About This Lesson
YOUTH SERVICES BOOK REVIEW: reviews of current nonfiction, fiction, and picture books by Massachusetts Librarians!
RATING: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5
BOOK BLURB: When the Arno River floods the city of Florence, Italy, in 1966, it leaves behind slimy, sticky, smelly mud everywhere. A young girl watches students from the US and other countries bravely trek through literal tons of sludge to save Florence’s treasures. Their destination is the Central Library. But the harsh journey there is nowhere near as challenging as saving the centuries-old, priceless, hand-painted books stored in the library’s basement.
This is the only children's book on this topic. Readers will see the power, bravery, and selflessness of global youth and their fervent protectiveness of Italian treasures.
RESEARCH: A vast amount of research is primary, including lengthy interviews with 16 Mud Angels.
