Hurricane Katrina & the Devastation of New Orleans, 2005 (Monumental Milestones: Great Events of Modern Times) [Library Binding]

John Albert Torres (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2006 | Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: Monumental Milestones: Great Events of Modern Times

The citizens of New Orleans braced for the hit of Hurricane Katrina and then blew a big sigh of relief once the hurricane came and seemed to go. But within hours of the category 4 storm ripping through the Gulf Coast states, people’s worst fears were realized. The city’s decades-old levees were not high or strong enough to hold back the storm surge caused by Katrina, and several levees burst. Water poured into the city, flooding buildings, homes, and streets. As the water rose, people panicked. Many were swept up in the floods and drowned. Others climbed to their roofs and pleaded for helicopter rescuers to come save them. The federal government and relief organizations mobilized for help, but many complained that relief did not come quickly enough. Survivors began running out of food and water. Some began blaming racial discrimination—as many of the hurricane victims were African American— for the government’s slow response. But were those accusations fair? Or was there anything else that could have been done in the face of Mother Nature’s wrath? In this book, author John Torres takes a very personal look at the devastation of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Books in the Monumental Milestones series condense some of the big events of the last century--from the sinking of the Titanic to Watergate--into digestible form. This report of Katrina begins with an interview of a newlywed couple who lost everything in the hurricane. Chapters that cover the storm and its aftermath end with one page of background information, called FYInfo, on such topics as historic New Orleans, Hurricane Rita, and worldwide relief efforts. Although the language is often unpolished, the narrative is direct; indeed, the text ends with a frank and emotional author's note written after his on-site research. Pictures, though small and sometimes muddy, are dramatic: thumbnails in newsreel fashion open the chapters. References are broad; included are some from both Salon.com and rightwingnuthouse.com. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

John A. Torres is an award-winning journalist covering social issues for Florida Today. John has also written more than 25 books for various publishers on a variety of topics, including P. Diddy, Clay Aiken, Mia Hamm, and Disaster in the Indian Ocean, Tsunami, 2004 for Mitchell Lane Publishers. In his spare time, John likes playing sports, going to theme parks, and fishing with his children, stepchildren, and wife, Jennifer. This story is based on the author’s extensive research, including his personal trip to New Orleans in September 2005, during which he witnessed the devastation firsthand and spoke to dozens of survivors for this book.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Library Binding: 48 pages
• Publisher: Mitchell Lane Publishers (April 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158415473X
• ISBN-13: 978-1584154730
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Disaster Preparedness
  • #70 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Earth Sciences > Atmospheric Sciences

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