You’re My Boo

Though the title might suggest a hip, slangy ode to parental affection, Dopirak’s debut picture book takes a cuddlier approach as a mother fox describes her children in a series of rhyming terms of endearment: “You’re my peek-a-boo, my sneak-a-boo,/ my laughing-till-you-squeak-a-boo./ Go! Stop! Walk! Run!/ You’re my funny honey bun.” Working in a loose, cartoony style, newcomer Withrow uses rough strokes of pencil, vibrant collage elements, and digital coloring to create a friendly patchwork backdrop for the small domestic dramas that unfold over a single day. While these foxes have a happy home, it isn’t all smiles and giggles—there’s squabbling between the two siblings, a broken toy, and a tiny slip and fall, all of which are resolved with a bit of parental TLC. Dopirak’s rhymes can get a bit treacly (“You’re my yuck-a-boo, my yum-a-boo”), but they’re unerring in their rhyme and meter and, along with Withrow’s tender illustrations, create a comforting mood from start to finish. Up to age 8. [em]Author’s agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. Illustrator’s agency: Christina A. Tugeau Artist Agency. (Sept.) [/em]