The Mud Angels: How Students Saved the City of Florence
Karen M. Greenwald, Illustrated by Olga Lee / Albert Whitman
A MUD-FILLED RACE AGAINST TIME
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.
When asked how this book can inspire us, a 3rd grade student said:
“They were teenagers and that proves that kids and teenagers can change the world!”
ITALIAN & AMERICAN MEDIA COVERAGE
- INTOSCANA Tuscan News Portal (Italian): referenced on homepage, amidst news of a massive flood in Italy and across Europe. Full article in both Italian and English.
- L’ITALO AMERICANO Newspaper (Bilingual): referenced on homepage. Full article in both Italian and English.
- NEWS IN CONSERVATION Magazine: Featured article listed on magazine’s cover. Book Cover pictured in Table of Contents.
- AMBASSADOR Magazine: National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)-full review in print and online.
- ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION Blog: special feature blog article.
- INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR CONSERVATION OF CONTEMPORARY ART (INCA) Blog: featured post.
- AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION (AIC) Newsletter: first article in mailed and posted newsletter to international audience.
- FRA NOI Magazine: featured interview, print and online.
- WRITER’S RUMPUS Blog: referenced on homepage, featured interview.
- NYT BEST SELLING AUTHOR JOHN SCHU’s Blog: featured interview.
- NYT BEST SELLING AUTHOR SUSANNA LEONARD HILL’s Blog: featured interview.
- GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER: Karen’s books are included on the Literacy and the Law course syllabus.
Reviews
“In the aftermath of disastrous 1966 Arno River floods in Florence, a group of visiting students—international but many from Florida State University—voluntarily joined in relief efforts by slogging through the dangerous muck to rescue books from the national library. Lee’s scenes of tumultuous waves washing down city streets amply convey a sense of the widespread devastation to go with Greenwald’s vivid descriptions of the wreckage: “Mud, mud, mud. / Slimy, sticky, stinky mud. / Everywhere. / Everything covered in mud.” The volunteers’ dedication comes through clearly, too…A true episode worth commemorating.”
—Booklist, American Library Association
Rating: 5
(5 is an excellent or a Starred review)
“An uplifting story about visiting students pitching in with local residents to clean up and clear out the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale in Florence after the flooding of the Arno River in 1966. Waves washed through the city, but even when the waters receded, they left a hazardous mess of debris and mud throughout the area. Without needing to speak the same languages, the visiting students came together to help retrieve and dry out the books and save part of Florence’s history. Beautiful illustrations show the city, both in its splendor and in its filth, and its people as they cycle through joy to despair and finally, hope.”
Anything you didn’t like about it? Not at all
To whom would you recommend this book? Children ages 6-12, especially if they are in need of inspiration or uplifting stories.
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes!
“Karen Greenwald’s gorgeously illustrated, thoroughly researched first children’s book in English about the Arno River’s flooding of Florence on Nov. 4, 1966, will inspire young and old alike. A magnificent gift for historians and Italophiles, …the book offers a boots-on-the-ground look at how priceless cultural patrimony was saved… The ‘Author’s Note’ is one of the most fascinating sections of the book, detailing Greenwald’s research. It included primary interviews.”
—Kirsten Keppel, Ambassador Magazine, National Italian American Foundation
“[Karen M. Greenwald’s] …book holds great significance…as a way to ensure that new generations understand the resilience, solidarity, and heroism that emerged from such a challenging moment in history…we were absolutely thrilled about [it]…because it contributes to preserving cultural memory and educating young readers about an event that shaped Florence and inspired an international response.”
—Director-CEDAF, Florence, Italy
“I was in tears. Tears were coming down my cheeks because I felt that [Karen] had captured the essence of this. There was a lyrical quality to it. It wasn’t just a factual little history book for children. It was beautiful. And I felt myself reliving the experience as [Karen] read it to me.”
—Carolyn Johnson, original Mud Angels first on the scene (10.4.66) who was interviewed for this book. These are her comments after hearing the book’s final manuscript before it was published.
“Karen’s THE MUD ANGELS is a beautifully documented children’s tribute to the ‘angeli del fango’—the unsung heroes of our flood history. As Head of the Conservation Workshop at the National Central Library of Florence, I am impressed by her ability to revive this remarkable chapter with authenticity and grace.”
—A. S., Head of the Conservation Workshop, BNCF
“…the interview is online today, the anniversary of the 1966 flood. I wanted to, it was important to express your message.”
—M. Mancini, Journalist-Intoscana, Tuscan news portal (during a massive flood in Italy and across Europe, 11.4.25)
“Karen Greenwald has been able to bring to life an important bit of Italian history while shining a light on human empathy and the importance of banding together to heal and cope in a difficult time…”
—Nicola Orichuia, Journalist/Indie Owner
“…The voice is very engaging, and a story that covers some difficult things (serious flooding, toxic mud, danger to people, places, and things) is told in a very accessible, age-appropriate way that is informative without being frightening and includes some lovely language… Overall an interesting, engaging true story that shows kids that there are many ways that anyone can help their community.”
—Susanna Leonard Hill, New York Times Best Selling Author
Videos
Hear from one of the original Mud Angels, first on the scene days before protective gear was available.
Learn how brave young people saved precious Italian artifacts after the Arno’s waves reached up to 22 feet in 1966. This video was played at a conference of experts connected to the University of Florence.