Bob

Starred review from March 5, 2018
Ten-year-old Livy, who lives in Massachusetts, hasn’t visited her Gran Nicholas’s house in Australia for five years. When she returns for a visit, Livy is struck by the feeling that something very important is waiting for her. Sure enough, a peek inside her closet reveals “a small zombie wearing a chicken suit,” perched atop a dictionary. “You’re back. Took you long enough,” the creature says to the girl. Once upon a time, it seems, five-year-old Livy discovered this strange being, who goes by the comically understated name of Bob, and the two formed a secret bond. Picking up where they left off, Livy keeps Bob hidden while they hunt for clues about what he is, where he came from, and how to get him home. Authors Mass (the Willow Falls series) and Stead (Goodbye Stranger) team up for this irresistible tale of magic, mystery, and friendship that poses timeless questions about identity and belonging. Ultimately, the answers Livy and Bob seek are waiting in the pages of a cherished book—a tribute to the power of storytelling, which draws readers into the imaginative investigation. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Authors’ agents: (for Stead) Faye Bender, the Book Group; (for Mass) Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown Ltd. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

April 1, 2018

Gr 3-6-Five years ago, Livy left her friend Bob, who she describes as a zombielike creature, in the closet of her grandmother's house in Australia without saying goodbye. Bob has loyally awaited Livy's return, dressed in the chicken suit she made to disguise him, and hopeful about the promise she made to help him find his way home, wherever that may be. As Livy gradually eases back into the rekindled friendship, vague memories return to her that could lead to the discovery of Bob's home. Livy's separation anxiety about her mother's upcoming trip with friends and the drought in her grandmother's town round out the story for a full plot line. Mass and Stead's brilliant collaboration has produced a beautiful tale of friendship, love, and the magic of childhood. Livy and Bob's points of view alternate chapters, and each character's personality is wonderfully realized with subtle nuances of emotion and humor. A perfectly paced plot, supported by secondary characters to whom readers will relate and luminous artwork by Gannon, fill out a story that readers will eagerly embrace. VERDICT A must-have for libraries serving middle grade readers, this novel delights.-Amy McInerney, Falmouth Elementary School, ME

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2018
Grades 3-5 *Starred Review* Traveling to her grandmother's drought-stricken, rural Australian community after an absence of five years, Livy remembers little about her previous visit. But when she opens her bedroom's closet door, Bob?a short, skinny, green creature in a bedraggled chicken suit?looks up at her and says, You're back. Took you long enough. They rebuild their friendship while Livy helps Bob figure out what kind of creature he is (not a zombie, as five-year-old Livy had supposed) and how he can find his way home. She has questions: Why don't adults seem to notice Bob? Why does she forget him when they're apart? Clearly magic plays a part in the story and its climax, bringing reunions, farewells, and rain, rain, rain. The very readable first-person narration alternates between Livy's voice and Bob's, and seen within well-realized settings, these endearing characters and their friendship drive the novel. Stead, whose When You Reach Me (2009) won the Newbery Medal, and Mass, author of the beloved Willow Falls series, combine their considerable talents to create an unusual fantasy with simplicity, immediacy, and wit. Illustrations (not seen) will appear throughout the finished volume.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)