Review by Booklist Review
Neither Bobbi the dog nor Bob Cat has a tail, and some say that's what brought them together. Abandoned during the Katrina evacuations, 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.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-When hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the loss of life and property was great. The impact on pets was often just as dramatic. Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery based their award-winning book (Walker, 2008) on the true story of a cat and a dog that teamed up to survive. Both had bobbed tails, hence the names they were given at the animal shelter where they were eventually placed. The authors can only speculate on why Bobcat and Bobbie were left behind, and how they survived before being befriended by a construction worker months after the hurricane. The discovery that Bobcat was blind only enhanced this remarkable tale of friendship. Both animals were eventually adopted by a woman in Oregon where they live today. The authors take turns reading their evocative book. Gentle background music and some sound effects enhance the production as Jean Cassel's warm, detailed gouache illustrations are scanned iconographically. The "After the Storm" epilogue has been augmented with additional photographs of Bobcat and Bobbie in their new home. The production also includes brief interviews in which the authors discuss the writing process, the challenges and joys of shared writing, and the source of their inspiration. This excellent story will be enjoyed in classroom situations.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
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 duowander the devastated city for monthsbefore 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 discoverythat 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 itselfhad a little Crescent City flair. (Picture book. 7-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
