Captain Rosalie - Hardcover

De Fombelle, Timothee

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1536205206 ISBN 13: 9781536205206

Publisher: Candlewick, 2019

Synopsis

Timothée de Fombelle and Isabelle Arsenault capture the heart-wrenching cost of war for one small girl in a delicately drawn, expertly told tale.

While her father is at war, five-year-old Rosalie is a captain on her own secret mission. She wears the disguise of a little girl and tracks her progress in a secret notebook. Some evenings, Rosalie’s mother reads aloud Father’s letters from the front lines, so that Rosalie knows he is thinking of her and looking forward to the end of the war and to finally coming home. But one day a letter comes that her mother doesn’t read to her, and Rosalie knows her mission must soon come to an end. Author Timothée de Fombelle reveals the true consequence of war through the experiences of small, determined Rosalie, while acclaimed artist Isabelle Arsenault illustrates Rosalie’s story in muted grays marked with soft spots of color — the orange flame of Rosalie’s hair, the pale pink of a scarf, the deep blue ink of her father’s letters. All the more captivating for the simplicity with which it is drawn and told, this quiet tale will stay with the reader long after its last page is turned.

About this title

About the Author

Timothée de Fombelle is a French playwright and the author of many books, including Toby Alone, Toby and the Secrets of the Tree, Vango, A Prince Without a Kingdom, and The Book of Pearl. He lives with his family in Paris.

Isabelle Arsenault is the author-illustrator of Alpha and the illustrator of several other picture books, including the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book Jane, the Fox, and Me by Fanny Britt and Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois by Amy Novesky. Isabelle Arsenault lives in Quebec.

Sam Gordon is a freelance translator based in London.

Reviews

K-Gr 3-Rosalie is a determined young girl on a secret mission. Her mother drops her off at the school every day, so that Rosalie can sit in the back of the classroom and continue her assignment. As the days go on, readers learn more about the details of Rosalie's mission, like that her father is off fighting in the trenches, or about the letters her mother reads her, and about young Edward who may prove to be a possible ally. When the young captain is finally ready to start the last leg of her mission, readers are shown the true spirit of family and truth. De Fombelle has created an interesting plot with a surprising perspective. Readers are quickly drawn into the world Rosalie describes through first-person perspective and are left wondering what mission she is on. This perspective also allows for the difficult subject of World War I to be addressed at a child-friendly level, while not hiding the tragedy, as readers learn through Rosalie's thoughts. The story progresses at a nice pace, giving readers enough time to adjust to new knowledge and clues. Arsenault's illustrations help to amplify the world and characters around Rosalie, allowing readers to see into moments and some emotions that cannot be conveyed through words. Sometimes there are no words, only the illustrations, which also help pace the story and give readers a chance to gather their thoughts. Together, De Fombelle and Arsenault have created a persevering tale about a young captain and her search for some truth in the darkest of times. VERDICT A great hi-lo reader to introduce the destructive aftermath of World War I, and to learn how to deal with loss.-Margaret Kennelly, iSchool at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1536205206
• ISBN 13: 9781536205206
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Arsenault Isabelle
• Number of pages: 64