Book Review: You’re My Boo

I am so, so excited to share this book with you all!

I met Kate at an SCBWI Conference in Pittsburgh and have been anticipating the release of this book since the moment I knew she would be published.

Now that her book is here, I get to rave about how wonderful Kate and her book are! 🙂

I’m really not surprised that You’re My Boo is quite possibly the most adorable and sweet book I have read in a very long time. Between Kate’s make-your-heart-melt writing and Lesley Breen Withrow’s so-cute-it-hurts illustrations, this book will be cherished for years and years.

You’re My Boo (2016, Beach Lane Books/Simon and Schuster, Picture Book)

“You’re my peek-a-boo, my sneak-a-boo, my laughing-till-you-squeak-a-boo.”

Mama fox loves her Boo, whether he is building or breaking, laughing or crying. Every day, in every way, she loves him just the way he is.

You’re My Boo, written by Kate Dopirak and illustrated by Lesley Breen Withrow, is begging to be read again and again. With ridiculously adorable text, and absolutely precious pictures, children will want to read this story with their parents over and over. Written in a fun rhyming scheme, with short catchy phrases, kids will love to hear this read aloud. This is a fantastic story of unconditional love for adults to share with their children or grandchildren.

Take your read-a-book-boo to the store and get this melt-your-heart-boo(k) today! 🙂

Interview With Author Kate Dopirak

I feel so blessed to have met Kate at the Pittsburgh SCBWI conference in 2014. One of the many blessings of having worked for the circus 🙂 Through that meeting we have kept in touch and she has been a fantastic resource and inspiration as I continue my own writing journey.

Kate is beautiful inside and out, and I am so excited for her, and the release of her debut picture book, You’re My Boo.

Kate was kind enough to answer a few questions about her new book and her life as an author.

How long have you been writing and when did you publish your first book?

I’ve been writing for kids for ten years. My work has been purchased by newspapers, magazines, and educational publishers. YOU’RE MY BOO (Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster) is my first book.

Where do you find your writing inspiration?

My sons inspire most of what I write. My nieces, nephews, and neighbors get in on the action sometimes, too. I watch them do something or hear them say something and – BOOM! – a story idea starts.

For example, my son didn’t want to get out of bed one morning. I got the idea to write SNUGGLE BUNNY, a story about a young bunny who doesn’t want to get out of bed and soon finds himself with a lot of company. It’s available now for pre-order from Cartwheel/Scholastic.

Another time, I tucked my nephew into bed, and he wanted me to tuck in his toy car, too. Because of that, I wrote TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE CAR, which will be published by Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster in 2018.

Philip Stead’s picture book speaks truth: IDEAS ARE ALL AROUND.

What inspired you to write YOU’RE MY BOO? 

YOU’RE MY BOO is a love letter to my boys – a silly goose love letter.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Oh, wow – what didn’t I want to be? A gymnast, a ballerina, a Pitt cheerleader, an artist, a photographer, an ambulance driver, a vet, a pediatrician, a librarian, a teacher . . . but most of all, I always knew I wanted to be a mom.  

What was your favorite book as a child?

I still remember where I was when I read William Golding’s LORD OF THE FLIES for the first time. That book made me want to write. I keep a conch shell in my office because of it.

Who has most inspired you in your writing career?

The list is long. I’ve been blessed with a super supportive family, inspiring teachers, and talented, honest critique partners. And I can never thank SCBWI (www.scbwi.org) enough.

What do you feel is the most rewarding aspect of writing? 

I love sharing this writing journey with my husband and sons. Brainstorming new story ideas, reading drafts of manuscripts, discussing revisions, commiserating about rejections, celebrating sales – it’s all the better thanks to them.

What advice would you give to young writers?

Read what you love, and read a lot of it. Write what you love, and write a lot of it.

What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?

I love visiting new places with my family, even if it’s just a trail down the road where we’ve never hiked before.

What is the most interesting place you have visited? 

We took our boys to New Orleans last winter. Everything about that place interested us – the food, the music, the people, the art, the Mardi Gras parades, the street performers, the Pelicans game, and The National World War II Museum.

Name one interesting fact about yourself unrelated to writing 🙂

I spent a great deal of time trying to fly when I was little. I would run and jump from the top of our stairs or from our raised patio. I even tried using an umbrella, Mary Poppins-style, but never experienced much success. I did end up in a cast, though, which was the end of my flying attempts.

Where can readers learn more about you and your books? 

My website is katedopirak.com, and I’m @katedopirak on Twitter.

Anything else you’d like to mention about YOU’RE MY BOO or your writing career? 

I’d like to thank Lesley Breen Withrow for illustrating YOU’RE MY BOO. She and Beach Lane’s Lauren Rille made magic as far as I’m concerned. You can find Lesley at lesleybreenwithrow.com, and she’s @lesleybreenwithrow on Instagram.

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Thank you again to Kate Dopirak for taking time to answer all my questions 🙂 and thank you to Simon & Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Happy Reading!