Ninth Ward, written by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Little Brown, Hachette. 2010. $7.99 ages 10 and up

"For some reason I want to cry.
I go to the window, poke my head out into the hot, damp air. It seems an ordinary August day.
Don't feed the storm.
But the creature is already feeding on warm Gulf water. Feeding on moist air, sucking it in. Becoming a monster. How dare the storm worry Mama Ya-Ya!"

This is a powerful story that had me in its grip from page one. It's where I met Lanesha and her Mama Ya-Ya, two characters who have such strength and love for each other,;it will be hard to forget them ever. Mama Ya-Ya was a midwife and was there when Lanesha was born, and when her seventeen-year-old mother died in childbirth. Mama Ya-Ya made it her mission in life to raise the young girl and despite her age (she is 82), she teaches Lanesha to be strong, honest and confident.

Lanesha was born with a caul. Mama Ya-Ya 'sliced the bloody membrane' from her face and watched her take that first important breath, recognizing right then that she had the sight. She could see it in her eyes. Lanesha is able to communicate with spirits including her mother's ghost. Mama has dreams about what is about to happen. Together they live a happy and fulfilled life together in the Ninth Ward, the poorest section of New Orleans.

Mama Ya-Ya can feel the approaching storm and has grave concerns for her beloved child, but she has no means of getting her out of the city. She also knows that her life is nearing its end. Lanesha is not oblivious to the signs that Mama is failing and she does all she can to care for her and keep her comfortable. All that she has learned about life and living has come at the tutelage of Mama. She uses that knowledge to prepare as best she can for what has made Mama so fearful.

Jewell Parker Rhodes creates a setting that pulses with the sounds, sights and smells of the Ninth Ward. She then places her characters in the eye of the storm that was Hurricane Katrina. There are no surprises concerning the approaching storm, the terror it caused for those in its path, and the resulting chaos. The ending, while hopeful for Lanesha and TaShon, has only to do with their immediate situation. They are off the roof, in a boat and headed toward safety.

Anyone knowing about that horrific time knows that its aftermath remains a huge problem for many of the people who experienced the storm's wrath nearly seven years ago. While the action concerns three Ninth Ward residents, the story is that of many more than that. Sharing it could be the catalyst needed to begin a discussion about continued support for all people who live in deplorable conditions without their basic needs being met. Too often when reporters leave to follow another story the one being covered is forgotten.  We are left to wonder about Lanesha, TaShon and what the future holds for them. I hope that it will lead readers (and their parents) to learn more about life in the Ninth Ward today.