Boo's Beard - a bookwrap

Unwrapping...

Authored by Rose Mannering

Illustrated by Bethany Straker

Unwrapping the fabulous illustrations...

(colour pallet is superb )

About the book...

Tom, is unable to read facial expressions so he is confused when it comes to playing and understanding other children.  Therefore he doesn't socialize with other kids, only with his favourite dog Boo, who wags her tail when she's happy and whines when she is sad.  

One day while Tom is playing with Boo at the park Boo gets herself tangled up in some bushes.  A little girl named Lydia sees Boo's antics and stops to talk to Tom.  Boo looks funny as her beard  snarls up into a great big smile.  Lydia points this out to Tom and he pays close very close attention to her words.  She explains to Tom that this look happens when someone is happy.  She then goes on to sculpt Boo's beard into different expressions: a frown, anger (my personal favourite), confusion, and surprise.  The other kids in the park gather around to watch Boo as her beard is transformed into these different shapes causing everyone to have a good laugh.  

Lydia invites Tom to come play with the group. Tom points to the big happy smile on his face, because he is included, and runs off to join in on the fun.  

"This is a thoughtful and gentle book to teach kids with social disabilities and their peers to learn how to get along and play together."

The story is heartwarming, the message is positive and educational. The illustrations are full of emotion and are beautifully done.  I highly recommend this book.  

Meet the author...

Rose/G. R. Mannering is an international bestselling author and lifelong book lover. Under the name G. R. Mannering, she dreams up dragons, unicorns and curses that last hundreds of years, writing fantasy YA fiction. As Rose Mannering she creates sweet, fun picture books with touching tales and a lot of character. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s posting on her book blog or uploading videos to her book-based Youtube channel. She resides in the UK with twin miniature schnauzers and teetering piles of paperbacks.

Meet the illustrator...

Bethany is an illustrator of picture books and magazines.  Her work often leans toward the humorous and has been described as "somewhere between the stylings of a Steve Fiorilla and a Mike Judge Series" (filmography.com).  She enjoys creating subtle details that others may not notice visually, loves drawing the grotesque, and champions the underdog.  She lives in Kent, England , with her husband and son. 

Read on and read always!

It's a wrap.

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