Today is my stop on the blog tour of Donna David’s debut picture book, ‘Oh No, Bobo!’ – a gentle introduction for little readers to the concept of consent.

Poor little Bobo can’t sleep; he just needs the perfect pillow and then he’s sure he’ll be able to nod off. So Bobo sets out into the sleepy jungle to see what he can find. Perhaps a soft feather? A snuggly loris? But as Bobo helps himself to a little something here and there, his friends seem to get very upset. But why? What has Bobo forgotten to do? And then he realises…

The gorgeous dusky illustrations of Watkins perfectly capture the feel of a jungle on the cusp of going to sleep – and Bobo’s cheeky grin! Their humour helps deliver the story’s important message of asking before you touch someone or take something. My son and I also liked discovering some lesser-known creatures like the lotus and the giant squirrel (which, frankly, sounds a bit scary!)

I read this with Book Boy Jr and used some of the useful discussion questions for caregivers and teachers listed at the back of the book. I was able to check his comprehension of the story and encourage him to reflect upon a time when he might have done something without asking first – namely annoying his brother by ‘borrowing’ Lego or trying to instigate a tickle fight due to lockdown-induced boredom!

A great read full of humour, warmth and a valuable message 3+

Library Girl and Book Boy Jr.

*Thank you to Quarto Kids for inviting me to be part of this blog tour. Make sure you visit some of the other stops too*