Reference Sunday: Hurricane Katrina - 5 Year Anniversary~

Today is the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.   I remember watching the news and staring in disbelief that this should happen here.   Children today might not have an understanding of what went on.  Here are a list of books that I think will help a child understand the gravity of this terrible event.

Story of a Storm: A Book About Hurricane Katrina by Reona Visser for ages 4-8.  What I liked about this book is that it by a group of children and their teacher who actually lived through the storm.


Hurricane Song by Paul Volponi is for older children ages 10 and up.  I think it is also a wonderful books for adults to read....one of those "not just for children" titles.   I love the voice in this book.  This is a fictionalized account of what happened to one family after they were trapped by the storm.   The descriptions of the super dome are very powerful.   There is some language in it that might not be appropriate for younger children but it is a very powerful read for older ones.  I know this is Reference Sunday and this is a book of fiction, but the events are true.

Hurricane Katrina (Disaster Alert) by Ellen Rodger is for ages 7-14 but I think can be shown to younger children with some supervision.  This book not only talks about the cause and effects of hurricanes, what happened during Katrina but also talks about the rebuilding of New Orleans and other communities affected by the tragedy.   While this might be considered a 'school' type book I think it would help explain this event to children.


These are just a few recommendations to help lead you to what may be needed to explain this historical event.