July 15, 2012
Twelve-year-old Li'l T offers an absorbing first-person account of a poor, tightly knit, multigenerational family's experience in Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, focused through the lens of Li'l T's relationship with a special dog named Buddy. Unlike other titles that deal with Katrina, this one eases up to the big event, enabling readers to establish a strong connection with the characters by slowly revealing how Li'l T and Buddy met and how Li'l T helped Buddy recover from the amputation of one of his legs. When the epic storm comes into the picture, readers find themselves as heartbroken as Li'l T when the family must leave Buddy behind in the evacuation. Li'l T struggles mightily during the family's temporary stay in Mississippi, suffering the loss of his dog, the family home and, finally, his beloved and now disconsolate grandfather. When the family moves back to New Orleans, Li'l T learns that he just might be able to get Buddy back from the family in California who has adopted him. The scenes involving the neighborhood criminal element and some final plot twists seem a little contrived, but Li'l T's voice and love for Buddy feel authentic, and those elements are enough to carry the story. A touching tale of hope, of holding on when you can, and of letting go when it's the right thing to do. (Fiction. 9-12)
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November 1, 2012
Gr 5-8-Twelve-year-old Li'l T, who lives with his extended family in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans, has wanted a dog for as long as he can remember, so when his father accidentally hits a stray with his car, Li'l T adopts the injured animal and names him Buddy. The two become inseparable until hurricane warnings force the family to evacuate to Mississippi. Believing they will be gone for only two days, and as there is literally no room in the car for Buddy, they leave him with food and water on the second floor of their home. Hurricane Katrina wreaks its destruction, and when the family is finally allowed to return, the house is still standing, but Buddy is missing. The only clue to his fate is a water-stained, incomplete toll-free telephone number from his rescuers. Li'l T is devastated and fears he will never find Buddy. This is more than just a dog story as the novel has strong, well-developed adult characters in a wise and caring grandfather and a tough but loving father. Both men teach Li'l T about right and wrong, about being part of a family, and about responsibility. There is also a strong community bond with neighbors and church members who help one another through the hard times. The only dissident note is that Li'l T does well in school but uses bad grammar when he speaks. Readers will figure out the ending long before the conclusion, but that doesn't detract from this well-written story.Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2013
Twelve-year-old Tyrone loves his three-legged dog Buddy deeply and agonizes when Buddy must stay behind as the family evacuates before Hurricane Katrina. Later, while he and his father rebuild their New Orleans home, Tyrone fights to locate and bring Buddy home. Setting acts as a character in this emotional book, showing a strong, tight-knit community that is uniquely New Orleanian.
(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)