Rhodes has written a powerful novel about family and survival in the face of tragedy and has created in her twelve-year-old narrator Lanesha, a true heroine. As the waters from Hurricane Katrina rise around her and her losses increase, this wise child, whose adopted grandmother taught her about love both seen and unseen, shows a kind of bravery and big-heartedness that is a gift she passes along to her friend, her community and the readers of this luminous book.

— Walter Mosley, author of 47

If you are looking for a novel that lays blame about the devastation of New Orleans' Ninth Ward, this is not it. If you are interested in a novel that captures the essence of New Orleans and its people while simultaneously illustrating how tragedy makes us stronger, Ninth Ward is a must read.

— Tara Baldridge, 57th Street Books