Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, illustrated by Jean Cassels Ages 4-8 32 pages Walker Books August 2008 Hardcover     In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of New Orleans residents were displaced due to rising flood waters. Many had to leave their homes by boat and were forced to leave everything behind - including their pets. Two Bobbies is based on the story of two such abandoned animals and the friendship that kept them together during the hardest of times. As the flood waters recede, Bobbi the dog breaks free of his chains and, along with his companion Bob Cat, sets out to find food and shelter in the ruined city. Bobbi is very protective of his feline friend and growls when anyone comes near. For four long months the cat stays close to Bobbi’s side, following the broken end of chain that drags on the ground. Eventually they wander onto a construction site, where a worker takes pity on the ragtag team and shuttles them to an animal shelter. Separated for the first time, both animals cry and pace their cages, making it clear they want to be together. It isn’t long before the shelter volunteers realize that Bob Cat is blind and Bobbi is his seeing-eye dog. But will anyone be willing to adopt a blind cat and a dog together, or will this amazing friendship be torn apart? Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery are well established authors in their own right with many books to their credits. Inspired by the Two Bobbies’ story as seen on Anderson Cooper 360, they collaborated together to chronicle this exceptional tale of friendship and survival. Both have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to the Best Friends Animal Society. Illustrator Jean Cassels and her family were among the many humans displaced from New Orleans during Katrina. The outstanding images she portrays of the devastation are rife with emotion and show the sense of loss from a firsthand perspective. This book is a must-have for animal lovers of all ages. Sometimes it takes the examples of our four-legged friends to remind us what is important.     web reviews   Niki Schoenfeldt/2008 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)