We Love You, Rosie! by Cynthia Rylant (review)

Rosie is a spotted sausagey hound who belongs to a young brother and sister, and who’s the subject of six very short picture-book stories involving concepts and opposites. In each story, Rosie experiences or exemplifies the two opposites, so in “Rosie Day and Night,” “Rosie runs and plays and runs and plays ALL DAY!” and “sleeps and dreams and sleeps and dreams ALL NIGHT”; every story ends with a reminder that whether she’s in or out, good or bad, she’s loved. The streamlined text is scaffolded with repetition, and the affectionate direct address will make for a comradely lapsit readaloud; Rylant also cleverly includes some concrete references (“Have you LOST a ball? Have you LOST a bone? Have you LOST a friend?”) that add point-and-name possibilities for little listeners. Digital art in sweet popsicle colors is cut-out simple, and while its flatness makes it harder to identify details at times, there’s a visual throughline to the scenery (the bunny in the yard, the toy giraffe, etc. appear repeatedly even when they’re not textually featured) that provides audiences with some motif-spotting joy. The chapter format makes this easy to break up to suit teeny toddler attention spans (and brief adult opportunities), and kids will happily return to follow the exploits of Rosie.