Bobo my superdog by Michael Salmon

Ford Street, 2011. ISBN: 978 1921665394.
Bobo is 'a very spoiled Shichon (Shih Tzu/Bichon Frise cross) who lives with author Michael Salmon in Melbourne'. He spends half of his life in much the same manner as other indulged pooches, residing in his own elaborate doghouse, filled with cushions, eating at the dining table, watching TV, going for walks and enjoying his own personal possum patrol. Plagued by the cheeky cats from next door and forced to attend Miss Tiggy's Puppy Training School, Bobo merely tolerates these indignities. His secret life, however, revolves around being a Super Hero crime fighter, able to assist with any major emergency, whilst still making it home each night for dinner.
Although somewhat text heavy, this is an entertaining picture book illustrated in Salmon's easily recognisable manner. With brightly coloured cartoon style characters, the author's humour becomes evident through the illustrations. For example, the line 'If he sees any cheeky possums playing in the trees' is accompanied by the depiction of a band of possums playing musical instruments amongst the foliage. His transformation to Super-Bo is accompanied by an illustration of a galah, feathers flying, looking distressed as the dog flies past.  Many other touches of humour abound, such as a placard on the moon stating 'Moon. Keep Off!' and a great, green slimy creature emerging from the river being covered by the contents of a large can of Bubble-O detergent. For anyone who enjoys reading imaginative tales of adventure, this is the perfect title.
Jo Schenkel