Most of the action of "Hurricane Friends" takes place in Mrs. Murphy's backyard, Mrs. Murphy's front yard, and inside Clari's home. Mrs. Murphy's backyard is the focus of a dispute between her and the neighboring Martinez family, which is precipitated when Clari damages the back fence when she climbs over it in order to save herself some extra walking after school. When Clari climbs over the fence, knowing that she is not supposed to, she exposes the rift between neighbors that the advent of the hurricane will mend. Mrs. Murphy's front yard is where the Martinezes show their openheartedness and sound moral values. When Mrs. Murphy learns that she cannot bring Midnight with her to the shelter, the cat scrambles away—lost for all Mrs. Murphy can tell. Clari catches the cat and takes it to her room for safekeeping. The Martinezes also board up the picture...