Koko and Bo
Koko and Bo
Written and illustrated by Lisen Adbåge
Translated from Swedish by Annie Prime
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2018
Koko doesn’t want to go home, doesn’t want to go to sleep, and doesn’t want to get up either! But Bo is patient. He knows that Koko will come home when he is bored, will go to sleep when he is tired, and will get up when he is hungry―he just has to wait for Koko to figure it out on their own. Koko and Bo is about two people, one big and one small, quietly negotiating the relationship between freedom and trust to reach a better understanding of each other and the world.
ISBN: 978-1-59270-258-9
8.6" (W) x 8.6" (H) • 32 pages • HCJ
AWARDS AND REVIEWS
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2018
★ "Two people, one big and one small, negotiate a relationship in this Swedish import. Little Koko has long yellow hair and is a frequent user of the expression, ‘I DON'T WANT TO!’ Large Bo, who might be elderly, has very little hair and wears thin wire-rim glasses. Their story unfolds in a series of snapshot moments, text on the left-hand page describing the exchange illustrated on the right. They've been at the playground for four hours when Bo declares that it's time to go. Koko says no. Bo calmly responds, ‘Don't then,’ and leaves. After Koko returns home (‘It was boring staying out alone’), the duo eats bedtime snacks and does crossword puzzles together. Koko puts up a fuss over bedtime, but Bo is unperturbed. The next day, Koko's resistance pops up over getting out of bed, finishing breakfast, and riding on their bicycle to the store to buy groceries. Koko tries to steal some marshmallows, and when Bo insists that they be returned, Koko refuses. Bo, who lets the store guards deal with Koko, has already purchased some marshmallows for later. Stern Bo's deep love is shown through actions. Adbåge's pictures are square and simple, depicting both Koko and Bo with pale, pinkish skin. No gender is given to Koko, and, until the book's end, readers might assume that Bo, in pink, patterned top and full red slacks and purse, is female. Adbåge assigns Bo a 'his' near book's end. This, and the author's choice to present life without lecturing, shows uncommon respect for her readers. Sublime." ―STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
"Koko may experience spiky moods, as all children that young do, but one gets the sense that she is cognizant of the great respect her caretaker has for her in the name of the freedom he affords, trusting her to make the right decisions and to learn from the bad ones. So, what looks like a stand-off on the book’s front cover? Nope, it’s not. No disputes here. Bo’s got it all under control. And I think child readers will be mesmerized by how it all plays out." ―Julie Danielson, Kirkus Reviews
"...there is a beautiful tone throughout this picture book. The playfulness and love shines on the pages, gently demonstrating a way of parenting a child who is going through a contrary phase. Both characters are wonderfully depicted, each of them dancing along gender lines in a natural and open way." —Tasha Saecker, Waking Brain Cells
"Koko finds out, through natural consequences, that coats keep you warm, staying in bed all day is boring, and that you have to pay for your hats and marshmallows if you want to take them from the store. There’s no fighting; Bo does not give in to Koko’s demands, but also stays kind and loving throughout. This is some zen parenting! [...] As with Adbage’s other picture books, the child is given no specific gender, making it easy for any child to identify with them." ―Katrina Yurenka, Youth Services Book Review
”This is the open ended and highly relatable story of caregiver and child where the power of the will meets the will of the day.” —Jesica Sweedler DeHart, The Wandering Bookseller