Rosie's Glasses

September 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-A young girl's perspective is transformed when she finds a magical pair of glasses in Whamond's wordless picture book. Rosie's day gets off on the wrong foot, where she wakes up late, gets drenched with rain on her way to school, and steps in a puddle. Her gloomy mood is shown through an entirely monochromatic color scheme, along with a storm cloud that hangs over her head. However, everything changes when she finds a literal pair of rose-colored glasses on her way home from school. When she puts them on, the world is transformed into a joyful, vibrant, and colorful place, where she exuberantly interacts with her family, schoolmates, and city. The detailed illustrations are key to conveying Rosie's changing outlook, and the book cleverly contrasts the same scenes with Rosie's family, school, and city, using different color palettes and subtle changes. The wordless format allows readers to interpret Rosie's story using context clues, making this an excellent tool for discussing how good and bad moods can alter perspectives. VERDICT This wordless picture book explores the impact positive thinking can have on one's happiness. A solid choice for most school and public libraries.-Kathryn Justus, Renbrook School, West Hartford, CT

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2018
In this wordless book, a dark cloud hovers literally--and figuratively--over young Rosie's head until she finds a special pair of eyeglasses. Grade schooler Rosie, a snub-nosed girl with a grim, crooked line for her mouth, is sitting in her bed, a puffy, sketchy gray cloud just above her. The world is black, white, and gray. Rain spatters against her bedroom's windowpane, and the animals in the posters cluttering her walls look equally glum. Readers soon see her mother, father, and little brother--all of whom appear to be having a rough morning. More monochrome images, some with dizzying perspective and all with a great deal of activity, continue the theme of universal unhappiness for Rosie and almost everyone she encounters. When Rosie finds a pair of glasses and puts them on, the busy-ness of the art persists, but now it is in full, loud colors, previously gloomy people and animals are suddenly happy and engaged when viewed through the specs. What does this mean? When the glasses inevitably disappear, there is age-appropriate angst, followed by an ending inviting more speculation from readers. The idea is interesting, but the artwork's jarring, jagged lines and perspectives have a fun house-like feel, which has the perhaps-unintentional effect of speeding readers through the book. Rosie's family is an interracial one, with a white mom and Asian dad, while Rosie's schoolteacher and some classmates are also diverse.Jarring art may keep readers from appreciating the book's message. (Picture book. 3-6)

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