Earl, a mischievous gray feline, waits in the background and snatches Bobo away at the most opportune moments. But Willy isne(tm)t the only one who thinks Bobo should always be by his side. PreS-K e'eoeWhen Willy woke up, there was trouble.e His favorite, do-everything-with sock monkey is missing.

New York Times Book Review, March 13, 2011, ROSENTHAL, Eileen. As boy and cat tussle over Bobo, fundamental preschooler emotionse'desire, fear, frustration, despaire'will play for appreciative giggles. Working with his wife, Eileen, who makes her picture book debut, Marc Rosenthal places hugely appealing retro-cartoon illustrations against a spare backdrop. KIRKUS, January 1, 2011, *STAR, I Must Have Bobo! Written by Eileen Rosenthal and illustrated by Marc Rosenthal A sock monkey is the titular character in this tale of boy, cat and toy. Hilarious for adult readers an exercise in self-recognition and empathy for the intended audience. Earl likes Bobo, too! When Willy loses track of Bobo, his search grows anxious: Could Bobo have been stolen by pirates? Or&Earl? Small listeners may recognize themselves in the worn-out, napping boy, curled up with his arm around both Bobo and Earl-but some will also sympathize with Earl's relentless, devoted recapturing of Bobo (clearly a shared prize in this household). Digitally colored and boldly lined pencil cartoons against cream-yellow background space put Willy and his feline housemate Earl (who has a marvelously blank, inscrutably entitled cat face) firmly in the forefront of the story.

Bobo helps him, specifically, to confront dubious, possibly 'bitey' bugs, go down the playground slide and walk past large dogs (friendly doggy smiles notwithstanding).

Willy, the protagonist of this small domestic drama, is perfectly, appropriately self-absorbed, as he is barely out of toddlerhood and, as his monologue reveals, he relies on his sock monkey, Bobo, to help him negotiate the challenges of being so young.

I Must Have Bobo! by Eileen Rosenthal