Marion Deuchars

Bob becomes self-conscious about his skinny legs when the other creatures make fun of him, telling him he has a funny stick walk, and puny appendages. Sad at first, Bob attempts to 'fix' his legs through exercise and diet, until moving on to hiding his offending limbs. When all of these strategies prove ineffective in making him feel better, Bob visits a museum and, inspired by the art he sees, decides that he will use beak decoration as a means of improving his mood. The results are show more outstanding, as he begins to feel better about himself, and wins plaudits from his peers, who like his sense of style...

Bob the Artist is a wonderful picture-book - I believe it is a debut for British author/artist Marion Deuchars, who seems only to have done instructional and inspirational art books prior to this - and pairs a thought-provoking and ultimately satisfying story with absolutely gorgeous illustrations. I am a moderate supporter of the idea of body positivity - moderate, in the sense that while I believe that we should love our bodies, and should avoid shaming ourselves or others for any body-related issues, I also think we should strive to improve and heal our bodies where possible - and I think this story hits exactly the right tone. Bob's skinny legs are really beyond his control - something I can personally identify with, having been teased my entire childhood for having too muscular a form for a girl - and aren't really something that needs 'improvement.' I think Deuchars is perceptive here, in that she highlights the importance of other interests, areas of activity entirely unrelated to whatever it is about our bodies that makes us unhappy, as indirect methods of confronting our feelings about our appearance. The illustrations here are visually arresting, with bold use of shape and color on the page, and a real sense of quirky humor throughout. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories addressing issues of bullying, body image, and the use of art as therapy. show less

That artistic avian hero Bob, whose story began in the eponymous Bob the Artist, returns in this second picture-book devoted to his adventures. In this new tale, Bob becomes quite blue when his best friend and artistic partner Bat goes away. Everything Bob paints turns out blue - a reflection of his mood. Finally, fed up with the blue, Bob's other friends take him on a hike to see the colorful sunrise. The beauty of the dawn, together with the postcard alerting him to Bat's imminent return, show more is enough to snap Bob out of his blue period...

Like its predecessor, Bob's Blue Period is a lovely book, one which pairs an engaging story about its avian hero's emotional state, with appealing artwork. I don't know that I found it quite as poignant as the first story, which addressed bullying and feelings of self worth, but I did like the way it tied Bob's emotional state to his artwork, showing how our creative endeavors are impacted by the events in our lives. The artwork is quite expressive, as Marion Deuchars manages to convey quite a bit of emotion through her depiction of her stick-legged character and his antics. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed the first book about Bob, and to anyone looking for children's stories about feeling lonely and blue, missing a friend, and/or being an artist. show less

This was really cute! The author shows how working together is far better than working apart in. a way that all audiences can easily understand.

This is a picture book appropriate for children 3 and up. He is unhappy with his skinny legs and trys different things to change it by drawing. His creativity and mind make him think like an artist.