All Hands on Deck!: A Deadly Hurricane, a Daring Rescue, and the Origin of the Cajun Navy

by Robert Neubecker

Overview

A heroic tale of boats, large and small, teaming up and lending a hand in a time of need, based on the true story of a community that came together to rescue survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

When the wind is high and the barometer is low, it can mean only one thing: Hurricane! In the aftermath of a terrible storm, a coastal community is left in shambles, with thousands of people stranded on cars or rooftops. The Coast Guard is stretched to its limit, and all along the coast, schooners and sloops and speedboats wonder "What can I do? I am only one little boat." But by working together, even the littlest boats can make a difference.
Based on the true story of the "Cajun Navy" that came together in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and has continued to assist in rescue efforts after every major hurricane to strike the Gulf Coast in the years since, this tale of courage and community will inspire readers of all ages to step up and do their part.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593176894
Publisher:	Knopf, Alfred A. Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.38(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.34(d)
Lexile:	AD560L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

ROBERT NEUBECKER draws for Slate.com, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. He is the award-winning author-illustrator of Wow! City!, Wow! Ocean!, and Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing. Robert lives in Park City, Utah, with his family, dogs, cats, and lizards. Visit him at RobertNeubecker.com.

Editorial Reviews

"Neubecker offers a cheery “community helpers” style picture book account, with anthropomorphized watercraft and a nonspecific time setting for the focus rescue, which makes the title appropriate for group sharing among listeners with differing anxiety tolerances.” —The Bulletin

“Cartoonish watercolor, pencil, and digital illustrations lighten what could be a harrowing topic for the young audience the book targets. Neubecker’s detailed double-page spreads depict rescuers and survivors of various skin tones, accurately conveying the diversity of New Orleans.” —The Horn Book

From the Publisher

2021-03-31
Ordinary heroes dive into danger in this celebration of Hurricane Katrina’s Cajun Navy.

Around New Orleans and all along the Gulf Coast, a wide array of boats can be found. Here readers meet Bubba, a bass boat, Bennie, an airboat, and Sal, a speedboat. One day, a hurricane strikes Louisiana. The waves crash, the levees break, and suddenly there are too many people for the firefighters, police, and Coast Guardsmen to save. Initially Bubba, Bennie, and Sal feel helpless, but as word goes out for volunteers to help the people stranded, the boats feel the call of duty. As the backmatter relates, thousands of people were rescued thanks to this impromptu “Cajun Navy.” Additional information discusses the origins of hurricanes, the Cajun Navy’s ongoing efforts, and how to prepare before and keep safe during a hurricane. Much of Neubecker’s art is beautiful, as when the endpapers present New Orleans from above. However, these rescue boats have both eyeballs and sentience: “Bubba has an idea: ‘If all the little boats work together, we can do big things.’ ” The humans piloting them seem like afterthoughts. While the impulse to make this tale of disaster a child-friendly one is understandable, anthropomorphizing the boats detracts from the true heroism of the very real citizen rescuers. A straightforward retelling would have better served this history.

Unnecessary anthropomorphization mars what should be a stirring, heroic tale. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews