Stories about actual events make best tales

In my heart of hearts, and as dearly as I love all kinds of stories, I think the best stories are the true stories.

"Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival" is a perfect example. Bobbi (the hearing-impaired dog) and Bob Cat (who was blind) survived Hurricane Katrina. "They did it by lending each other a paw."

Even when the friends were safe with rescuers, Bobbi's howling and barking and Bob Cat's endless pacing let the shelter workers know that they could not be separated. Children (and adults) will love this story.

"My Heart Glow" by Emily Arnold McCully is the true story of "Alice Cogswell, Thomas Gallaudet, and the Birth of American Sign Language." In 2008, when there are books that teach sign language for babies, it's difficult to imagine a time when a formalized sign language did not exist in America.

This picture book for children ages 5 and up is a clear and interesting account of how a small deaf child inspired Thomas Gallaudet to make education of the deaf his life's work. An "Author's Note" and signing alphabet are included.

"Dancing to Freedom-The True Story of Mao's Last Dancer" by Li Cunxin is the fascinating story of the boy who was born into extreme poverty, chosen from among millions of other children to train at the Beijing Dance Academy, defected to the U.S. and became the principal dancer at the Houston Ballet.

As a child, Li Cunxin "was always hungry." He says, "At night we slept head to toe, crammed on a hard bed. I hated my brothers' feet in my face. Still, I would dream ..." In many ways, this book is more fantastic than a fairy tale. The adult version of his story was published as "Mao's Last Dancer" and was an international best-seller.

"Tenth Avenue Cowboy" by Linda Oatman High is fiction, but I put it with true stories because it's based on an unknown-to-me historical fact: In the early 1900s, the legendary Tenth Avenue Cowboys rode their horses through the area in New York City known as Hell's Kitchen to warn people about approaching trains. The illustrations, text and glossary give children an understanding of city life at the beginning of the 20th century.

These books are for real.

Reach Fran Hawk at franbooks@yahoo.com.