num_pages: 32
description: In the 1840s there was a real vounteer firefighter named Mose Humphreys whose bravery was reknown throughout New York City. Plays about him began being performed on Broadway in 1848 and over the years his strength and heroics took on larger-than-life proportions much like those of Paul Bunyan. Mary Pope Osborne has honed down the legends about him to a brief dramatic sometimes comical but ultimately moving text of picture book length. Steve Johnson and Lou Fanchers stunning paintings capture this 8-foot-tall superhero rushing into burning buildings saving babies and bankers and wolfing down the feasts bestowed upon him by the grateful citizens of old New Yorkuntil the one big hotel fire after which he was never seen again. The author has included a historical note about the origins of this tall tale and the book is dedicated to the 343 New York City firefighters who gave their lives to save others on September 11 2001.Mary Pope Osborne included a longer different version of this legend in her distinguished collection American Tall Tales.
language: English
title: New York's Bravest
publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers