*Four Starred Reviews!* *A Kirkus Reviews' Best Book of the Year !* *The International Literary Association's Intermediate Fiction Winner!* *A Children's Book Council Best Book of the Year!* *A National Book Festival Pick for Louisiana!* *A Louisiana Readers' Choice Nominee!* "Come for gumbo and jambalaya; stay for the phenomenal hero with a powerful growth story." -- Kirkus Reviews , starred review "A poignant and emotional exploration of a people and place worth preserving." -- School Library Journal , starred review " Necessity and nostalgia clash in a small Louisiana town, where 13-year-old Jillian Robichaux fears the loss of her enclave and her Cajun identity in this timely story." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review " An involving, heartening novel of growth and change." -- Booklist , starred review "A timely, affecting account of climate change.enhanced by [the protagonist's] Southern charm and emotional depth." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books " Jillian's grief, and her trepidation about facing a now unmoored future, ring true and give the novel its heart, while the issues of preserving one's environment and heritage offer readers much to ponder." - Horn Book A Bank Street Best Book of the Year A Maine Student Book Award Selection.