My daughter loves reading books about cats and dogs. Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival written by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery and illustrated by Jean Cassels tells the tale of Bobbi and Bob Cat, two animal best friends who weather the storm and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina together. When I first checked the book out from the library last spring, my then-toddler daughter begged me to read the story to her again and again.
Recommended for readers in kindergarten through third grade, Two Bobbies uses simple prose to tell the remarkable story of two animal friends who help each other during and after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. My daughter refers to the book as the “mommy cry book” because I always tear up when I read the story aloud. The book, however, has a surprise happy ending, so my tears are of joy.
In addition to the somewhat sad story with a happy ending, my daughter also loves looking at the illustrations in Two Bobbies. She loves pointing out the cat and dog on each page. Her favorite picture is one near the beginning when the hurricane is pounding down on the city. Her dog Espen wears a Thunder Shirt during storms, so she always tells me that the dog and the cat need Thunder Shirts as I begin reading the story aloud.
Final Verdict: Although recommended for slightly older readers, my young daughter adores Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery with illustrations by Jean Cassels. The story is simple, and the pictures bring the tale to life. My daughter and I give Two Bobbies four enthusiastic thumbs up!
Image Credits
Cover of Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival © 2014 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival 1 © 2014 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival 2 © 2014 Heather Johnson
