Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
BOB (Fiewel and Friends, 2018) by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead is an unusual story with mystery and magic told in two points of view.
Ten-and-a-half-year-old Livy hasn’t visited her grandmother in Australia for five years and she feels bad she can’t remember anything about the house nor the three objects Gran says she used to love. Well, except for maybe a wrong chicken. And Mom’s leaving her here.
Bob has waited five years for Livy to return. It’s a long time to hang out in a closet.
But the more time Livy spends with Bob, whom others mysteriously can’t see, the more she begins to remember. Including her promise to get Bob home.
This is such a lovely story of friendship. I love how they both share lists.
The book also is a Chicago Tribune Best Children’s Books of the Year, a Booklist Editors’ Choice, won the Golden Cowbell Book Award (Switzerland) and Cartwheel Book Award for Best Non-human Character, plus has been nominated for fifteen state book awards.
About the Authors
Wendy is a NY Times bestselling author. Read about her here and see all her 29 books here! Not only is she prolific, but she writes in different categories and genres.
Check out Rebecca’s six books here and read about her here. She is a Newbery Medal Winner.
These co-authors have a new book coming out in August–read more here about The Lost Library.
Rebecca Stead is my favorite author and Wendy Mass isn’t too far off, so it warms my heart to know they’ve now co-written two books together! Livy and Bob are such wonderful characters in this story, and I cannot wait for The Lost Library to come out next month. Thanks so much for the thoughtful post, Susan!
I’m a fan of these writers and haven’t been disappointed yet, although nothing beats Stead’s WHEN YOU REACH ME. I will check out BOB to see if it does…
It sounds a fab story and I really want to read it now! How lovely to co-author a children’s book – I think that would be fun (I did co-write with my sister years ago but there were horror stories). Thanks for sharing! I want to find all my invisible friends from my childhood!
I also liked this story when I gave it a read back in 2020. These two authors are a perfect pairing to bring this plot to life. Thanks for being a part of our pre-4th of July MMGM.
Maybe you are the one who inspired me to find it!
NIce, succinct review–although it took me a few reads to figure out who “Bob” was. Sounds like a neat story.
I too enjoyed reading this.
I loved this book as well. It is simply beautiful. I think I’ll try to read it again if I can find the time. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Definitely agree it has a high readability factor.