internationalkris's review against another edition
4.0
Short and precious and so well-made down to the sepia-toned illustrations inside and the tiny golden stars on the book cover. When ten-year-old Livy returns to Australia to see her grandmother after a gap of five years, everyone is disappointed by how little she remembers from her previous visit. She is frustrated too especially as she has the sense that something very important has been left undone from her past. This all changes when she opens her closet door and is reunited with Bob, a special friend and mysterious creature who has been waiting all of these years for her return. The sense of the beauty, power and mystery of memory makes this tiny fantasy a real treat.
jcarsrud's review against another edition
4.0
What a sweet story! I loved Bob and Livy and their story of friendship. No tears for me at the end, so I was pleasantly surprised about that. ;)
mrswelborn's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a sweet read-aloud with my kiddos! We were all very curious to know how things would end. I found the conclusion to be a little…underwhelming, but still a fun read all in all.
jenlabrador's review against another edition
5.0
Such a charming book about a little girl who helps a strange creature find his way home. It was light and enchanting, a delight to read. This would make a wonderful read aloud for bedtime or a good read for 4th graders.
pricklycat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
sandraagee's review against another edition
3.0
The nagging feeling that it was super weird that everyone else remembered a ton from Livvy's last visit and Livvy herself remembered NOTHING was problematic for me, even with the weird memory gimmick. That aside, this was a really lovely and well-written story about friendship and growing up.
kellyjmac's review against another edition
4.0
What a sweet little book! I recently read The Lost Library by the same authors and loved it so when I saw this I had to check it out. I listened to the audio book version and really enjoyed it that way. Bob’s voice and the narrator’s delivery really added something. (I think it might be the same voice actor as Mortimer in The Lost Library and I also loved him in that as well)
I loved the concept of this book and enjoyed the shifting perspective. It had a little mystery to it trying to figure out what Bob was and how Livy could have forgotten such a memorable interaction even though she was very young the first time. Picturing Bob in that chicken suit and later tutu definitely put a smile on my face. There were some real heartfelt moments in it as well.
Glad I picked up this adorable (audio) book from our local library. I really do enjoy everything Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass write!
I loved the concept of this book and enjoyed the shifting perspective. It had a little mystery to it trying to figure out what Bob was and how Livy could have forgotten such a memorable interaction even though she was very young the first time. Picturing Bob in that chicken suit and later tutu definitely put a smile on my face. There were some real heartfelt moments in it as well.
Glad I picked up this adorable (audio) book from our local library. I really do enjoy everything Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass write!