  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 11/01/2015 Gr 5–8—Residents along the Gulf Coast know that hurricane warnings are nothing to scoff at. Thirteen-year-old Cort Delacroix, who lives in Alabama on a houseboat with his gator-hunting father and dog, Catfish, knows the routine—you pull the boats out of the water, help neighbors board up their windows, stock up on ice, draw extra drinking water, and gas up the generator. When the storm moves closer and Cort's father hasn't returned from town, their widowed neighbor, Mrs. Stovall, goes after him, leaving her daughters in Cort's care. Winds and rain pound the house and topple a tree, causing Catfish to bolt from the house with little Francine unable to free herself from his leash. A harrowing tale of survival ensues, as big sister Liza and Cort search for the pair in treacherous floodwaters and try to avoid the wild pigs, deer, gators, bears, and poisonous snakes all heading for higher ground. Suspense is palpable, as the children become stranded in Bottle Creek, and it is apparent they are competing with dangerous wildlife for any safe space above water. Cort's unstable family life and humble home add layers to his character and will make readers root for his rescue, his budding relationship with Liza, and a resolution to his parents' separation. Details of the Gulf Coast environs, indigenous wildlife, and gritty way of life permeate the action, providing a window into possible experiences of Hurricane Katrina survivors. VERDICT A page-turner that will have readers watching where they step and looking up into trees, long after the slithering and snorting end.—Vicki Reutter, State University of New York at Cortland - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 12/15/2015 Cort has grown up along the Gulf Coast, and hurricanes are a fact of life. He is especially used to the dangers of the wilderness, as his father is a river guide who leads out-of-towners through the swamp on alligator and wild hog hunts. It’s not an easy life—Cort’s mom left months ago—and Cort struggles with what his future will be if he chooses it for himself. But when the latest hurricane arrives and Cort finds himself trapped in the swamp with two neighbor girls, he has a whole new slew of problems: he has not only a Category 3 storm to deal with but a host of gators, hogs, and snakes all battling it out for dry ground. Cort and his neighbor Liza, perhaps because of their upbringing, both seem several years older than 13, but Key’s descriptions of the storm and the swamp are arresting and harrowing. A fast-paced survival story with a resourceful hero, this is Hatchet for the post-Katrina generation, and it’s sure to find an audience. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
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