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K-3
Wallowing in his pit of mud, Bobo the boar receives a surprising piece of mail: an invitation from the palace to meet the queen for dinner! A night of tossing and turning precedes the big day, and Bobo's mind spins with questions: "How would he know which fork to use? Could he pick up his glass with his hooves?" Bobo wakes up late for his limousine ride (with humans) to visit the royal. His next mistake--arriving "underdressed," or, rather, not dressed at all. A series of accidental mishaps ensues, leaving the palace in near-ruins. Well-timed page-turns move readers from one wild disaster to the next, before an amusing reveal of the queen's identity leads to understanding. Our protagonist lets loose, no longer constrained from boar-ish behavior, and the accompanying illustration's decorative frame cannot even contain the messy festivities. Bahrampour's detailed and cartoonish watercolors pair with simple, understated text to set the tone for a silly tale about being yourself. Readers will snort with laughter alongside Bobo's romp through the palace.
Reviewer: Grace McKinney
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2021