No one loves cross Rosie but Marvin; she steps on feet, switches faces with her tail, and shoves the people on Brock's farm. Only Marvin understands that "Rosie is mad because Mr. Brock took away her calf." Then Mr. Brock sells his farm, Rosie and all. Dad has to find a new job, and Marvin is inconsolable—until he begins to keep a tiny, invisible new "Rosie" in a bottle. When he starts school, this Rosie makes Marvin the butt of teasing until his older sister comes up with a perfect face-saver, allowing him to go on enjoying his unusual imaginary friend—at home. Like Paterson's books for older readers, this pint-sized novel treats life's real troubles with sensitivity; and, as might be expected, the author adopts the constraints of the easy reader (her first) with grace and good humor. Brown's unassuming realistic illustrations deftly extend the story, catching the nuances of this nice family's emotions and some authentic details of present-day farming. (Easy reader. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-06-024690-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1991
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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Two little rats decide to show the world how tough they are, with unpredictable results.
Louie and Ralphie Ratso want to be just like their single dad, Big Lou: tough! They know that “tough” means doing mean things to other animals, like stealing Chad Badgerton’s hat. Chad Badgerton is a big badger, so taking that hat from him proves that Louie and Ralphie are just as tough as they want to be. However, it turns out that Louie and Ralphie have just done a good deed instead of a bad one: Chad Badgerton had taken that hat from little Tiny Crawley, a mouse, so when Tiny reclaims it, they are celebrated for goodness rather than toughness. Sadly, every attempt Louie and Ralphie make at doing mean things somehow turns nice. What’s a little boy rat supposed to do to be tough? Plus, they worry about what their dad will say when he finds out how good they’ve been. But wait! Maybe their dad has some other ideas? LaReau keeps the action high and completely appropriate for readers embarking on chapter books. Each of the first six chapters features a new, failed attempt by Louie and Ralphie to be mean, and the final, seventh chapter resolves everything nicely. The humor springs from their foiled efforts and their reactions to their failures. Myers’ sprightly grayscale drawings capture action and characters and add humorous details, such as the Ratsos’ “unwelcome” mat.
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7636-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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She’s back! Mercy, the porcine wonder, is back in all her buttered-toast eating glory. It’s Saturday, time for a ride in the pink convertible. But, does Mercy like to ride or drive? Drive! Only Mrs. Watson’s promise of extra helpings of hot buttered toast can get this clever pig to scoot across the front seat and enjoy the weekly adventure. And when next-door neighbor Baby Lincoln hankers for a little adventure of her own, the fun really begins. From the toast icons that surround the page numbers, to faux-tape spine, and hilariously gaudy over-the-top illustrations, this is a throw-back in the best sense of the word. When Mercy ends up sitting on top of Mr. Watson in the driver’s seat and Baby has to crawl over the seat to help out, it’s hard not to think of Lucy, Ethel and Ricky caught in another pickle. All’s well that ends well, of course, and that means everyone can celebrate with a stack of toast and an extra pat of butter. (Fiction. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-7636-2332-6
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2006
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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