We Love You, Rosie!

Rylant (Little Penguins) and Davick (Say Hello!) introduce opposites in a series of chapter-like scenarios starring two good-natured siblings and their frisky, floppy-eared dachshund, Rosie. A chatty narrative emphasizes each term while sounding like actual comments children might direct toward a dog. “Hello Rosie, Are you being bad? Oops. Bad eating Rosie!” writes Rylant as Davick shows the dog snagging a bit of pepperoni from an unattended slice of pizza. Colored in a bright, sherbet palette, Davick’s crisp-edged illustrations highlight the characters’ emotions (Rosie looks quite abashed about the pizza incident), and it’s always evident how much love the two round-headed, brown-skinned, eager-eyed children have for their pet. Rosie’s ongoing interest in a wild rabbit helps introduce several opposites (“Hello, Rosie. Do you want out? Rosie wants out of the kitchen”), as does the elongated shape of Rosie’s body, which allows her to be both “in” and “out” of a doghouse at the same time. Zingy repetition and visual cues smartly tailor this story to kids who are learning to read on their own. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Rubin Pfeffer, Rubin Pfeffer Content. (Feb.)