When I first became a parent, I stocked up on the stuff I needed: diapers, baby bottles, and tiny onesies. Once the kids started walking and exploring fearlessly, I added Band-Aids to the shopping list. 

I also purchased a magnifying glass so I could inspect the microscopic scrapes and scratches (the “boo-boos”) that required, in my kids’ opinion, immediate medical attention. 

For all the fuss they cause, has anyone taken a moment to ask if boo-boos have feelings, too? 

In Bob the Boo-Boo, the titular character is a personified injury who wanders the earth in search of a home. It’s a hard life for him. No one wants a boo-boo: not the kid with an elbow full of them, not the elderly man who stubbed his toe, and certainly not the parent shooing away a wasp. 

Finally, Bob meets a little boy who has fallen off his bike. After some discussion, the boy agrees to let Bob take up residence on his knee. By bonding together and feeling less alone, they learn to ask for the help each of them need.

If Bob the Boo-Boo has lessons to impart, it’s that while scrapes and cuts hurt, they are an inevitable part of a play-filled childhood and can help kids learn about their bodies. As for parents, it’s a gentle reminder that applying a bandage is one small way to acknowledge kids’ needs and show them that they are cared for. 

Sandy Dumais’ playful illustrations make this charmingly offbeat story even more entertaining. The original French version of this book (Bob le Bo-Bo) has been in circulation in my home for some time. I can therefore attest that no tears or giggles are lost in translation.mRb