Zane and the Hurricane: A Story of Katrina

By: Rodman Philbrick

Narrated by: Jerry Dixon

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick presents a gripping yet poignant novel about a 12-year-old boy and his dog who become trapped in New Orleans during the horrors of Hurricane Katrina. Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding.

Facing death, they are rescued from an attic air vent by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl - both African American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city, shelter and food vanish, and police contribute to a dangerous, frightening atmosphere, creates a page-turning tale that completely engrosses the listener.

Based on the facts of the worst hurricane disaster in U.S. history, Philbrick includes the lawlessness and lack of government support during the disaster as well as the generosity and courage of those who risked their lives and safety to help others. Here is an unforgettable novel of heroism in the face of truly challenging circumstances.

©2014 Rodman Philbrick (P)2014 Scholastic Inc.

Awesome

This book was amazing! It was touching and funny. It is a great historical fiction book! A must read book.

Amazing book

This is a great book my friends and I listened to this book and loved

Fourth Grade Student Learns Empathy Using "History"

I am a teacher with some "reluctant" readers. I bought the book to help my students with reading issues. The book lead to great and thoughtful discussions on our own California levy system, race, class and kindness.

This is a great book for all students from third grade through middle school.

great

you should definitely read this with your children so they can understand how America works and will never change

Jerry Dixon crushes this

My fifth grade students love the audible version of Zane. They were amazed that it was a single person reading it. They couldn't believe how many different voices Jerry Dixon could do. He knocks this narration out of the park.

Enjoyed entirely!

I enjoyed listening to and reading along with this story from cover to cover, including all of the facts and nonfiction information at the back of the book. I was entertained by the audio production, especially the spot-on accent used to portray Mr. Tru, the gentleman from New Orleans. The story moved along at a steady pace and never got boring or lagged, keeping me interested the entire time. I'm a children's librarian and I believe that this book will keep even reluctant readers engaged. I'm from Louisiana, but was living in Texas when Katrina hit, so I appreciate that this story is based on actual events, and is told so children can truly understand the impact the storm had, told from a child's point of view.

So well written & beautifully narrated!

Where does Zane and the Hurricane rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Easily in the top 10! I listened to it in my walks and was saddened by its end, not ending.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Zane and the Hurricane?

The scene in the garden district when they went in search of supplies only to encountered by an armed security company ready to shoot thinking Zane was a looter.

Have you listened to any of Jerry Dixon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I would definitely like to see what else he's narrated. Brilliant performance!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! Unfortunately, one has to work, do laundry and make dinner.

One of the best.

What made the experience of listening to Zane and the Hurricane the most enjoyable?

The performance captured the setting and characters perfectly. It was enjoyed as a storytelling experience without being too theatrical.

What does Jerry Dixon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His vocalizations that conveyed heart of the characters with their feelings and thoughts.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes.

Any additional comments?

It helped the listener begin to understand how it felt to live through Katrina in a human way.

Great

This was a great book. Very enjoyable and fast paced. Really fun to listen to.