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James Howe
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Big Bob, Little Bob Hardcover – Picture Book, October 11, 2016

by James Howe (Author), Laura Ellen Anderson (Illustrator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 25 ratings
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It’s not easy to become friends with someone who is nothing like you—but surprising things can happen when you give it a try.

Despite the fact that they share a name, Big Bob and Little Bob are different. Big Bob likes trucks and throwing balls and being loud. Little Bob likes dolls and jingling bracelets and being quiet. No matter what they do, they do not do it the same. Could they possibly be friends despite these differences? With humor and tenderness, James Howe and Laura Ellen Anderson beautifully depict the struggles and rewards that come when friendships are forged between different kinds of people.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    4 - 6 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 1
  5. Dimensions
    8.75 x 0.37 x 10.63 inches
  6. Publisher
    Candlewick
  7. Publication date
    October 11, 2016
  8. ISBN-10
    0763644366
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0763644369
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1—Two boys who are very different from each other learn that they can still be friends. More than size differentiates Little Bob from his new neighbor. Big Bob likes trucks, sports, and loud games. Little Bob prefers playing school or with his dolls and enjoys reading quietly. He's not good at throwing or catching a ball; dresses in girls' clothes, which "feel nice" to him; and likes the jangle of bracelets on his arms. "Boys do not play with dolls," Big Bob assures the smaller boy. However, when Blossom moves into the neighborhood and ridicules Little Bob for his choice of playthings, Big Bob comes to his pal's rescue: "Boys can do whatever they want!" And both boys agree that girls can, too, as they invite Blossom, who likes "playing with trucks more than dolls," to join them. The digitally rendered illustrations greatly extend the text, providing readers with examples of how the boys' play differs. They depict Big Bob, a head taller than his neighbor, orange hair sticking straight up, wearing a cape or firefighter's outfit. He roughhouses with his dog, and his exuberant play often disrupts Little Bob's more sedate activities. Little Bob wears glasses, has daisy barrettes in his hair, carries a stuffed unicorn, and wears a large yellow hat and flowing dress as he pushes his cat in a carriage. VERDICT Though Big Bob's change of heart is a bit abrupt, this is a fine choice for very young children who don't conform to gender stereotypes, and an example for all kids that differences can enrich rather than hinder friendships.—Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA

Review

The digitally rendered illustrations greatly extend the text, providing readers with examples of how the boys’ play differs...this is a fine choice for very young children who don’t conform to gender stereotypes, and an example for all kids that differences can enrich rather than hinder friendships.
—School Library Journal

Friendship transcends gender norms...Free to be Big Bob, Little Bob, and Blossom.
—Kirkus Reviews

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; Illustrated edition (October 11, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0763644366
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763644369
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 6 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 1
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.75 x 0.37 x 10.63 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 25 ratings

About the author

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James Howe

James Howe

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James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
25 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Emily Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for little boys
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2022
Verified Purchase
My son's age group has been in and out of the "that's for girls, this is for boys" phase and this book seemed to benefit him a lot.
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Grandma nay
5.0 out of 5 stars It's okay to like different things.
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2016
Verified Purchase
My six year old grandson loved this book. He brought it to school and his teacher loved it. So I got him a copy for the classroom. The book shows how you can be different but still be friends. It's not about big or little, it's about the difference between the two boys choice of toys. Perfect reading for any child who likes things against the norm of boy and girl.
One person found this helpful
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kerrie silver
5.0 out of 5 stars Love
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
Beautiful book for children
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TitusVT
5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST YOUNG READERS BOOK ON GENDER
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2020
Verified Purchase
I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT. SO DID THE TEACHERS.
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JFowler
5.0 out of 5 stars Great message for kids who are "different"
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2017
Verified Purchase
My 7 year old son loves this book. He can relate a lot to Little Bob. Highly recommend!
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Sarah Aquino
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book about differences and acceptance
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2017
I thought this book was really touching and had an important message. Little Bob is a gentle spirit - he loves to read, playing school with his dolls and dressing in girl's clothing. His new neighbor Big Bob is boisterous boy, interested in sports and trucks. The two try to play with each other but find they don't have any common interests at all. The boys do spend time together but mostly the story contrasts how they are different. The turning point in the story comes when a girl, Blossom, moves into the neighborhood and mocks Little Bob for playing with dolls. In a touching moment, Big Bob defends with his friend. They then invite the girl to play, and she responds that she likes trucks more than dolls. They accept that and the three play alongside each other.

The book has great lessons:

First, just because you and others have different interests does not mean you cannot be friends. Kids can understand that we can accept others that are different from us and even become friends with them.

Second, some people may not fit into accepted gender norms. The book handles this issue well. It's quite blatant that Little Bob breaks from gender norms. Page after page, we find that Little Bob lacks the traditional interests of boyhood. However, Big Bob never mocks or belittles him. The only sense of dismay comes from not having a common interests. The only moment where Little Bob is confronted for not conforming for accepted norms is with the arrival of Blossom. However, that moment is quickly resolved. It's great because the story does not dwell on Little Bob's untraditional interests and the book does not have focus on bullying. Rather it is a focus on acceptance.

We borrowed this book from the library for my toddler. She seemed to enjoy the story but I have no doubt that she understands the full weight of story. We'll definitely revisit this book in the future. It's a highly recommended read.
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J. Weiss-Roessler
5.0 out of 5 stars Boy and girls can do whatever they want!
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2018
I checked this book out of the library knowing nothing about it. What a pleasant surprise! A fun book about accepting differences. Boys can do whatever they want. Girls can do whatever they want.
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Tasha Saecker
4.0 out of 5 stars Playful Look at Breaking Gender Norms
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2016
When Big Bob moves in next door, Little Bob’s mother is happy that he will have a friend so close by. But the two boys are very different in more than just their size. Big Bob likes to roughhouse, play sports, and zoom trucks around. Little Bob likes to spend time quietly reading, play with dolls, and sometimes wears girl clothes. Big Bob teases him for a lot of these things until a new girl moves into the neighborhood and tells Little Bob that boys don’t play with dolls. Big Bob stands up to her and soon the three of them are playing in whatever way they like best, because both girls and boys can play with whatever they choose.

While the message here can get a little heavy handed at the end, this is an important book. It shows that gender norms are a spectrum, that boys who play with dolls don’t have to be given any additional labels unless they identify in a different way. It also embraces that girls too sometimes prefer playing games or choosing toys that are traditionally masculine. There is a broad acceptance here with children being given the space and time to realize that they were viewing the world through a limiting lens.

Anderson’s illustrations are playful and bright. The neighborhood is quirky and welcoming with plenty of place to play separately and together. The use of wild colors adds to the appeal with trees of tangerine and lemon/lime and garlands of flowers and hearts dangling from them.

A book about accepting differences, learning to get along and finding new friends, this picture book is strong pick for library collections. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
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