Rosie Runs
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 KIDS’ INDIE NEXT LIST SELECTION
A racing dog named Rosie escapes the track and bounds towards freedom in this panoramic heartwarming tale. For young readers who love people-watching, sniffing wild plants, racing in the wind, and other small joys of life.
Rosie dreams of forests, meadows, hares, and freedom. Trapped at the racetrack, she sprints in endless circles – until one day, Rosie makes a fearless beeline to the enormous world beyond the track. Scared and a little excited too, Rosie runs through shadowy forests, a circus, a bustling train station, and even takes a quick dip alongside a ferry. She keeps running through small towns and whirling cities, observing the gentle, giddy moments of passersby. Readers will find peace in a private look at a man watering his plants, or a jolt of happiness at a long-snouted dog wearing a cap on a train. A book about taking in the wide world around you, Rosie Runs beckons young readers to rediscover their favorite hobbies and passions, and revel in the joy of playing and being among new friends.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Like the other racing dogs, sleek Rosie, dressed in jersey number two, chases a mechanical hare around the track every day. The spectators enjoy the show, but it's hard on Rosie and her companions, who move restlessly in their cages at the racetrack each night. The day after she wins a race, Rosie starts off running again, but when she gets to the finish line, she doesn't stop. She leaps over the track fence ("The spectators gasp in wonder") and keeps going through crowds portrayed with varying skin tones, pacing a train, barreling through a subway station, following a pink car, and soon, finding herself washed out to sea. But she's in no danger, and when she comes ashore elsewhere, she encounters new canine companions in a place where she's more than just a jersey number. This story by Finnish creator Maijala offers many pleasures: riveting, sustained motion; the suspense of wondering whether Rosie will be captured; and acute observations (a tethered circus pony "neighs in longing as Rosie runs by"). A series of wide-angle views roughly stroked in crayon-like colors give a mosaic feel to Rosie's flat-out dash for freedom in this triumphant escape story. Ages 3–7.
