Zane and the Hurricane, and Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere
Debbie made a plea back in Fall Favorites for ZANE AND THE HURRICANE, which I’m seeing on many Mock Newbery lists. But we have to talk about it alongside Julie Lamana’s UPSIDE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, which is essentially the same story: Katrina. Stranded in the Lower Ninth. Dog escaping causes trouble. Rescue. Coincidence. Resolution. Lamana is a first time author, so maybe that’s why her title is getting less play than Newbery-Honoree Philbrick’s? I found hers remarkably better, more believable, and the only one of the pair that I’d consider for my own Newbery contenders list.
Lamana’s work unfolds slowly, with rich detail in setting and character building, as Armani Curtis find her long-awaited tenth birthday being overshadowed by the approaching hurricane. The resulting disaster is told in harrowing depth, with high drama that suits the intended ten-year-old audience well. Lamana is writing from outside her culture, but I find her voice nuanced and authentic, and her prose very skillful. The only place, in fact, that I start not to buy her truth is as the otherwise-believable Boman kids evolve into an obvious plot device. The plot coincidences that bother others I find I’m willing to buy (I don’t think there’s a way to write a happy-ending Katrina story without a couple of coincidences), but the Bomans are what made me sag a little in what I thought was going to be an all-out enthusiastic push for this first-time author for Newbery. Regardless, her craft in dialogue, setting, and character outshine many other contenders.
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Not so, to my ear, Philbrick’s. I’m sure it suffered unfairly by my reading it second, but ZANE AND THE HURRICANE provides us scant character building, and the stilted dialogue right at the beginning goes to great lengths to point out the complexities of Zane’s multiracial attributes in a way that started to feel exoticized. The introduction of Malvina and Mr. Tru and their awkwardly rendered way of speaking only heightens this. I tried to push past this to enjoy what is a finely quick-paced and thrilling plot, but the dialogue and characters kept getting in the way, and so I found I was not willing to buy the tremendous coincidence that zips the story to happy ending. I know that sounds harsh, and I don’t discount Philbrick’s skill in writing engaging plots with well-reserached settings, but examining this in the light of the Newbery criteria, I just can’t get past what I see as enormous flaws. That said, I felt very similarly about THE MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG, which went on to win a Newbery Honor.
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About Nina Lindsay
Nina Lindsay is the Children's Services Coordinator at the Oakland Public Library, CA. She chaired the 2008 Newbery Committee, and served on the 2004 and 1998 committees. You can reach her at ninalindsay@gmail.com
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Thanks Nina for answering my question about ZANE AND THE HURRICANE. I am going to try to put UPSIDE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE on my reading list and compare the two novels.
However, I still love ZANE and I did love THE MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG too. I have used both in my class with success especially among the boy readers, I agree that it does have that fast pace action, however, I guess I accepted the characters and enjoyed them without asking more of them. Probably, due to the response I got when reading this aloud to my class. It really works for that. I do agree though that the characters may need more depth. I will read it again with that aspect in mind.
Debbie, there are a lot of fans of this book, so I’m anticipating some pushback….and UPSIDE DOWN is not without it’s own flaws. It is hard when there are two so similar books, because inevitably one will be compared over the other in award discussions. Same discussion has been going on about FREEDOM SUMMER, and Jonathan and I are having an as-yet-behind-the-scenes debate over PORT CHICAGO vs. FAMILY ROMANOV. I told him that as yet, though I have a favorite, I’m unwilling to let one knock the other out of top tier range. Can’t there be room for two historical nonfiction titles in a Newbery year? Afterall, we almost always get two or more girl-protagonist novels. Room for two books about the Freedom Summer? About Katrina? There should be room, if both are truly outstanding, and even if they are still slightly unequally outstanding. I don’t think that’s the case here….but while we constantly compare books on this blog, It’s important too to pullthem apart and consider each on its own….maybe more so for books that seem bizarrely similar.
(There is a whole other post to be done on the seemingly bizarre coincidences of similar books coming out in the same year. The most bizarre part is how regular it is…happens to every committee.)
I read UPSIDE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE as an ARC at the beginning of the year when it was reviewed for ACL. It’s stayed with me more than anything I’ve read this year. The setting is so vivid and the characters so heart-wrenchingly real. I also read ZANE AND THE HURRICANE second and did not find it as believable. There are coincidences in both books that lead to their happy endings, but Armani’s family does not come through unscathed, while even Zane’s dog survives.
If we were voting between the two covers, though, ZANE AND THE HURRICANE would be the winner.
I agree with you about the covers, Tracy. And while many would argue that the cover is not to be considered in discussing the Newbery, I’m not so sure. Here’s what it says in the criteria listed —
“Other components of a book, such as illustrations, overall design of the book, etc., may be considered when they make the book less effective.”
The cover of UPSIDE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE does make this book less effective. Put this cover next to ZANE or another good children’s novel about Katrina, SAINT LOUIS ARMSTRONG BEACH, and it is not nearly as effective as those two. It’s misleading, especially for children, who often pick a book based on the cover image. So when a cover actually turns readers away, I think it counts. In this case, the image seems almost deliberately intended not to show “respect for children’s understandings, abilities, and appreciations.”
This is not the author’s fault, however.
I remember Sam reading Zane and the Hurricane months ago, and being really disappointed in it. Then I listened to the audiobook and was pleasantly surprised – Jerry Dixon’s gorgeous narration brings the vivid setting to the forefront and almost makes the plot flaws fade into the background. Almost. Which is to say that I’m certainly not championing it for Newbery, but in this case the audio version improves on the source material.
In the firm belief that readers are entitled to their own opinions, I almost never comment when notified of blog postings that takes one of my books to task. This will be an exception. Just wanted to say I was absolutely delighted by Jerry Dixon’s performance – his voice is fabulous, his skills astonishing. But as the author I take credit for the narration, and since not one word was changed, fail to see how this ‘improves on the source material’. In this case the source material and the words as spoken are identical. Yours truly, Rod ‘Popcorn’ Philbrick
I called UPSIDE DOWN “unforgettable” when I read it in January, and over 300 books later I still feel that way. I appreciated the convincing child voice and the convincing child decisions. I really hope this is part of many Newbery discussions because it tells the Katrina story so well, and so appropriately for its intended audience.
Kathy, yes, I remember that feeling of “convincing child decisions” too. The voice still feels so real to me, not orchestrated, even when I can see, from my outside adult perspectice, the plot orchestrations. They sound real, and feel real, een though I know it’s fiction.
I still feel like, when discussing the Newbery, as adult readers of children’s books, we write off popcorn fare like ZANE for “better written” character drama like UPSIDE DOWN. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t read UPSIDE DOWN and have merely begun ZANE, but if Philbrick’s thrilling plot could be argued “distinguished” for his intended audience (10-12 year olds), isn’t that all that matters?
Good point, Mr. H. What’s fresh and new and wonderful to a nine-year-old may be just the opposite to adult readers. That’s why it is nice that the state young readers’ awards exist. These give children a chance to be part of the process of choosing winners. Even the books that are picked for these lists are often a bit more child-friendly than some Newbery winner– although there is certainly overlap.
Mr. H., first of all I wouldn’t call ZANE “popcorn fare.” And, though I seem to be writing it off, that gesture is intended specifically to rile defenses, if there are any, to consider this firmly for Newbery. Please argue that his plot is more distinguished that any other this year…as well as character, setting, style…..
And, at the same time, remember that even if it’s not enough for the Newbery, this does not invalidate anyone’s reading experience of this book.. There’s only one Newbery winner each year, and the point of each one is to stimulate LOTS of excellent writing for children….
I know I’m a wimp, but I’m glad the dog didn’t die in ZANE. I still haven’t started UPSIDE DOWN but I feel the plot was strong enough in ZANE without the casualties. It did show the suffering of the crowds of people at the Superdome, the racial problems underlying the hurricane problem, and the turmoil in finding a safe place.
SPOILER….. SPOILER….SPOILER….
Debbie, I am with you, but for exactly the same reason I found it kind of a cheap shot that the dog gets shot. It led to my dismay about the manipulation of that whole scene. You are right that the plot was strong enough.
OOPS!! Sorry for the spoiler!
But in my defense Tracy mentions this in her post. Sorry, Tracy, I am trying to save face here.
Hi. I realize I am commenting on this post really late, and this has nothing to do with winning the Newbery, but I’m wondering how you all feel about the novel Ninth Ward by Rhodes? How would these three stories compare? I am looking for a great read for 5th/6th grade, and I loved Ninth Ward. Thanks!