A Friend for Bo

Trying to make an egg into a playmate and being surprised when it hatches is a familiar plotline, but newcomer Zuniga handles it well: her soft ink-and-wash spreads are full of cozy fixtures, from her bunny hero Bo’s hobbitlike house to his rowboat and its overflowing picnic basket. Bo has mitten-ish paws and fetchingly floppy ears. He discovers the egg by the side of a stream, names it Rollie, and tries to amuse it. When Rollie can’t see the pictures in the book Bo is reading, Bo paints Rollie a face, giving him a sort of jack-o’-lantern look. But Rollie’s charm wears thin when the egg rolls over onto the cookies in the picnic basket: “Well, I hope you had a good time today,” Bo grouses. Fortunately, Rollie hatches that night, providing Bo with a playmate whose webbed feet and bill offer more possibilities. Gratifyingly, readers see that Rollie isn’t abandoned—Bo tapes him back together. The small, enticing details of Bo’s life invigorate this springtime story. Ages 3–7. [em]Agent: Teresa Kietlinski, Prospect Agency. (Jan.) [/em]