Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere

by Julie T. Lamana

Armani Curtis can think about only one thing: her tenth birthday. She's having a party, her mama is making a big cake, and she has a good feeling about a certain wrapped box. Turning ten years old 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 and tears her world apart, 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 gripping story of courage and survival, Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere celebrates the power of hope and love in the face of the unthinkable.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Family, Historical

328 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2014

About the author

Julie T Lamana is a retired educator with a strong passion for literacy. She and her husband are blessed with six children, six grandchildren, three dogs, and counting! Originally from Colorado, Julie relocated to Louisiana in 1995. Although the adjustment was a challenge for the Lamana family, they quickly fell in love with the unique culture that Louisiana has to offer.

Three Little Bayou Fishermen is Julie's first published work, and a memorable way to introduce children to life on the Bayou.

Reviews

[Sara Kamjou · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتاب رو تقریبا یک نفس خوندم. خیلی برام جذاب بود و عالی یه بحران رو به تصویر کشیده بود.
وسط ناکجاآباد به صورت اول شخص، از زبان دختری در آستانه‌ی ده سالگی به نام آرمانی روایت می‌شه که دیدگاه خاصی به زندگی و افراد دور و برش داره و ذهنیتاش در طول داستان زیر و رو می‌شه.
شخصیت‌پردازی توی کتاب عالی انجام شده و ما همه رو در حد آرمانی و از دریچه‌ی نگاه اون می‌شناسیم و ازشون خوشمون یا بدمون میاد. تصویرسازی فضای کتاب خیلی خوب انجام شده بود و صحنه‌ها کاملا قابل تجسم بودن.
یکی از نقاط قوت کتاب برای من این بود که تو این داستان همه‌ی شخصیت‌ها اشتباه می‌کنن و کسی سفید یا سیاه نیست. نکته‌ی برجسته‌ی دیگه‌ی کتاب برام این بود که فضای یه خانواده محبت‌آمیز خوب ترسیم شده بود و اینکه عشق چه‌قدر می‌تونه تو رشد آدم‌ها موثر باشه. از اینکه یه خانواده‌ی سیاهپوست برای به تصویر کشیدن این عشق انتخاب شده بود احساس خوبی داشتم و کلیشه‌های ذهنم قلقلک می‌شد.
من با شخصیت سیلی خواهر آرمانی عمیقا همذات‌پنداری می‌کردم و خیلی شبیه الانم و حتی بچگیام بود.
در آخر اینکه چه‌قدر نوع واکنش و حمایت مسئولا می‌تونه تو کنار اومدن افراد مخصوصا بچه‌ها با یه بحران به ویژه از نوع طبیعی موثر باشه و افسوس که در ایران از همچین برخوردایی خبری نیست...
امتیازم به کتاب ۴.۵ بود که به بالا گردش کردم.
----------
یادگاری از کتاب:
هیچوقت از آدم‌هایی که می‌خواستند سر از کارم دربیاورند خوشم نمی‌آمد.
...
نباید قولی بدی که نمی‌تونی انجامش بدی.
...
تنها راهی که آدما می‌تونن آگاه باشن اینه که هر روز کتاب بخونن و چیزی بنویسن.

[katnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won an advance copy of Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere in a Goodreads giveaway. I requested it because I enjoy middle grade fiction and disaster stories - especially tales of the hurricane that bore my name. It turned out to be the best giveaway book I've read so far.

I didn't intend to, but I blew through the whole book in a day. It's almost impossible to put down! I love that the children come from a variety of home types (nuclear family, single-parent, foster care) and that it doesn't seem contrived when they have to shoulder a lot of responsibility. Each piece of the story falls neatly into place like a jigsaw puzzle. Even things that seem like set decoration at first turn out to be important later, like the porch swing in front of the Curtis house and the fact that Armani's uncle T-Bone was in the military.

I work with elementary aged kids, and the young characters in this book are dead on. I can just picture precocious, know-it-all Armani Curtis standing in front of me giving me attitude. Debut author Julie T. Lamana writes Armani's accent into the narration, so I could hear Armani 'speaking' in my head as I read. Writing accents is a balancing act. Tweak the grammar too little and the reader forgets the main character has an accent. Tweak it too much and the reader has difficulty following the story. This book is an example of how it should be done.

Writing a disaster book for middle graders is not easy. Any ten-year-old caught in a disaster like Hurricane Katrina would almost certainly be traumatized. The trick lies in conveying the depth of the character's suffering without also traumatizing the reader. Lamana pulls this off masterfully. She describes the awful sights, sounds, and smells of a disaster zone without wallowing in the kind of grit and horror that would make the novel inappropriate for young readers.

My only criticisms are minor. I think young readers would benefit from a map at the beginning of the book showing New Orleans and the location of important places in the story (the Lower Ninth Ward, the Superdome, etc.) as well as the parts of the city that are below sea level and made habitable only by the levees that hold back the water. I would also have liked to see an epilogue containing some kid-friendly facts and nonfiction reading suggestions related to the hurricane, such as how much of the city was destroyed, the number of people killed or made homeless, and what happened to them afterward.

Even as-is I would definitely recommend Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere to kids and adults of all ages, especially those who have only seen the upheaval caused by Hurricane Katrina on a TV screen.

[Brooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boy was this book a train wreck.

I'm disappointed I didn't enjoy this more- especially considering the important topic of Hurricane Katrina. It's clear that heavy-hitting realistic themes should be more prevalent in MG/kid lit, but this just wasn't the way to go about it.

Armani is so excited for her tenth birthday- it's all she can think about. When her family discovers that a storm is coming, they make no attempt whatsoever to evacuate. (Armani even makes a plea to her brother to not tell their father the news of the storm because she's so adamant about keeping the party.) They find out too late that the hurricane has changed course & is coming towards them; they still decide to stay. Obviously I can't judge this choice too harshly, but really? This wasn't the only thing that bothered me about the parents. It is clear Armani's cousin is being abused by her drunk of a father (he pushes her down in front of Armani's mother) & all she tells Tay-Tay is to not give her father any reason to make him upset. Regardless of how often this happens IRL, that didn't sit right with me. I don't think it's okay to push aside an abusive alcoholic; why bother bringing his character up at all if it wasn't going to be handled more delicately?

Armani has to be one of the worst characters I've come across in a long time. She is judgmental, bossy & has way too much of a hang up on weight. The words "fat", "sausage-arms", "pudgy", "thick" & heavyset" were used so many times to describe a variety of things it became a distraction. She believes pretty much everyone (except herself of course) is an idiot & is too stubborn to see any other way. This made it awfully difficult to empathize with her situation. I honestly could not wait to finish it & only finished because this has been on my TBR for almost a year. (Let's not forget that the author used the phrase "milk-chocolate" to describe eyes. Ugh.)

Between Armani's irritating attitude, her family's unwise decisions & the shoddy pacing (it doesn't really pick up until the middle of the hurricane- and what was up with that ending?!?!), for a book that is supposed to make you FEEL- I didn't feel anything except relief for finishing, something I didn't want to feel for such an intense subject. The tone of the writing really makes me question Lamana's intentions & I will not be picking up another one of her books.

[Farnoosh Noroozi · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتاب خوبی بود. برای منی که چندین چند وقته مسئله‌ی "از دست دادن" دغدغه‌ی ذهنیم شده کتاب قابل باوری بود و تونستم باهاش ارتباط زیادی برقرار کنم. بلایای طبیعی و جنگ درسته شاید با هم اشتراک‌های زیادی داشته باشن ولی نمی‌دونم چرا برای من یکی بلایای طبیعی زشت نیست. غم‌انگیز و تراژیک و ترسناک هست اما مثل مرگ طبیعی برام جزئی از روال عادی زندگی محسوب می‌شه.
زلزله‌ی چند وقت پیش مشهد منو خیلی تکون داد… و حالا این کتاب با یک بلای طبیعی دیگه مثل طوفان من رو پرتاب کرد به حس اون لحظاتم؛ به این که هر چیزی که تا به الان عزیزش شمردی رو از دست می‌دی و هیچی باقی نمی‌مونه. هیچی. زندگی‌ای که تا الان برای خودت ساختی به راحتی به هیچ تبدیل می‌شه و تنها چیزی که مهم باقی می‌مونه و براش می‌جنگی جون خودت، خونواده و دوستانته. موضوع غریبیه که من رو عمیقا درگیر کرده.
کتاب برای مخاطب نوجوان نوشته شده بود و خب طبعا خیلی سیاه و تاریک نبود. کورسوی امید داشت و حتی پایانی تقریبا خوش. خوبی کتاب نوجوان خوندن همینه البته :) حتی اگه ژانر محبوبِ من، رئالیستیک فیکشن باشه.

پ.ن: به نظر من طرح جلد اصلی کتاب از طرح جلد انتخابی پرتقال قشنگ‌تر بود و ای کاش همون چاپ می‌شد. به غیر از این نکته‌ی ریز، کار نشر پرتقال حرف نداشته و نداره!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, so as a teen librarian in Louisiana, I've had to read an ungodly number of Katrina books. This was definitely the best of them because it didn't sugarcoat the issue for kids, and the story was definitely compelling.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the weekend approaches, bringing with it the threat of a hurricane heading toward New Orleans in August 2005, all Armani Curtis can think about is her upcoming tenth birthday. She doesn't tell her father about the evacuation plans of a neighbor, which ultimately leads to tragedy. While readers are certain to debate her actions, one thing that anyone living in New Orleans knows for sure is that the whole city shuts down when a hurricane threatens. Her parents surely knew that Katrina was on its way, but many hurricanes have come close to the city only to veer off in another direction at the last minute. The author does a marvelous job of describing the close bonds among Armani's family members and the horrors of those first moments when water swept into the Ninth Ward where the Curtis family lives, ending them racing into the attic, and then the roof, for safety. Readers will be caught up in the confusion outside the Superdome where the family is separated and then in a shelter, presumably in Baton Rouge. Because the narrative covers one week during the disaster, August 26 through Sept. 2, it is easy to experience vicariously the uncertainty Armani and her siblings experienced as their world was turned completely upside down. My own first-hand experiences of living through Katrina make me a little leery of how easily Armani and Miss Priscilla are able to return to New Orleans and how quickly houses in her neighborhood were searched for bodies and survivors. At least in Lakeview where I lived, that process didn't start occurring until ten days after the hurricane, and even then, five to six feet of water still surrounded most houses. I also was bothered at how quickly the family members were reunited as well as the fast-moving relationship between Miss Priscilla and Armani's Uncle Alvin. The story ends hopefully, despite all the losses the main characters have suffered. Like their beloved city, they will rise once again. Despite its flaws, the book provides readers with insight into one family's experience with a natural disaster and what it takes to keep going afterward.

[Stefanie Foard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katrina books always get me, and there were tears during this one too. The narration of 10-year-old Armani is honest, brave, and funny (at times), and the setting is completely realistic and captures the terror, chaos, tension, despair, and hope of post-Katrina New Orleans. I was moved in more ways than one.

*I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss.

[Elizabeth Nagy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was AMAZING. Definitely one of my favorites.

[Clinton Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply could not put this book down! I was lucky enough to have it gifted to me and feel privileged to have been one of the first to have read it.

This is far from the type of genre I normally read so was slightly sceptical at first however I was hooked from the first chapter. Amazing story, brilliantly written. Make this one a must read for 2014!!!

[Aryana Parmar · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this wasn't a bad book at all, really sad but inspiring. I loved the characters but the ending was so sad. :,(

[Clare Lund · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I wanted to like this one more than I did, but I’ve read other fiction about Hurricane Katrina that did a better job, in my opinion. For a story that was so focused on taking place in the Ninth Ward, the setting was barely described, and the ending felt rushed. It definitely has value in describing the harsh realities of living conditions after the storm, and would be eye-opening to readers who were previously unaware.

[Einakikhoshghalb · Rating 4 out of 5]

طوفان کاترینا مصادف با نه سالگی من بود. هنوز هم تصاویر خانه های زیر آب رفته و سیاه پوستانی که در پشت بام ها بودند را یادم هست. آن موقع درک نمی کردم که طوفان چطور می تواند این قدر مخرب باشد. ما بچه های سرزمین های خشک چندان از سیل و طوفان سر در نمی آوریم. باران همیشه برای ما نعمت و مایه ی خشنودی بوده و نه سالگی م نمی فهمید که چطور این باران می تواند مایه خرابی و نابودی شود. از طرفی نمی فهمیدم این تصاویر غرق در آب دقیقا یعنی چه؟ مردم چرا در پشت بام اند و آخرش قرار است به کجا برسد؟

وسط ناکجاآباد تصویرِ شفاف شده خاطره های نه سالگی بود. سرک کشیدن میان حادثه ای که از دور خبرهایش را دیده بودم و حالا قرار بود چند روزی بینش زندگی کنم. نویسنده شروع باشکوهی برای کتابش انتخاب نکرده. حتی می شود بگوییم که چنین شروعی می تواند خواننده های بی حوصله را فراری بدهد. آرمانی قرار است ده ساله بشود و یک خانواده خوش بخت دارد. نویسنده به قدری در تصویر خوش بختی این خانواده اغراق می کند که یقین می کنم اتفاق بی نهایت ناگواری قرار است برای آنها بیفتد. تصویر کردن این خانواده خوش بخت شاید صد صفحه به طول می انجامد و ما در جریان ریز حرکاتشان قرار می گیریم. از نشستن و برخاستن تا خندیدن و خوابیدن. اگر بخواهیم وسط ناکجا آباد را با باقی کتاب های مشابهش مقایسه کنیم می توانیم بگوییم نویسنده می توانست با توصیف خیلی کمتری همین احساسات را نسبت به خانواده آرمانی در ما ایجاد کند.
اما به نظر می رسید که چارچوب مند بودن شخصیت ها و روابط شان را با توصیف کردن زیاد اشتباه گرفته بود. نویسنده از آرمانی و خانواده اش زیاد حرف زده بود ولی ما دست آخر نمی توانستیم روابط او و خواهرش را عمیقاً درک کنیم. حتی شخصیت خودِ آرمانی هم تا حدی کمرنگ بود و عمیق نشده بود و از شخصیت هایی نبود که تا همیشه در خاطرمان بماند.

صرف نظر از مقدمه ناامیدکننده باقی کتاب روند به نسبت خوبی دارد. حوادث پشت سر هم می آیند و ما برای دنبال کردن آن ها مشتاقیم. می خواهیم بفهمیم آرمانیِ ده ساله که حالا بعد از طوفان دیگر «کودک» نیست و انگار چندین سال بزرگ تر شده است چطور قرار است این چالش بزرگ را از سر بگذارند. حوادث داستان به قدری پررنگ و جذاب هستند که ضعف مقدمه و شخصیت پردازی را پوشش بدهند. این قدر که در میانه های کتاب دیگر زیاد یادم نبود که در صفحات ابتدایی چه قدر حرص خورده ام. با آرمانی همراه شده بودم و در میان تصاویر مبهم نه سالگی م سرک می کشیدم و حوادثی را تجربه می کردم که برای فرزند یک سرزمین خشک بی معنی است

وسط ناکجا آباد ما رو به زمان و مکانی می برد که هیچ وقت نمی توانیم آن را تجربه کنیم. اما در صفحات این کتاب انگار همه آن حوادث را می بینیم و همین نکته شاید برای خوب بودنش کافی است. خصوصاً برای نوجوان های که در روزگار تجربه کردن هستند و از دیدن دنیاهای متفاوت لذت می برند.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armani Curtis has one thing on her mind...celebrating her 10th birthday in a big way. But, when one of our country's costliest and biggest disasters strikes on her birthday, staying alive and keeping her family close becomes the most important thing on the family's mind. Her father decides to ignore the state of Louisiana's advice to evacuate the Ninth Ward in hopes that the storm will take another course...as we all know now, Hurricane Katrina had her eyes set on New Orleans.

As waters rise quickly, Armani's family, her parents, Memaw, and siblings Georgie, Sealy, and the twins, struggle to find a temporary relief and refuge on the roof of their now-floating home. Her Memaw, a grandmother she loves, succumbs to the stress and quietly passes in her arms. Adding to the grief, Cricket, the puppy that Armani received as a birthday gift falls off the roof and into the raging and filthy waters. Georgie, feeling responsible for the puppy's plunge, dives in after him, and Armani's dad follows after.

Devastated with worry about them, Armani and the rest of the family struggle to escape the fierce waters and must rely on the kindness of strangers and military personnel to get to dry ground. As one of the twins fall dangerously sick, Armani's mother has to leave the 10-year-old to care and protect her younger siblings...now, frightened beyond belief and worried about her parents and siblings, Armani puts on a brave face, but must once again rely on the kindness of caring people to help her navigate the uncertainty.

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere is a realistic account of the of horrible events of one of the most tragic disasters this country has ever known. In August of 2005, a country watched in horror as Hurricane Katrina battered and destroyed life as the people in New Orleans once knew, and forever changed the people, landscape, and security of a nation. This tween/young adult novel is beautifully written with characters that become a part of you while the events are re-imagined as if you were in the middle of it all. It is a story of survival and courage and shows just how much will and fortitude we each have to pick up and carry on in the face of grief and devastation. A great book for discussion and reflection in our otherwise complacent lives.

I give this book a hearty 4 1/2 stars. Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, Chronicle Books, and Julie T. Lamana for this ARC copy.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an Early Review copy, I was mesmerized from the first to the last page. This is the first book written by the author, and her debut is a stunning, well written tale of the heartbreak and struggles of New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina.

Nine year old Armani is a member of a large, loving family. When news of an impending massive storm is approaching, the only thing Armani worries about is her tenth birthday. When neighbors pack up to evacuate, Armani deliberately does not tell family members. When the storm hits and the levees break , it is the ninth ward that takes the brunt of damage, leaving Armani with guilt and shame.

As the water fills the house and the family flees to the attic, then the roof, there is little doubt that surviving together is possible. When Armani's birthday puppy jumps into the water, her brother heroically tries to save the animal. Attempting to rescue his son, Armani's father jumps into the black, oily, savage water. Their decision has great consequences for the family.

Told from the perspective of Armani, we learn of a beloved grandmother who dies in the attic, a family torn apart, and a city of death and destruction.

All around is chaos. When the storm stops, there is brief hope as the orange/red sky meets the horizon, until the tons of water from broken leeves swallows everything in its path.

It is obvious that the book is well researched because it covers many aspects of the horror of a city unprepared for the terror of Katrina. The water is on fire, houses swirl in the fast currents with trash and bodies along side, dogs bark, shots ring out, helicopter sounds are endless , snake like tree branches are reminders of the height of the water, those who struggle to survive include the good, and the bad, those needing medical attention are dying, and heroes and villains alike struggle to survive.

As Armani's remaining family makes it to the dome, they are instructed not to go in there because of deplorable conditions. Distraught because one of the twin babies is gravely ill, Armani's mother flees to find medical help, leaving Armani to fend for herself, a baby and a sister.

The reader roots for Armani and her family, and grieves for all the loss and destruction.

Highly recommended.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth middle grade book I've read in the last year that deals with the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. The others are Ninth Ward, Buddy, and Zane and the Hurricane: A Story of Katrina. All 4 books are somewhat alike in that each has a ten to twelve year old main character who lives with or is visiting family in the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the hardest hit areas of New Orleans. Each of these stories gives us a different POV and another glimpse of the horror and the devastation that was Hurricane Katrina; how people lost everything, their homes and all their possessions, and fought to save themselves and others after the hurricane hit and 80% of New Orleans was under water. I loved all of these books and don't know if I could pick a favorite if asked. But I think this one might have a slight edge. Was it because at 321 pages it was longer and therefore a fuller story than the others? Was it because it was grittier than the other three books? Maybe all those things. It's sad and horrific what all those people went through and hard to believe it happened here in the United States. New Orleans was treated like a third world country by our government. So many people who lost everything during the storm are still waiting for government help to rebuild their homes and finally move out of FEMA trailers and back to the city and neighborhoods they love.

I definitely recommend reading any and all of these books. Especially recommended for 4th grade and up to learn about an important and tragic event in our recent history.

"The devastation of Hurricane Katrina will forever be seared into our country’s memory. Visions of our citizens stranded on highway overpasses, of debris-filled plots where grand houses once stood, and of babies being hoisted onto roofs to avoid the surging water, continue to haunt us to this day."

[Bish Denham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this through a Goodreads give-away and am glad I did. This is a powerful story about surviving Hurricane Katrina. Ten year old Armani is believable as a smart, stubborn, strong-will girl who finds herself alone and in charge of taking care of her two younger sisters. She is determined to keep the three of them together no matter what, which leads to her not trusting strangers she should trust. I loved Armani's close-knit and loving family. It was delightful to see the interaction between her parents and her grandmother. All of the characters are well drawn. I felt as though I was right there through horror of the storm and it's aftermath. Every survivor is a miracle. Every person tremendously brave in his/her own way.

My only complaint, and it is a small one, is that I wanted to know more about Armani's brother, Georgie and her father.

Overall, I think this is an excellent book for middle graders and young adults too because it shows the determination of the human spirit and the will to survive. It shows how strong we can be when we need to be strong.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of life changes for Armani on her 10th birthday. That was the day Katrina began its devastation of New Orleans and her people. Armani tells her story in the midst of tragedy, helplessness, hopelessness, and courage.

[niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! It is different then what I normally read but, it was really good. The characters warmed my heart, and Armani is so brave for what she did! You guys should definitely read it.

[Rey · Rating 4 out of 5]

این داستان روایت گر ماجرای آرمانی دختری اهل نیواورلئانز آفریقا است،که زندگی اش درگیر یک طوفان میشود.....
آرمانی فکر میکرد که اگر تولدش به یاد ماندنی و عالی برگزار بشه او بزرگ می شود...
اما طوفانی که در نیو اورلئانز آمد باعث شد تا آرمانی معنی "جامعه "و "مسئولیت پذیری" رو یاد بگیره ،وقتی که او توانست که به خانواده خودش کمک کند و مسئولیت خواهر هایش را به عهده بگیرد واقعا "بزرگ" شد.
تیکه کتاب:
قطره های باران مثل تیله از آسمان می افتادند و به سقف میخوردند و غرش باد،دیوار هارا چنان تکان میداد که انگار از پارچه ساخته شده بودند....
دقیقه ها به درازای ساعت ها طول میکشیدند و ساعت ها به اندازه روز ها....

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great details. Great story line. Important information to humanize a story that made big headlines for lots of other reasons.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was so good it was happy then sad

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere in about three days. It wasn't my plan to finish it so quickly, and I certainly had plenty of other things that I needed to be doing, but more than anything I needed to finish this book. This book is set in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. The main character, Armani, and her family -- her twin baby brother and sister, younger sister, and older brother live in a house in the Ninth Ward with her parents and grandmother. While the family is concerned about the big storm brewing in the Gulf, they don't believe it is going to hit their home until, at the last moment, the storm turns and heads straight for New Orleans.

The author, Julie T. Lamana, writes in such a way that the reader gets a real sense of what it would have been like to huddle in a hot, dark house-- terrified as the storm raged outside through the night. The reader experiences the terror that Ninth Ward residents felt when they saw a wall of water rushing toward them after the levees system began to fail, along with the chaos of trying to rush everyone to the highest point in the house- a small attic in Armani's case. The reader senses the desperation of a family that has escaped to the roof after the storm has passed, and is hoping for rescue. And the reader experiences some of the terror and frustration of those who were trying to leave the city--and lost track of friends and family members amongst the mad throng of people also trying to survive.

In Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere, Lamana (who was in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina) gives a very honest look at the harshness of this historical event, and makes it real to those of us who only know what we saw on the news, or-- in the case of kids-- what they've heard people talk about and have seen in news stories. I read the book so quickly because I really needed to know what was going to happen to Armani, her friends, her neighbors, and her family members. A warning to the reader-- just like in the actual event--not all of the endings are happy, but they are handled in a way that are appropriate for middle grade readers. This story is one I won't forget.

[Frida S · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere” is a book centered around the catastrophe of hurricane Katrina. The book tells you about the horrors some families had to go through,all the while explaining it through a ten-year-old girl’s point of view. In the story when the storm first started it wasn’t that bad, but as soon as it stopped for about five minutes it started to get bad. Armani had first been entrusted with helping her mom on the with the twins, and taking care of her new puppy. Pretty soon the whole house had been flooded and they needed to go into the attic, and then onto the roof. While waiting for help to arrive Armani puppy fell off the roof. That’s when most of the tragedies started.
I really liked how the author put in a kind of a African-American accent, because I think it made the story more interesting and lifelike. I would, although have liked it better if the author had better described the setting of the lower Ninth Ward, which is where Armani and her family lived. I feel like maybe the author should’ve put more conflict to the part where they go to the super dome for protection, because it would show how bad it was better. It’s not like she didn’t describe it at all, it’s just that it could be better. I liked the part where the author made Armani think that this social security lady look like a threat. Well she wasn’t really a threat, but at that point when she needed to protect her sisters, she was a threat. But anyway in the end she turned out to be a really nice lady who helped them a lot. That was probably my second to favorite part.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent. When Katrina hit, I was just starting my 2 week honeymoon. As I read this book, it tore at my heart to know that while I was enjoying an amazing time in my life, the struggles like the ones Armani faced were going on for thousands and thousands of people.

This is a touching story about the Katrina tragedy through the eyes of a child of 10. The story is incredible, and my heart strings began to be tugged just a few chapters in. I don't want to spoil anything that occurs in the book, so I limit this review to the follow: Go and get this book NOW!

I should also state that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads, but this in no way shaped my review or thoughts on the book.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Armani is a spunky young girl lived in New Orleans. It's her 10th birthday and she is super excited to celebrate it with her Meemaw (Grandma), mom and dad, her brother and sister and her twin baby siblings. But a storm is brewing, Hurricane Katrina, and Armani just wants to celebrate and ignore the storm. But when disaster strikes, can her family stay together in the face of disaster? This was a cute, but sad book and I really enjoyed the action sequences during the storm. I felt as though the last third of the book kind of dragged for me though.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is never easy, but for some reason I went into this one thinking, "Well...it's a middle grade novel. I'm sure everything will turn out okay."

And then I remembered that Katrina showed no mercy to anyone--not Memaws, not Mamas, not Daddys, not babies. Armani has an incredible, authentic voice. She is funny and brave, and she and her family are SO LIKABLE. Watching them face each new challenge and devastation is ROUGH.

Prepare to have your heart broken. Bring Kleenex.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about a little girl named Armani who "just made 10" and her experience during Hurricane Katrina. Lamana pulls no punches -- this is a wrenching read, tho it does sweeten up a bit in the end. However, the emotional stakes are high, the choices Armani has to make are brutal and there are dire consequences. Amazing middle grade read -- I loved Lamana's portrayal of Armani's family so much, I hope she writes more books about kids in New Orleans who are not in grave danger.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I wasn't even prepared for loving this book so much. I want to press it into the hands of all my teacher and librarian friends and insist they read it out loud to their students. It's magnificent, and I cried so hard - in public - reading it. The ending seemed quick, but they may have been because I didn't want it to end... ever.

[Benji Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, what a story. I love it. The actual storm is terrifying enough, but the real heartbreak starts in the post-Katrina aftermath. It's a devastating book, really and I'm really glad that I read it. Armani (I think I spelled it correctly?) is such a brave character.

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received the ARC through Edelweiss.
A difficult read because of the horrors of Hurricane Katrina, but worth it. Armani is an amazing character. Her personal journey in one week from 9 year old child, to responsible 10 year holding her family together is inspirational.