cover image Wild Rosie

Wild Rosie

Mary Morgan, Van Royan. Hyperion Books, $5.99 (24pp) ISBN 978-0-7868-0475-7

Charming little mouse Rosie displays the two sides of her toddler personality in this twin set of paper-over-board books just right for small hands. In her gentle mode, Rosie ""tickles a fuzzy caterpillar"" and ""kisses her baby brother very softly""--a model of etiquette for youngsters. Each book provides six or seven examples of Rosie's behavior, with sunny-bright artwork and pastel polka-dot or gingham borders against a white background. When Rosie's wild side gets the best of her, she lets loose by finger painting and dancing and splashing in the tub; the naughtiest thing she does is strew her food, and look winsomely uncoordinated doing it, in the spread for ""Rosie likes to play with her peas."" Morgan (Where Do Bears Sleep?) creates an affable heroine who has a healthy measure of spunk; children will need both books in order to get a complete picture of Rosie. Ages 1-3. (June) FYI: Rosie plush finger puppets are also available at $5.99 each. A 16-copy mixed display containing four of each book plus eight finger puppets is available as well as an eight-copy pack of finger puppets only.