The question that automatically emerges is, who are the heroes and villains in this story? Any thoughts on that?īetsy: That is indeed a question to ask, Janie! I found myself racking my brain to see what I remembered-were the government leaders (both state and federal) that ignorant of what was really going on? In Brown’s description of events, it’s unclear whether law enforcement and emergency services were trying to communicate with one another effectively and were simply hampered by the fallout from the storm (no electricity, phone lines down, impassable roadways, etc.) or whether they were shirking their duties and perhaps even turning a blind eye to the ongoing destruction and human suffering. Some of these people needed a little more identification, to my mind, but overall I’d say the historical portrayal is very effective. The comments in dialogue bubbles are all actual quotes from the people involved. Or the man wading through chest-high water holding a baby over his head. A couple of panels especially struck me: the man and his wife who barely escaped their deluged house by hacking a hole in the roof with a knife. Brown correctly informs us that the wildest rumors were untrue, but the reality was grim enough. Most of us grownups can remember how the news reports began coming in, from early speculations on Sunday to the grotesque rumors that the news media were frantically reporting by Wednesday.

That alone would have put it in the history books, but of course, it wasn’t done. I had forgotten-or never knew-that Katrina struck the southernmost point of Florida first and killed six people. Janie: I think he’s especially good describing the early events, beginning with the “swirl of unremarkable wind” that leaves Africa in early August and picks up energy and speed as it crosses the Atlantic. Janie, how well do you think Brown does in portraying the actual historical events of this tragedy? For kids reading this book, these are historical events-ones they do not remember. The subdued palette, the variety of panel sizes and shapes, and the varied perspectives all combine to tell a vivid picture of what happened in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and the flooding in its aftermath. Don Brown has written and illustrated numerous quality nonfiction books and biographies for children over the years, and he brings his full artistic gifts to bear in this graphic novel. Could this be a book (like El Deafo) that crosses award lines? While we can’t know what the real contenders are until the awards are announced in January, it is worth noting that Drowned City has already been awarded the 2016 Orbis Pictus Award (for outstanding nonfiction). Because it is a nonfiction graphic novel, I’ve heard it thrown about as a possible Caldecott, Newbery, and/or Sibert candidate. Betsy: Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans is getting buzz on several Mock lists.

Orbis pictus award 2016