The Bo Book

I was at a pet store last night and saw a display of books, obviously dashed off a computer press of some sort quite recently, about President Obama's dog Bo.

I glanced through one. They were $14.95 and published by a place called Mascot Books. Just going by the description in there of Mascot as a publisher, it looks like if you have an idea for a book, they'll work it up somehow, and if it's commercial enough they obviously can produce books and get them distributed pretty fast.

The book was probably 8" x 10", approximately, and maybe 40 pages, and told about Bo, his breed, his activities in the White House, as well as some filler on the activities of presidential pets from years gone by. It covered some recent stuff, so this was fresh. Like the Easter egg hunt and the Jonas Brothers performing for the Obama daughters.

They didn't actually say the Jonas Brothers, though, and I don't think it mentioned the daughters precisely, but there was a trio pictured who looked a lot like the Jonas Brothers and I didn't see Ringo at the drums.

I didn't really take the time to read it, just snippets. It was obviously just a way to cash in, that's the idea, and we're not talking about great literature here. But it was color throughout, with several pieces of artwork of Obama himself, and nicely done. Although they have a weird way of doing the artwork, where parts of the artwork is fuzzed out, out of focus, bringing into focus only part of the picture. I didn't care for that.

One of the most interesting pictures I saw, and remember, Bo was a gift to the Obamas by Teddy Kennedy, was Teddy Kennedy showing up with the dog. It's interesting that such a detail wasn't overlooked. Did Kennedy actually show up and give them the dog?

I'd like to have a Mascot book about my own dogs. I remember my Grandpa showing up and giving my family a dog. It'd bring back lots of great memories to see it in a homemade book. The weird thing about that is that Grandpa rescued this dog from a culvert where he was stuck. And that dog never forgave my Grandpa, because he thought he was attacking him or something. So anytime over the years when Grandpa came by, that dog acted like he wanted to kill him. And we're like, "This is the guy who saved your life, you stupid dog!" (That'd make an interesting two pages right there.)

Anyway, it was a great idea for the book, whoever came up with it. I wonder how many will be sold. As for myself, I wouldn't buy one. But there has to be lots of people who would.