Rosemary long ears

This picture book with old-fashioned appeal (think Zion's classic Harry the Dirty Dog) follows Rosemary, a low-slung pup with verrrry long ears, and her best friend/child owner as they head out for a walk. At each stop along the way, Rosemary's ears get her in trouble, dragging through a puddle, then a pile of leaves, then a field of fluffy dandelions, much of which ends up coming with them, stuck on Rosemary's fur. Next they meet up with a group of children eating ice-cream cones who pat her enthusiastically with their sticky hands. "Now Rosemary is...A MESS!" It's time for the pair to retrace their steps for home so that Rosemary can have a bath; she objects ("AWOOOOOOOO") until she realizes how much fun it is to play with the bubbles. The book ends with our protagonist "clean and fresh and bundled into a hug" but with the promise of more adventures tomorrow. Ghahremani's text is tailor-made for reading aloud, full of child-pleasing commentary ("OH NO!") and sounds ("Ahh...AHHH...ACHOO!"). Mixed-media illustrations in cheerful primary colors are imbued with personality and motion, as Rosemary's ears go flying out behind her. Adding to the book's already considerable child appeal are the endpapers tracing the friends' route through the neighborhood featuring all the mess-producing landmarks. Martha V. ParravanoJuly/August 2025 p.70 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A delightfully different dog and her owner go for a walk. Rosemary's smooth brown ears flow out well past her low-slung body. Her best friend, a brown-skinned child, dons red boots (matching the color of Rosemary's leash) so they can "go find some fun!" On a pleasant suburban walk, they puddle-jump, share laughter, and observe a ladybug. Eventually, covered with leaves, seeds, mud, and ice cream, Rosemary is "a mess!" (Those long ears are a magnet for dirt.) Reluctantly returning home, she complains vocally ("AwOOOOOOOO!") about her much-needed bath--until a floating bubble lands on her nose. Popping the soapy spheres brings back her playfulness, and even though Rosemary's post-bath shake-off scatters water widely, the child applauds: "You make everything fun, Rosemary!" Rosemary's upbeat attitude makes this book a ray of autumn sunshine. Distinctive gouache and crayon art, naïve and cheerful, matches the mood. Maps on the endpapers use paw prints to trace the friends' route on a rainy but colorful fall day. Rosemary's long eyelashes give her an almost human look, though she isn't otherwise anthropomorphized; she's immensely vivid as she prances through the book like a real, beloved pet. This perky pooch will have youngsters adopting a similarly positive perspective.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.