Finding Someplace

New Orleans native and aspiring fashion designer Reesie Boone is consumed with excitement about her approaching 13th birthday, but Hurricane Katrina preempts her plans. Reesie’s family didn’t anticipate the storm’s severity and evacuate; separated from her parents and older brother, Reesie sticks with Miss Martine, an elderly neighbor who turns out to have had an intriguing life. Patrick (A Matter of Souls) builds absorbing tension as Katrina’s effects worsen—“It felt as if the only life left in New Orleans was there, on top of this little house on Dauphine Street.” In the aftermath of the storm, Reesie’s parents disagree about the safety of the city, and Reesie and her mother leave town to live with relatives in New Jersey. When Reesie returns to New Orleans for Christmas, it’s not the same place she left. Reesie’s determination—both to achieve her own dreams and to take care of those close to her—shine in this intimate look at the impact of a devastating natural disaster and the commitment of those dedicated to rebuilding. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary Agency. (Aug.)