Lexile Measure: NP (What's this?)
Series: Classic Board Books
Board book: 32 pages
Publisher: Little Simon; Brdbk edition (March 17, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1481422758
ISBN-13: 978-1481422758
Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.7 x 5.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #325,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #225 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Foxes & Wolves #577 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Farm Animals #7684 in Books > Children's Books > Humor
Age Range: 2 - 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool - Kindergarten
A staple of humorous stories for years has been the idea of the oblivious protagonist. How many cartoons have you watched where the well meaning but bumbling hero comes within a hair's breath of death as some watchful soul (either someone who wants to hurt our hero or help them) accidentally falls into madcap trap after trap after trap? Tons. After all, it's funny stuff. Well "Rosie's Walk" ascribed to that idea way back in 1968 when it was first published. The tale of blithe Rosie and the doe eyed fox that wants to eat her is as old as the hills and still just as funny. Rosie decides one day to go for a walk. As she does so a hungry fox gets wind of the plump little hen and decides to pounce upon her for his (her?) supper. Rosie takes no notice of this impending danger, and the book is simply a series of vignettes of chicken and fox locked in that eternal conflict of hunter and prey. The text, such as it is, is very simple. It never makes a single mention of the fox, choosing to only describe Rosie's walk. In fact, one could write the entire book out in a single sentence since there are only 32 words in total. It is a deceptively simple book. So what makes this such a fabulous story? Well, what Pat Hutchins overdoes in brevity, she makes up for with some of the most elaborate pen and ink drawings I've seen in a long time. Rosie, for one, is a joy. Her expression never changes for a moment. This hen is oblivious to not only the fox, but also the world at large. She walks about with her eyes at half-mast wearing an expression of deep disinterest. If you happen to know a typical teenager, that teenager in chicken form would be Rosie. The fox, on the other hand, makes up for all the emotions that nonplussed Rosie lacks.
If I were forced to pick the 100 best children's books ever written or published, (and a very difficult task that would be,) it is very likely that this one would be on the list. It is almost the perfect book for the pre-reader and the young child. It would be very difficult to find anything to critical about from cover to cover.This is a very simple (yet surprisingly sophisticated, from a humorous point of view) of a chicken by the name of Rosie. Rosie is probably one of the most clueless hens ever hatched. She takes a walk one day and is immediately stalked by a fox in search of a meal.During the entire stroll the poor fox makes effort after effort to catch her and Rosie is completely oblivious to this fact. After each attempt we watch as the fox receives one comeuppance after another is a wonderfully hilarious way. The poor critter! At the end of the day is chased from the barnyard by a swarm of angry bees as Rosie goes into eat her dinner...still completely unaware of the numerous disasters she has unconsciously avoided all day.The story is funny but I have to tell you that it is the art work here that, for me, is the real star of the show. The author has used just three colors throughout the book; orange, yellow and olive green. His use of shade and light is masterful. I myself paint a bit, and I have tried over and over again to copy this man's work and technique in reference to his colors and shades, and let me tell you, it is not easy!The entire text here contains only thirty-one words but due to the illustrations the adult reader can spend quite a lot of time pointing different things out to the young listener and add bits here and there to the story.
Rosie's Walk (Classic Board Books) Rosie's Walk Walk the Renaissance Walk---A Kid's Guide to Florence, Italy The Walk West: A Walk Across America 2 The Little Red Box of Bright and Early Board Books (Bright & Early Board Books(TM)) Tabbed Board Books: My First Trucks and Diggers: Let's Get Driving! (Tab Board Books) The Little Blue Box of Bright and Early Board Books by Dr. Seuss (Bright & Early Board Books(TM)) Tabbed Board Books: My First Colors: Let's Learn Them All! (Tab Board Books) Tabbed Board Books: My First Busy Home: Let's Look and Learn! (Tab Board Books) Tabbed Board Books: My First Numbers: Let's Get Counting! (Tab Board Books) Tabbed Board Books: My First Animals: Let's Squeak and Squawk! (Tab Board Books) Tabbed Board Books: My First Words: Let's Get Talking! (Tab Board Books) Tabbed Board Books: My First Farm: Let's Get Working! (Tab Board Books) Caillou Watches Rosie (Playtime) Rosie Revere, Engineer Herman and Rosie Where, Oh Where, Is Rosie's Chick? Maurice Sendak's Really Rosie Starring the Nutshell Kids Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed, No-Holds-Barred Baking Book The Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book