WE LOVE YOU, ROSIE!
by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Linda Davick
Two black children, who could be seen as fraternal twins, lavish love on their dachshund, Rosie.
Rylant’s text is written in the first person plural and uses an episodic structure that also highlights opposites. Sister and brother (unnamed in the text) affirm their love for Rosie whatever the circumstance, in brief episodes: “Day and Night…Good and Bad…In and Out…Lost and Found…Up and Down…Here and There.” The playfully repetitive phrasing reads rather like the controlled text of an early reader, and clear, bold type could support new readers attempting to decode it independently. Davick’s accompanying digital illustrations feature brightly colored, flat, graphically simple forms set against the clean whiteness of the pages. No other characters are present, which provides a pleasing focus on the loving dynamic between the children and their dog, as they read, play, and snuggle the days away.
A cozy, Rosie read. (Picture book. 2-6)