Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans

Summary of Book

In New Orleans, there lived a man who saw the streets as his calling, and he swept them clean. He danced up one avenue and down another and everyone danced along. The old ladies whistled and whirled. The old men hooted and hollered. The barbers, bead twirlers, and beignet bakers bounded behind that one-man parade. But then came the rising Mississippi—and a storm greater than anyone had seen before. In this heartwarming book about a real garbage man, Phil Bildner and John Parra tell the inspiring story of a humble man and the heroic difference he made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Author Biography

Phil Bildner is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for kids. His latest book is the groundbreaking, #OwnVoices middle grade novel, A High Five for Glenn Burke. He is the author of many children's picture books including the Margaret Wise Brown Prize winning Marvelous Cornelius, the Texas Bluebonnet Award winning Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, Martina & Chrissie, Twenty-One Elephants, and The Soccer Fence. Phil is also the author of A Whole New Ballgame, Rookie of the Year, Tournament of Champions, and Most Valuable Players in the critically acclaimed middle grade Rip & Red series.

Illustrator Biography

John Parra is an award-winning illustrator, designer, teacher, and fine art painter. His children's books have earned numerous awards, including the SCBWI Golden Kite Award, ALA's Pura Belpré Honors, the Christopher Award, the International Latino Book Award, and many more. His illustration clients have included: United Airlines, The United States Postal Service, Hitachi Data Systems, Jeep/DaimlerChrysler, National Geographic, PBS, El Museo del Barrio, Boston Children's Hospital, Chronicle Books, Penguin Random House, SCBWI, Santa Clara Magazine, Virgin Records and more. Parra's original artwork has also been showcased and displayed in numerous gallery shows and museum exhibitions in New York, California, and throughout the United States and abroad. Many of his fine art paintings now reside with private collectors. In 2015 John was invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to present a special event about his work and career in art and illustration; and in 2017 John's art will appear on six Forever postal stamps from the USPS titled "Delicioso." He currently lives with his wife, Maria, in Queens, New York.