Many stories have been written about the ferocious tornado that cut through the center of our town, Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011, but they were written mainly for an adult readership. Carolyn E. Mueller has added to the collection but this time appealing to a young audience, With the collaboration of illustrator Nick Hayes and his vibrant style, Mueller introduces, to the 6-10 age group, Lily, a beautiful, large Weimaraner, and her owner Tara, founder of PAWS K-9 Search and Rescue.

Illustrator Nick Hayes vividly displays the swirling tornado bisecting the city of Joplin.

Lily's training as a search and rescue dog, often summoned by local law enforcement to find missing persons, was put to the test after the tornado struck. Having herself survived a life-threatening illness, Lily was back in the throes of danger, this time sniffing out victims trapped in the rubble created by the tornado's massive path. Ably described was Lily and Tara's greatest challenge of making certain everyone was rescued from St. John's Medical Center, the hospital so damaged that it eventually had to be totally demolished.

Lily demonstrates how skillful her training has made her, but the author also pays tribute to the people who poured into the city from near and far to assist in rescue and reconstruction. The book teaches children how in the spirit of cooperation no trauma can't be overcome. And that the greatest medicine for healing amidst any horror may be simply a hug.

Title: lily--a true story of courage & the Joplin Tornado
Author: Carolyn E. Mueller with illustrations by Nick Hayes
Hardcover: 32 pages/ $14.53 at Amazon
Publisher: Reedy Press (February 28, 2014)

Language: English
ISBN-10: 193580667X
ISBN-13: 978-1935806677

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