Over the years, my three girls have shown interest in several television shows.  One of the shows that they really seem to like is Yo Gabba Gabba.  This show has been compared to H.R. Pufnstuf, and it’s easy to see why.  The main characters are all funny looking monsters, except for the yellow robot.

The girls all have their own favorite, but one of the characters that seems to be the most loved is Brobee.  On the show, he is described as “the little green one”.  It’s hard not to like Brobee- he’s got green stripes, he’s got orangutan arms, and he’s the most child-like. 

I distinctly remember buying the Brobee backpack for my oldest daughter in April 2010.  At the time, I was trying to get my daughter to transition from a standalone potty to a full-size toilet.  She had balance issues, and was very afraid of falling.  We were at Barnes and Noble, and she had shown interest in the Brobee backpack.  In a shameless act of bribery, I offered to buy her the backpack if she used the big toilet.  Well, she did, and she proudly marched out of the store with the backpack.  Right away, we got a couple of comments about the backpack, and I told the parents where they could find a backpack of their own.           

Well, as the years passed, my daughter grew out of Yo Gabba Gabba.  Fortunately for us, as she was transitioning to new shows, my younger daughters were starting to show interest.  One of my daughters, Alligator, has shown a particular interest in Brobee, so with big sister’s approval, we presented Alligator with the backpack.

Alligator loves her backpack.  She doesn’t take it out every day, but from time to time, she will take Brobee to the store.  Brobee is also very huggable, and he’s lightweight, so she can drag him around the house.  Brobee has backpack straps, so Alligator can wear her little green friend if she wants. 

For a little green guy, Brobee is a pretty nice size.  He stands almost 20 inches tall from the red spikes on the top of his head to his feet.  Brobee has a small zippered compartment in his back.    There is no way that Brobee could be used as a school backpack or even as a preschool backpack.  I tried getting some books into the compartment, and the only one that fit was a small (6x4.5) book.  There wasn’t much room for anything else.  The compartment will fit some princess figurines or Thomas trains, but not much else. 

I don’t know what to think of Brobee.  He fails as a backpack because he can’t actually transport anything.   He fails as a stuffed animal; he’s very huggable, but he can’t be taken to bed because his backpack straps pose a strangulation hazard. 

If you’re fine with the fact that Brobee can’t carry anything around, and that you can’t snuggle up with him at night… then Brobee will be a welcome addition to your Yo Gabba Gabba collection.  My Alligator loves Brobee, and she is content to carry him/wear him around the house or out to stores.  So, Brobee gets my recommendation, as long as you’re aware of what you’re getting yourself into.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 16.00