…delightful…DiCamillo…packs an emotional punch in picture books, chapter books or novels, and Bliss is a wry New Yorker cartoonist and the author-illustrator of the sophisticated picture books Grace for Gus and Luke on the Loose. Together they've created a remarkable guide to making friends: Be honest and direct about what you want, and don't bite. Good Rosie! is divided into eight sections, like mini-chapters, slowing down the pace and making it not just a good read-aloud but a fantastic choice for newly independent readers.
The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo
★ 06/25/2018 Rosie the terrier and her middle-aged owner, George, are loving companions and creatures of habit. But when Rosie sees her reflection in her empty food bowl (“The other dog never answers”), she yearns for companions of her own species. One day, George decides to visit the local dog park, and Rosie is more than a little hesitant (“Rosie does not like the dog park. There are too many dogs.”). Then she meets Fifi the Chihuahua and Maurice the Saint Bernard. Though their friendship is not without initial missteps (Rosie must overcome her innate reticence, Maurice must promise that he will not try to eat Fifi—again), it changes Rosie’s world. DiCamillo’s deep empathy for her shy, lonely protagonist will come as no surprise, but her portrayal of Rosie as genuinely puzzled by the mechanics of friendship is particularly astute. Bliss (Diary of a Worm) works in a paneled comics format, and it proves felicitous for his formal drawing style and deadpan humor. This is no shaggy dog story—it’s thoughtful and funny, and a real gift for emerging readers. Ages 5–8. Author’s and illustrator’s agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.)
The delightful comic-style GOOD ROSIE!, written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Harry Bliss…Together they’ve created a remarkable guide to making friends: be honest and direct about what you want, and don’t bite. ‘Good Rosie!’ is divided into eight sections, like mini-chapters, slowing down the pace and making it not just good read-aloud but a fantastic choice for newly independent readers. —The New York Times Book Review Cartoonist Bliss' humor shines as it works with DiCamillo's understated text. Subtle lessons about entering a new and unfamiliar territory, finding companions, and the value of a friendly, approachable attitude are all conveyed with a delicate touch. Good Rosie—good story. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) DiCamillo’s deep empathy for her shy, lonely protagonist will come as no surprise, but her portrayal of Rosie as genuinely puzzled by the mechanics of friendship is particularly astute. Bliss (Diary of a Worm ) works in a paneled comics format, and it proves felicitous for his formal drawing style and deadpan humor. This is no shaggy dog story—it’s thoughtful and funny, and a real gift for emerging readers. —Publishers Weekly (starred review) DiCamillo’s contemplative, understated text perfectly complements Bliss’s elegantly composed watercolors. Forging new bonds can be both tantalizing and overwhelming, they acknowledge, but children will feel up to the challenge after seeing Rosie conquer her anxieties. A superb friendship story and a lovely choice for one-on-one sharing, especially with little ones with first-day-of-school jitters. —School Library Journal (starred review) Short, episodic chapters and a gentle plotline make this winsome graphic novel particularly well suited to early readers...With humor and heart, this easy, inviting volume offers an empowering message to little ones nervous about making new friends. —Booklist Comic-book panels, with a mixture of easy narrative text and balloon dialogue, make the book a good choice for new readers, and Bliss’s crisp line-and-watercolor illustrations are lovingly attentive to real dog postures and poses...DiCamillo—casually, expertly—drops musings about the quirks and turns of friendship into the deceptively straightforward story. —The Horn Book This full-color story will be a winner with young readers, the small details in the illustrations allowing each reader to discover ways to make this simple story come alive. —School Library Connection The paneled format and the short sections make this inviting for nervous readers, and Bliss’ line and watercolor illustrations bring a touch of comedy to the dog-park scenes without overwhelming the mood. Readers will appreciate the chance to pace themselves over the longer format, and they’ll be pleased with Rosie’s finally finding her crew. —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books It's all about skills, the kind kids practice in the first days of school and beyond — being gentle, giving second chances, and asking others to play. The comic frames work perfectly, advancing the story and allowing for imagination. Both author and illustrator "wanted kind fo Charles Schulz feel to things" with a heartbroken and hopeful quality to resonate with savvy, emergent readers. They got it. Good job! —San Francisco Chronicle
★ 07/01/2018 PreS-Gr 1—Rosie the terrier loves her owner, George, but she feels lonely. Realizing that his pet needs to befriend other canines, George takes her to the park. But Rosie doesn't know any of these dogs, and she doesn't like Maurice, a hulking, drooly St. Bernard, or Fifi, a perky little papillon—at least not at first. Yet when an encounter between the other two dogs almost goes dreadfully wrong, Rosie steps in and discovers she might know more about friendship than she thought. Dividing the book into nine brief parts, author and illustrator allow this quiet graphic novel to unfold slowly. Though Bliss depicts idyllic, verdant parks full of smiling pups, he lets a hint of melancholy creep in as Rosie gazes longingly at dog-shaped clouds in the sky and her own reflection in her empty food dish. DiCamillo's contemplative, understated text perfectly complements Bliss's elegantly composed watercolors. Forging new bonds can be both tantalizing and overwhelming, they acknowledge, but children will feel up to the challenge after seeing Rosie conquer her anxieties. VERDICT A superb friendship story and a lovely choice for one-on-one sharing, especially with little ones with first-day-of-school jitters.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal
★ 2018-06-11 A lonely, brown-and-white terrier named Rosie learns how to stand up to a bully and how to make new friends in this understated, gently humorous story.Rosie lives with her owner, George, a middle-aged, balding man with glasses and suspenders and a rather staid lifestyle. Though Rosie loves George, she would really like to meet another dog, so on their daily walks they begin visiting a dog park. At first Rosie doesn't know how to make friends, but a tiny, bouncy dog named Fifi teaches Rosie and a blustery Saint Bernard named Maurice how it's done. Rosie's journey takes her from loneliness through fear and bravery and then on to joyous companionship with her new pals. By the conclusion, the three dogs are running and playing together, and George is chatting with two women on a park bench, making friends of his own. George is white, and two of the other dog owners are people of color. Each of the three dogs has a distinct personality, conveyed both in the succinct text and in engaging watercolor illustrations laid out in panels of different configurations as well as some full-page illustrations. Cartoonist Bliss' humor shines as it works with DiCamillo's understated text.Subtle lessons about entering a new and unfamiliar territory, finding companions, and the value of a friendly, approachable attitude are all conveyed with a delicate touch. Good Rosie—good story. (Picture book. 4-8)