“A heartrending story of a New Orleans family’s experience through Hurricane Katrina…Simple, affecting prose and intricate, inspired paintings make this one worth sharing for sure.” ―Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Bootman’s dramatic oil paintings and the boy’s first-person narration provide realistic immediacy as the boy’s family makes its way through their flooded neighborhood on “a piece of someone’s porch that was floating by.” Readers are in for a deeply personal and sometimes uncomfortable look at a disaster whose ramifications are still being felt.” ―Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“The juxtaposition of the understated text and muscular artwork works well…A memorable addition to the growing number of books about Hurricane Katrina, this offering personalizes a national tragedy.” ―Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

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“Can the enormity of a large-scale tragedy…be conveyed to school-age children without frightening them? How to describe the emotional toll without imposing a burden? It’s a difficult balance. But it’s one that the writer Myron Uhlberg and the illustrator Colin Bootman strike gracefully…this moving introduction to Hurricane Katrina imparts its lessons with a restraint that powerfully increases their gravity.” ―New York Times

“This remarkable homage to New Orleans tells of Louis Daniel, named for Armstrong, who leaves his flooded home with his parents and his cornet…The oil-on-board paintings of shimmering water and unfocused crowds capture contradictions; both harsh reality and otherworldliness; both the enormity and the intimacy of the event, somehow managing to leave out the horror. Uhlberg’s prose does the same…” ―School Library Journal

“It also embodies a pure style of jazz and blues music that New Orleans is best known for. It expresses uncertainty and looming danger, inspires hope, and supports the idea that home truly is where the heart is…” ―New York Journal of Books

“If it was difficult for adults to get their heads around the devastation surrounding Katrina…imagine how it was for children…A Storm Called Katrina captures the emotions of a young boy fleeing with his family as floodwaters rise after the hurricane and levee failures.” ―The Sunday Advocate

“The juxtaposition of a caring, responsible family against the frightening lack of control that everyone felt during and after the storm heightens the drama of the story…The powerful, full-color illustrations in oil will help younger readers understand what the city looked like and what happened to Louis Daniel. They will be able to see how frightening the situation was, but they will feel reassured in the end by the determination of the young hero.” ―The Times-Picayune

“This title will give young readers a picture of what it was like to be in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck. Children will appreciate how helpless Louis Daniel feels, and understand how much he lost…” ―Through the Looking Glass

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Best Children’s Books of the Year (Starred) ―Bank Street College of Education, 2012

Teachers’ Choices ―International Reading Association, 2012

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People ―National Council for the Social Studies, Children’s Book Council, 2012

Top 10 Black History Books for Youth ―Booklist, 2012

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Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth (Middle Readers, Fiction) ―Booklist, 2011

Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award ―Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, 2011

California Collections (Elementary) ―California Readers, 2013

Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Starred, Primary) ―Kansas National Education Association, 2012

Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee, Picture Book) ―Maryland Association of School Librarians, 2013-2014

Charlotte Award (Nominee, Primary) ―New York State Reading Association, 2014

Delaware Diamonds (Nominee, Grades 3-5) ―Diamond State Reading Association, 2012-2013

Georgia Children’s Picture Storybook Award (Nominee) ―University of Georgia, 2012-2013

Prairie Bud Children’s Book Award (Nominee) ―South Dakota Library Association, South Dakota Reading Council, South Dakota State Library, South Dakota Elementary School Princ, 2013-2014

Volunteer State Book Awards (Nominee, Primary) ―Tennessee Association of School Librarians, 2014-2015

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Myron Uhlberg is the author of several picture books. A retired businessman, he lives in California. You can visit his website here.

Colin Bootman was born in Trinidad but moved to the United States at the age of seven. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, he has illustrated numerous books for children, including Almost to Freedom, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book. He lives in New York.

“A tender demonstration of how familial love is like translation—inexact, difficult, and beautiful.” ―Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Newcomer Papoulas’s illustrations are a love letter to Coney Island at its heyday…” ―Publishers Weekly

“Lovely tribute to a bygone era and a boy’s commemoration of his parents.” ―School Library Journal

“Uhlberg…writes knowingly of the distinctly separate hearing and deaf worlds in which he grew up…” ―Booklist Online

Notable Books for a Global Society ―International Literacy Association, 2017

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People ―National Council for the Social Studies, Children’s Book Council, 2017

CCBC Choices (Understanding Oneself and Others) ―Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 2017

Best Children’s Books of the Year (Starred) ― Bank Street College of Education, 2017

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Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Starred, Intermediate) ―Kansas National Education Association

Alabama Camellia Award (Nominee, Grades 2-3) ―Alabama Department of Education, 2017-2018

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Awards (Nominee) ―Arkansas Department of Education, 2018-2019

Delaware Diamonds (Nominee, 3-5) ―Diamond State Reading Association, 2017-2018

Golden Sower Award (Nominee, Picture Book) ―Nebraska Library Association, 2018-2019

Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award (Intermediate Nominee) ―Keystone State Reading Association, 2017-2018

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Myron Uhlberg is the author of several picture books. A retired businessman, he lives in California. You can visit his website here.

Ted Papoulas earned his illustration degree from Pratt Institute, where he fell in love with Brooklyn, a continual source of inspiration for his art. The Sound of All Things was his first picture book. He lives in New Jersey. You can visit his website here.

“A heartfelt tale of an ordinary person rising to meet an extraordinary challenge.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“The large, realistic paintings are enthralling, showing close up both the strong men at work with the pounding machinery and the boy’s bond with his brave, gentle father.” ―Booklist

“A unique tale of a quiet kind of heroism-literally and figuratively… The simplicity of the story gives the text its drama, and its message of caring for one’s fellow humans is powerful.” ―School Library Journal

“Handsome paintings convey the story’s emotion.” ―Horn Book Guide

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“The painterly illustrations reinforce a sense of nostalgia, and the arrested motion of the figures evokes the quiet world of the printer in the midst of an obviously noisy industrial setting. Told from the viewpoint of an adoring son, this story of unassuming heroism subtly impresses its message that ‘dis’-ability has its compensations; in its various emphases on vocation, history, and language, it also invites cross-curricular applications.” ―Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“This story is good for introducing young readers to the world of the deaf individuals with whom they might someday interact… The illustrations are boldly painted in subtle tones and beautifully illustrate the people, the place, and the pivotal action of the story.” ―Chat with Vera

“If you’re looking for a memorable picture book with something of value for any age you need look no further than ‘The Printer’” ―Unpacking Picture Book Power

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Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (Selector’s Choice) ―National Council for the Social Studies, Children’s Book Council, 2004

Best Children’s Books of the Year ―Bank Street College of Education, 2004

Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities ―IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Disabled Young People, 2005

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California Collections (Elementary) ―California Readers, 2006

Land of Enchantment Book Awards (Master List) ―New Mexico Library Association, New Mexico Council of IRA, 2006-2007

Beehive Award (Nominee) ―Children’s Literature Association of Utah, 2005-2006

Charlotte Award (Nominee) ―New York State Reading Association, 2006

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Myron Uhlberg is the author of several picture books. A retired businessman, he lives in California. You can visit his website here.

Henri Sorensen has illustrated over twenty books for children, including The Yellow Star, The Printer, and Christmas in the Trenches. He is also the author-illustrator of two children’s books, New Hope and Your First Step. Sorensen lives in Denmark.

“Uhlberg presents a properly poker-faced retelling of a popular European folktale…. The tale’s mild humor is picked up in Lamut’s airy paintings…. This rib-tickler should induce many a young armchair traveler to pay a visit to Chelm or Gotham.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Uhlberg polishes a gem from the treasure trove of Jewish folklore with this snappy adaptation of a Chelm tale…. Uhlberg’s drily understated humor maximizes the comedy as well as readers’ affection for the hapless hero and his doltish scheme. Lamut makes a great leap forward with these graceful illustrations…. Fresh and diverting.” ―Publishers Weekly

“The fun is in the straight-faced comedy and lively pictures that contrast the warm, settled community with the innocent who thinks he’s sailed away.” ―Booklist

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“This quietly humorous ending will draw smiles from listeners. The framed, softly painted illustrations give the book an albumlike quality that heightens the sense of old-world fantasy… Story and pictures combine to form a fine choice…” ―School Library Journal

“The tale is told well, and the illustrations are drawn with energy and conviction.” ―The Horn Book Guide

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Notable Children’s Books of Jewish Content: the Best of the Bunch (Younger Readers) ―Association of Jewish Libraries, 2001

Myron Uhlberg is the author of several picture books. A retired businessman, he lives in California. You can visit his website here.

Sonja Lamut has received numerous awards for her work in the U.S. and in Europe. She has illustrated more than thirty books, including Lemuel the Fool, How Many Candles?, Alex and the Cat, and The Private Diary of Katie Roberts. She lives in New York and teaches illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology. You can visit her website here.

“An enchanted vision of Brooklyn transformed but ever itself.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Youngsters will delight in the idea of such a snow-filled flight…. a magical winter storytime.” ―School Library Journal

Myron Uhlberg is the author of several picture books. A retired businessman, he lives in California. You can visit his website here.

Gerald Fitzgerald is an award-winning illustrator of several books for children, including Flying Over Brooklyn and Casey at the Bat. He lives in Scotland.

“An affecting tribute to Robinson, to a dedicated son and to a thoughtful, deep-feeling father. And, of course, to baseball.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Genuinely affecting… Bootman’s realistic, wonderfully expressive watercolor paintings capture the fashions and flavor of 1940’s New York in muted brows and greens. The endpapers, an actual scrapbook of old newspaper articles about Robinson, provide a satisfying context for this ultimately upbeat, multi-dimensional story.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Bootman’s lovely watercolor paintings add detail and wistful nostalgia… [readers] will appreciate the story’s insightful treatment of deafness as viewed through the eyes of a child.” ―School Library Journal

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“It takes the young Uhlberg, narrator of the story, a while to overcome his embarrassment at his father’s attempts to cheer for Robinson…but eventually Dad’s devotion wins the day in a moving finale. Colin Bootman, who earned a Coretta Scott Honor Award for Almost to Freedom (2003), uses evocative watercolors rich in soft browns and lush greens to capture both the feel of the 1940s (fedora-wearing fans) and the electricity of Robinson’s play.” ―Booklist

“[Bootman’s] rich watercolors evoke the deep shadows of summer afternoons at the ballpark and the easy camaraderie between father and son.” ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“The illustrations capture the action of the game as well as depicting the time period of the story. A study of the illustrations make you feel like you are involved in the story itself.” ―ACS Reader’s Haven

“In this story, Uhlberg creates a touching story based on his own boyhood experiences while attending baseball games with his deaf father. He crafts a beautifully written story about the hearing impaired and about Robinson’s determination and tolerance.” ―Pennsylvania Reads

“A moving and uplifting story commemorated in realistic watercolors and winner of The Teacher’s Choice Award and the Schneider Family Book Award. Wonderful!” ―Picture Book Reviews

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Schneider Family Book Award ―American Library Association, 2006

Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts ―National Council of Teachers of English, 2006

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People ―National Council for the Social Studies, Children’s Book Council, 2006

Teachers’ Choices (Primary) ―International Reading Association, 2006

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Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities ―IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Disabled Young People, 2007

Storytelling World Resource Awards (Stories for Pre-Adolescent Listeners) ―Storytelling World Magazine, 2006

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Awards (Reading List) ―Arkansas Department of Education, 2007-2008

Comstock Book Award ―Minnesota State University Moorhead, 2006

Land of Enchantment Book Awards (Master List) ―New Mexico Library Association, New Mexico Council of IRA, 2007-2008

Virginia Readers’ Choice (Elementary List) ―Virginia State Reading Association, 2009-2010

California Young Reader Medal (Nominee, Picture Book) ―CRA, CLA, CATE, CSLA, 2007-2008

Children’s Book Award (Nominee) ―Florida Reading Association, 2006-2007

Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee, Picture Book) ―Association for Indiana Media Educators, 2008-2009

Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee) ―Maryland Educational Media Association, 2007-2008

Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award (Nominee) ―Kansas Reading Association, 2006-2007

Charlotte Award (Nominee) ―New York State Reading Association, 2008

KC3 Reading Program (Nominee) ―Greater Kansas City Association of School Librarians, 2007-2008

Show Me Readers Award (Nominee) ―Missouri Association of School Librarians, 2007

North Carolina Children’s Book Award (Nominee, Picture Book) ―North Carolina Reading Association, 2007

Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards (Nominee, Grades 3-6) ―Pennsylvania School Librarians Association, 2008-2009

SCBA Book Awards (Nominee, Children’s Books) ―Southern California Booksellers Association, 2005

Children’s Crown Award (Honor Book) ―National Christian School Association, 2007-2008

Best Read Aloud Picture Books ―Curriculum Materials Center at Minnesota State University Moorhead

Living the Dream Children’s Book Award (Nominee) ―Manhattan Country School, 2006-2007

Macy’s Multicultural Collection of Children’s Literature ―Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), 2008

Outstanding Book Award (Honorable Mention) ―The Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rightsk, 2005

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People (Special Recognition) ―The Poetry Center at Passiac County Community College), 2006

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Myron Uhlberg is the author of several picture books. A retired businessman, he lives in California. You can visit his website here.

Colin Bootman was born in Trinidad but moved to the United States at the age of seven. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, he has illustrated numerous books for children, including Almost to Freedom, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book. He lives in New York.