TWO BOBBIES

Larson and Nethery relate the true story of a dog and a cat, both tailless, that come to be called Bobbi and Bob Cat, respectively. Abandoned in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, the inseparable duo wander the devastated city for months before being taken into an animal shelter and then finally to a new home on a ranch in Oregon. The improbability of the pair’s survival is heightened by the astounding discovery that Bob Cat is blind and surely would not have persevered without Bobbi’s protection. While the sometimes gritty realism of Cassels’s illustrations successfully captures the essence of the storm-ravaged yet resilient city, the authors, presumably in an attempt to avoid sensationalism, unfortunately rob this story of much of its inspirational quality through the flat, journalistic language they employ. As it presents a story that deals with the tragedy of the storm yet focuses on hope and triumph, this effort will likely hold much appeal for survivors of natural disasters, particularly Katrina. If only the telling itself had a little Crescent City flair. (Picture book. 7-10)