Trivia Questions: Ninth Ward
1. What was Lanesha born with that gave her “the sight”?
A caul
2. How old is Lanesha at the start of the book?
12
3. What happened to Lanesha’s mother?
Died giving birth to her
4. How old was Lanesha’s mother when she gave birth to Lanesha?
17
5. Which Shakespeare play is mentioned several times in the book?
Romeo and Juliet
6. Besides Lanesha, Mama Ya-Ya, and Spot, who else stays in their house?
Her mother’s ghost
7. What color is Lanesha’s room?
Different shades of blue
8. Mama Ya-Ya says numbers have meanings. According to her, what is the meaning of the number 3?
Life
9. How was Jermaine killed?
In a drive-by shooting
10. What kind of work did Mama Ya-Ya do?
Midwife
11. Which school subject does Lanesha try to help Andrew learn?
Math
12. Who does Lanesha save from the bullies Max, Eddie and Lavon?
TaShon
13. What does Miss Johnson think Lanesha should be when she grows up?
An engineer
14. Lanesha lives in the Ninth Ward with Mama Ya-Ya. In which neighborhood does her biological family live?
Uptown
15. Where do Ginia and Lanesha go after school?
The grocery store
16. Where does Mr. Ng’s daughter live?
Vietnam
17. Which state did Hurricane Katrina hit first?
Florida
18. What does Miss Johnson give Lanesha before she evacuates to Baton Rouge?
A teacher’s edition math book (pre-algebra) to practice problems
19. Where do TaShon and his Dad go before Hurricane Katrina hits?
The Superdome
20. What does Lanesha draw pictures of?
Bridges
21. What does Pastor Williams tell Lanesha about her mother just before the storm?
That she wanted to have Lanesha very much and/or that she came to his church
22. Why does Lanesha choose to make chicken, rice and beans before the storm? (and not other kinds of food)
They are foods that will last a long time before they spoil, in case they lose electricity.
23. Why don’t Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya evacuate before the hurricane?
They don’t have enough money/any way to leave
24. Where do Lanesha and Mama Yaya hide during the storm?
In the tub
25. On what day of the week does the storm start?
A Sunday
26. How does TaShon get to Lanesha’s house after Hurricane Katrina has hit New Orleans?
A woman (looking for someone named Lyle) gives him a ride
27. Why does Mama Ya-Ya tell Lanesha to move up to the attic when the storm is over?
She knows the flood is coming
28. What does the flood water smell like to Lanesha?
The Mississippi River
29. Why did TaShon always keep quiet around other kids?
A tree trunk (or math)
30. What do Lanesha and Tashon use to help them knock the rowboat free? (bonus point suggested for two answers)
A tree trunk (or math)
BONUS: What is the difference in Mama Ya-Ya and Lanesha’s ages?
82-12= 70 years