A massive long shot but does anyone remember this kids book from the 80s?

[DearSnail]

It was a book about a little boy and his teddy bear and what they got up to during the day.

The main thing I remember was that instead of drawings the pictures were all photographs and the bear was a small knitted brown one, whose name I think began with a B.

This was during the late 80s and I think I used to get it out during every other visit to the library (take it back one week and get it out the next). I can vividly remember my mum pleading with me once to get any other book out as she was fed up of reading it and we both knew it backwards anyway but I was resolute.

So annoying because I was utterly obsessed with it but now can't remember the name and Google isn't being any help.

Ah sorry - looks like there is a special character on the link. anyway try searching AbeBooks? It was about £30 I think

It wasn't £50 anyway - there was a second copy which was.

@BertieBotts completely normal to have a photo of Bobo in a drawer...

@DearSnail I have a PDF but no idea how to get it to you!

@Lemooon

"completely normal to have a photo of Bobo in a drawer..."
I would go so far to say that no draw is complete without one!

I have a PDF but no idea how to get it to you!
Thank you so much, you are amazing! I'll PM you my email address over.

@DearSnail haven't seen any PM - let me know if you send one so I can keep a look out.

Hi there @Lemooon I sent you one last week but I've just checked and noticed that I spelt your name wrong 🤦. I'll send you another over now and hopefully it'll reach you 🙏.

Can I just say a massive thank you to the amazing @Lemooon, Legend of MN for such a wonderful early Christmas present. Seeing this book again has triggered some unexpected memories of my lovely late dad also reading it to me not long after he'd got in from work on the nights that mum must have been mutinying busy and also how deeply envious I used to be of Sam's shopping trolley for some reason! I'm so happy to be seeing my old friend again and plan on tormenting enchanting my family with it.
Hope this also triggers some nice nostalgic memories for you too @saraclara 😊.

Awww! I mustn't look at that for too long, or I'll be wanting a copy too, @DearSnail!

The power of Bobo 😄.

@saraclara very happy to send you the pdf also!
@DearSnail so happy to hear this!

PB Bear books by Dorling Kindersley publishers? They were photograph story books

Dear @Lemooon and @DearSnail I discovered your 'thread' and followed your conversation with interest. I am the photographer who made the book 'Where Is Bobo?' with Susan Hulme. I have an original copy of the book, which I treasure, and Bobo also lives with me at my home in south Devon. I'm so happy to read that the book gave you all so much pleasure. Best wishes, Jan Siegieda

DesrSnail how exciting is this update to your thread!
JanSiegieda your work obviously brought so much joy to children of the 1980s and 1990s.
Can you tell us who the small boy was and who made Bobo?

I'm ridiculously pleased by this addition to the MN detective work we've seen! 🩷🧸🩷

Oh my gosh!! @JanSiegieda can I say a genuine heartfelt thank you for your work. Honestly Bobo gave me such joy as a child and the nostalgia continues to do so even though I am now an adult.

@IamEarthymama I know!!! I can also use this chance to update the thread and say that my sister in law somehow managed to find a copy of Bobo, and he was waiting for me under last year's Christmas tree 😊.

What a wonderful thread and how lovely that the original photographer happened to find it!

Gorgeous thread!

I think this is my favourite thread so far!

What lovely news! Thank you for letting everyone here on the thread share your joy.🧸🌸♥️❤️💕

I really like this type of thread.
Some years ago, I asked about a book I remembered from my childhood. A couple of posters suggested the same title, Hilda Boswell’s Treasury of Poetry. I read the book until it fell apart . I managed to buy a copy from eBay, it brought back some lovely memories.

Hello from south Devon to @DearSnail @ScrollingLeaves @HopefulYankee @stayathomegardener @InterestingDuck @IamEarthymama Thanks for all your truly lovely feedback. @IamEarthymama asked about the little boy in the book, and who knitted Bobo? The little boy's real name was Robin Hulme, son of the book's co-author Susan. Bobo belonged to my late wife Helen, who appears in the book as Sam's mother. Bobo was knitted for Helen by her mother when Helen was a small child. Helen's mum was a widow and they didn't have much money, hence the need to knit a toy for Helen. This makes Bobo about 68 years old. Can you keep a secret? Bobo was an assumed 'stage' name for the purposes of the book. Helen had named him Edgar. 'Where is Bobo?' went on to win an award in 1985 for being the best book for children. Happy days!

Edgar is a lovely name. I should think, like cats, bears ought to have two names, their public name and a secret, mystical name!

I hope Bobo will be treasured for generations to come, it's great to hear that he was a much-loved and played with teddy rather than one created just for the story.

You would certainly win a Mumsnet Award too for Best Book if there was one!

@JanSiegieda Thank you for posting. I love that Bobo was an actual much loved toy in his own right before becoming adored by so many children.

I meant to say before, the copy I received for Christmas last year (aged 42!) has your autograph inside it, which makes it even more special 🙂.

And I think the thread also needs another appearance from the man himself!

I had been trying to find this book for years when I posted here and I honestly thought the thread would be tumbleweed. I couldn't believe how many people tried to help and offered suggestions. Capped off by the amazing @Lemooon who so kindly sent me a pdf of their copy.

MN can be a harsh place to be sometimes but this thread showed how many good eggs are on here.

I’ve just read through this thread (I didn’t catch on that it was started a while ago) with utter delight!
I’m so glad you finally found your Bobo book and how lovely to have the author make their contribution. Surely this needs to be in classics!