OMA AND BOBO

by Amy Schwartz ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1987

As in Her Majesty, Aunt Essie, Schwartz uses a wry text and idiosyncratic drawings to bring to life a memorable family character. When Alice is told on her birthday that she can have a dog, she is thrilled. Her grandmother, Oma, who lives with Alice and her mother, does not share her enthusiasm when Alice brings home a black-and-white mongrel. Things do not improve when Bobo takes to chewing on Oma's red potholder. Alice enrolls Bobo in obedience school where he is less than a success, which the teacher attributes to his age. Soon after Alice reports a modified version of his remarks to Oma (""Mr. Benjamin says that intelligence comes with age""), Oma begins to take a definite interest, even helping in Bobo's training while Alice is in school. And it is Oma who saves the day when, on the night of the obedience school dog show, Bobo almost falters. Witty details realistically ground the slightly surrealistic perspective of the illustrations and give vivid life to everyone depicted, but especially to Oma, whose growing affection for Bobo is nicely believable. Down to her orthopedic shoes, Oma is a wonderful addition to the collection of off-center but true-to-life characters which Schwartz is skillful at creating.

Pub Date: March 1, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Bradbury

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1987

Categories: CHILDREN'S