Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival
by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery. Illustrated by Jean Cassels.

Summary

Bobbi and Bob Cat are the best of friends, even though one is a dog and one is a cat. When their hometown of New Orleans is struck by Hurricane Katrina, many lose everything. But not Bobbi and Bob Cat—they still have each other. Only by staying together could they survive. This is the story of their remarkable friendship.

In the wake of hurricane Katrina, "pets Bobbi and Bob Cat wander dangerous, debris-strewn streets seeking food and water. Eventually taken to a rescue shelter, the Bobbies show distress when separated but remain calm when together. Workers then discover that Bob Cat is blind and that Bobbi seems to serve as his seeing-eye dog. A national news appearance ultimately results in the animals' shared adoption in a happy new home. The descriptive, sometimes folksy prose and realistically rendered gouache illustrations accessibly convey the Bobbies' experiences and mutual devotion. An afterword, with a photo of the real-life furry friends, notes the parts of the narrative that are speculative, such as the animals' pre-shelter experiences. This moving story about the importance of friendship and home highlights the plight of the hurricane's lost and left-behind animals, as well as the value of animal shelters." — Booklist

About the Author

Kirby Larson is the acclaimed author of the 2007 Newbery Honor Book, Hattie Big Sky, a young adult historical novel she wrote inspired by her great-grandmother who homesteaded by herself in eastern Montana as a young woman. Her passion for historical fiction continues with The Fences Between Us and The Friendship Doll.

In 2006, Kirby began a collaboration with her good friend, Mary Nethery, which has resulted in two award-winning nonfiction picture books: Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival (illustrated by Jean Cassels) and Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle. They think three’s a lucky number so have their eyes peeled for another project to tackle together.