HENRY AND BOO

“Henry didn’t know where BOO had come from. He simply arrived one day.”

One day, while Henry, a gray, pear-shaped dog, is sipping a cup of tea and reading the newspaper, he looks up to see a lavender rabbit standing on his table, greeting him with a cheerful “BOO!” With no clue as to why or how BOO has arrived, Henry politely attempts to escort BOO out, to no avail. In fact, BOO seems to have no intention of leaving Henry’s side: “everywhere Henry went…BOO went too.” Ignoring BOO doesn’t deter the rabbit; hiding from BOO doesn’t either. When Henry comes up with a “brilliant solution” to ship BOO “SOMEWHERE FAR FAR AWAY,” his plan is disrupted when a ferocious bear appears, seemingly ready to attack. Henry, quaking, is taken aback when BOO knows just what to do: he shouts “BOOOOO!!!”—scaring away the bear and saving the day. That Henry finds value in BOO only after BOO becomes useful to Henry may not sit well with all readers, but others will be charmed by the odd couple. English–South African textile designer Brewis uses soft lines, warm watercolors, and ample white space to make Henry and BOO’s world feel soft and safe throughout.

Little ones will enjoy shouting “BOO” along with Henry’s new friend even if adults, much like Henry, may grow weary of the conceit.