Bob is the story about a friendship between a young girl and a mythical creature. Throughout the story the reader is unsure whether Bob is truly a live being or merely an invisible friend. The book tells a sweet tale that touches on friendship, dependability, the ability to be true to your word and to keep your promises. This would be a good selection for upper elementary through middle school readers. I will be purchasing a copy for my school library.

Livy is visiting her grandmother in Australia again. It's been five year since she's last been there and she really doesn't remember anything about it. She tries to remember but nothing seems familiar. That is until she opens her closet...

Feiwel & Friends and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on May 1st.

I'd seen a lot of publicity on this book and checked to see if it was available for review. It was not. I finally saw it available and grabbed it. I'm glad I did. This was a wonderfully fun tale to read.

Livy has forgotten Bob. In fact, if she doesn't carry a chipped chess piece around with her and touch it, she can forget him after she's closed the closet door. While she's adjusting to being around him again, she finds out he's invisible to other people. That's a handy talent. During her last visit she made him a chicken suit out of some of her old pajamas and she only remembered the weird chicken.

Bob isn't a chicken. He thinks he might be a zombie but she says no. It's not until you get to the end of the story that you find out what Bob is and it's amazing.

I really enjoyed Bob and Livy's antics, and how they found the missing boy, Danny, down in a well.

This is a sweet story that ends great. If you like fantasy, you need to read this book. It's special.

"I was too busy basking in the glow of hearing my name. The Great and Powerful Bob. The Bobster. His Bobness."

1.5/5 stars

Wow. Just, wow. I expected so much more from this fun-looking book with the best title in existence. Really, who doesn't click on a book titled with the name "Bob"?* Well, as I was book shopping on Netgalley and saw this book, I immediately requested it. I looked at my email every 5 seconds, waiting for what was hopefully a confirming email.Thankfully, it was; however, that was when my excitement ended.

*Well, I know I did just by the title of this book review and what I have just written!

This book takes place in a small town in Australia, and Livy is spending her time with her grandmother for the first time in 5 years. The thing is that she remembers little to almost nothing from her last visit. Then, she learns that she has a friend named Bob. This is when everything took a turn for the worst.

Once Bob, a green not-zombie-chicken-goblin-looking thing, comes into the picture with his accusing stares and whiny voice, I started to get frustrated and write notes like crazy because this is the most annoying story of a not-zombie chicken I have ever read. I hate Bob and his selfish nature.

I just hated how much abuse Livy, the main character, went through due to her love for Bob. Bob messes with her head as every five years he causes Australia to go into chaos and he breaks her down until she is a puddle of mushy potatoes. And no one likes soggy, mushy potatoes. Through this whole book, Bob compares Livy to her past self. For example, this quote describes the friendships between Livy and Bob through the whole book:

"Bob smiles back. 'That's better. You look almost like the old Livy.'"

He makes Livy feel so guilty because she is not the same as she was when she was five years old. No one is the same as one is five years ago. People change, develop into better (or worse) beings, and find themselves face-first in a pile of cakes. Okay, maybe, just the last one stays the same forever, but people definitely forget and change a lot in a span of five years, especially with the addition of magic. For example, five years ago, I did not enjoy writing as much; I was nervous to join 5th grade in a new school and find new friends; I wasn't an extreme reader; and, I was extremely in love with toys and dolls. Now, you can find some of my scarier dolls in my closet, waiting for me to go into my closet so they can...play with me? Or, is it kill me? I have never seen "Chucky" so I am not sure, yet, how stuff animals and dolls are supposed to act. There may have only been one moment that I felt connected to Bob in some way, however. I think everyone can tell why.

"Still, I do manage to finish a cheese sandwich that had only one bite taken out of it. Keeping up one's strength is very important when on a mission like this, and I will need enough energy to make it back to our house.

May as well take the ham slice, too."

No explanation required.

Although I may have disliked so many things about humongous thingamabobs, I did enjoy some aspects. One good thing are the beautiful illustrations, which I wish there were more of. Also, I really liked the writing style. It was very capturing and I loved how the story flowed so magically. I wish there were more descriptions of Australia and the surroundings so then I would not have to take a one-way trip to Australia. I never felt as if I were transported away onto some magical island, and I love having this element play in every novel I read. I also really enjoyed Livy, the main character.

Moreover, Livy is a ten year old girl who is ready to spend some time with her grandmother. She is kind to everyone she meets, even if it happens to be a weird-looking chicken. I actually really enjoyed reading about her as she reminds me a little bit of myself. I get really nervous whenever I am not around my parents in a new and unfamiliar place. This mostly happened when I was younger, and one can definitely tell just by my first day of Kindergarten experience. Livy is also very anxious to be away from her parents; so, once she finds out that a long-lost friend has been waiting for her, she gets very enthusiastic. She is also very much into chocolate cake so I can see how we could be best friends. The only thing I do not like about her is that she not have the decency to slap Bob in the face, no matter how nice she is.

Like I wrote, I expected so much from this. Not only does it have a magical premise that makes me drool, but it is super short and has a 4.26 rating on Goodreads, as of April 17th, 2018. I am going to be the first person to let a 1-star rating hit this book. I tried so hard to like it; however, as you can tell, I did not enjoy this very much. For what I had hoped would be a heartwarming children's story, I instead got a knock on my door, wished for something good, and got a pile of my dog's poop instead.

In conclusion, I have three messages:

To Nick Gannon: Great job with the illustrations! Keep on doing what you are doing and make me happy by creating beautiful artwork. My only criticism of your work is that you could have done more. Maybe? How full is your schedule?
To Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead: Write less of an annoying goblin-chicken in distress. Your storytelling was good, but Bob is what ruined this whole book for me. I do not think that children or any person of any age should see a "friend" being blamed for being forgetful, due to magic or not. No one should treat a person with that much abuse no matter what. Teach kids to be good to each other not matter what.
To readers: If you want to read this, I will not stop you. I would just advise that if you have problems with people taking verbal abuse or terrible friendships, don't read this. I would not advise you to read this to children of any age unless they know what a true friendship is like.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

*Received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. All quotations came from an advanced copy so the wording may have changed or the quote may not be there at all.

Love,

newbookcats

A great story for junior readers. Some beautiful artwork here too. Will definitely recommend.

This is a different take on the anxiety of separation from family and living too far away for relationships to grow. The differences between adult and children's perceptions of life and events was refreshing. This would be a great book to discuss with children struggling with separation issues and imaginary (or not so imaginary) friends.

Mass and Stead have come together to create a beautifully crafted YA story about the power of true friendship.

Modern day fairytale telling at its finest! I loved the unforgettable friendship between Livy and Bob. Yes, this book is geared towards juvenile readers, but its message has meaning for all generations. Even without a pawn in my hand, I will remember this story and look forward to sharing it with my children when it comes out.

I received an advanced reader's copy of this book online and I will definitely be buying a copy (or two) for my classroom. I loved this story!! A beautiful sweet story about friendship, magic, and a mystery. My 4th graders will love Bob. "Keep moving toward what makes you feel most alive...See you in 5 years..bring licorice." Will there be a Bob2?

Loved this story of Livy and her little green friend who waited in a closet for her for five years. Told in alternating POV by Livy and Bob we watch them solve the mystery of where Bob in the chicken suit came from and are reminded of the importance of a mother's love and family relationships. A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this middle grade novel.

A great story! Touching and magical! I loved the way the story was told. Bob and Livy were great characters.

An imaginative journey that takes a shy and timid girl, Livy, on an adventure to be reunited with a friend who lives in the space just at the fringe of her memory. This thoroughly enjoyable book will especially appeal to middle school aged children. This delightful tale is a true classic in the making.

In this intriguing story, 10 year old Livy, her mother, and sister are visiting Gran Nicholas who lives in Australia. Livy visited her grandmother before when she was 5, but doesn't remember much from that visit. When Livy opens the closet door in her bedroom at Gran's house, she finds Bob. Bob is what Livy calls a "small zombie in a chicken suit". As Livy tries to remember her first visit to Gran's house she is also trying to find Bob's family. She just knows that the two things are entwined but is not sure how. This is a wonderful mystery with a surprise ending.

10 year old Livy travels from the U.S. to Australia with her mother to visit her Gran. It has been five years since her last visit and Livy does not remember much about her last stay except a "strange chicken". When Livy goes to the her bedroom she opens the closet door only to find a strange green creature dressed in orange pajamas covered with chicken feathers. Livy discovers this is Bob and he has been waiting for her to come back so she can help him find his way back home.
This book is told by alternating narrators, Livy and Bob. It is a nicely paced read that would be enjoyed by children 7 to 11. It would be a great read aloud for this age group. A great collaboration by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead.

Such an adorable and sweet story! All the characters are likable and relatable. Livy is a sweet young girl trying to feel comfortable in a place she barely remembers, and all loyal and good-natured Bob wants is to find home again. I absolutely loved reading about their rekindling friendship.

The story flowed so well, which made this into a quick and enjoyable read. On the one hand, the tale is simple and easy-to-follow, but on the other, there are some little nuggets sprinkled throughout that makes the reader think about a few things – what really happened when Livy and Bob first met? Where is Bob from? Why can’t he remember? What is the significance of their relationship? All of these are answered in a fairly satisfying way. Its conclusion held a nice twist that I thought was very fitting.

Though this book is geared toward children, I did find some plot holes here. The story jumps right in without much background building of Livy and her family. There were a few chapters where I wondered if Livy’s parents were divorced, how long were they going to spend in Australia, and what were those bank statements Grandma was getting and were they resolved? I think we can all make the assumption what those bank statements entailed and perhaps the resolution, but it was never explicitly said and was barely discussed. Perhaps this was done on purpose to help children with their inferencing skills.

Overall, Bob was an adorable book and I’m so happy that I was given the opportunity to read this via NetGalley and the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group! I do want to mention that I commend the authors in being able to come together to write a cohesive and smooth story.

I would highly recommend Bob to children (and adults who are children at heart) who enjoy reading stories about sweet friendships and some magic.

Bob is an imaginative story about a girl named Olivia (Livy) who goes to Australia to visit her grandmother, and finds a friendly creature named Bob in the closet.  Bob knows Livy, but remembers her differently, having been friends with her 6 years prior when Livy was 5 years old.  Last they saw each other, Livy told Bob to wait in the closet, but never returned for her.  Now, Livy has to get to k now Bob all over again, and finds herself in the middle of mystery she can't quite wrap her head around since she forgets Bob when she leaves the farm.

What I liked about this book was that I didn't predict it.  Often with stories for younger readers or middle graders, I predict how the story will end, and I don't enjoy it quite as much since it doesn't challenge me.  This is a shorter story, but entertaining beginning to end.  I was interested in Bob's origin and circumstances, why Livy couldn't remember him, and how he related to the drought that was causing everyone to lose their farms.  I did not predict the ending.  It is an enjoyable story with mystery, humor, and imagination.  I found myself giggling at Bob's antics and the witty inner thoughts of Bob and Livy.

Each of Rebecca Stead’s books differ from the other in all but their surprises she embeds in them. Bob, Stead’s latest, oozes charm — not in a cloying way, but in a way sure to enthrall children and their parents alike.

Bob has been waiting a long, long time — five long years, in fact — in Olivia’s grandmother’s closet. Livvy visited her grandmother’s Australian ranch five years ago, and she had completely forgotten the green and big-hearted creature she’d left, promising she’d be back soon. Now Livy is back, and she determines to make it up to Bob and keep her promise to reunite him with his family. But how can she do this when she doesn’t know where he came from — or even WHAT Bob is. I won’t spoil this slender gem by giving away any more except to say that readers will love every minute.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley. Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet, simple story. It was a quick read told in alternating viewpoints. There’s some magic and mystery and lots of friendship. It explores how friends change over time and has a bittersweet ending. There’s nothing really profound, but it tells what it is-a sweet, simple story- well.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute story of a girl named Livy and her forgotten friend, Bob. They were reunited after five years when Livy visits her grandmother in Australia. I would definitely recommend this book to ages 8-12.

This book was so adorable and sweet.  It tells the story of Livy who is 12 and hasn't been to her Grandma's house since she was five.  When she arrives, Livy starts remembering things from when she was there last time.  One of those things lives in her closet, a non-zombie chicken boy named, Bob.  He has been waiting there for her the whole time.  Livy wants to help Bob find out where he is from and help him to find his home.  An incredibly written book on friendship and family with a bit of magic mixed in.

This book did not disappoint! The authors collaborated to come up with a whimsical story with lots of heart. It's a great read! It's exactly what I expected from Mass and Stead.