Rosie & the Yellow Ribbon

Trust and the value of friendship are explored in this tale of two city friends, Rosie and Lucille. The girls like to sit on the stoop and feed the sparrows and visit old Mr. Brown at the corner eatery at least once a day. On her birthday, Rosie receives a rainbow-hued collection of hair ribbons and, shortly after showing them to Lucille, discovers that her favorite one is missing. Suspicion clouds their bond and the two chums grow apart. One day, after a big storm, they spot the sparrows' nest tumbling from Mr. Brown's awning to the street below. In the ensuing rescue, the missing ribbon is found tucked inside the nest. DePaolo presents her recognizable themes in an unadorned style that embraces the many facets of childhood camaraderie. The sprightly pastel palette of Wolf's pencil drawings adds a realistic flavor and strongly reassuring neighborhood environment. Ages 4-8. (May)