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lannthacker's review against another edition
4.0
A meandering tale of two friends finding one another in the Big Apple. Beautiful mixed-media illustrations. For older kiddos.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Full review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=2835
My Review: This book is a love note to music and for finding a friend to share your love. This wonderful story is told in a way that makes you fall in love with the characters immediately and feel every up and down with them. Also, the illustrations in this picture book are probably some of my favorite ever. I love the cartoony style mixed with some mixed media. Beautiful.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I think this book will find its most love as a read aloud and as a wait to promote music and other passions; however, the book could definitely be used in other ways in the classroom. The tone and mood of the book takes a drastic turn about halfway through and would be a good introduction to these two narrative elements. It is interesting to look at how the illustrations helped drive the change. Also, there are onomatopoeias throughout that add to the imagery of the book.
My Review: This book is a love note to music and for finding a friend to share your love. This wonderful story is told in a way that makes you fall in love with the characters immediately and feel every up and down with them. Also, the illustrations in this picture book are probably some of my favorite ever. I love the cartoony style mixed with some mixed media. Beautiful.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I think this book will find its most love as a read aloud and as a wait to promote music and other passions; however, the book could definitely be used in other ways in the classroom. The tone and mood of the book takes a drastic turn about halfway through and would be a good introduction to these two narrative elements. It is interesting to look at how the illustrations helped drive the change. Also, there are onomatopoeias throughout that add to the imagery of the book.
aylea's review against another edition
5.0
This review originally found at The Children's Book and Media Review
Herman Schubert and Rosie Bloom live in a very busy city in two very small apartments. Herman plays the oboe and likes watching films about the ocean. Rosie likes to sing and watch films about the ocean. They both like living in the big city, but sometimes it can be a lonely place to be by themselves. Although Herman occasionally plays oboe and Rosie hears it, and sometimes Rosie sings and Herman hears it, they never meet. One day Rosie is told that she can’t sing in the club anymore and Herman loses his job. Both are sad and stop playing music. However, when they finally meet for the first time, the city is never quite the same again.
This book’s ability to capture both loneliness and friendship in its city setting is a treat. The illustrations capture the busy city life of New York with liveliness and noise, but also the idea and feeling of solitude and loneliness. Tiny details of the illustration add depth to the characters and the story. The mixed media nature of the illustrations create a modern but fun feeling. Readers will cheer and sigh as they wait for Herman and Rosie to meet and be able to share their hobbies with each other.
Herman Schubert and Rosie Bloom live in a very busy city in two very small apartments. Herman plays the oboe and likes watching films about the ocean. Rosie likes to sing and watch films about the ocean. They both like living in the big city, but sometimes it can be a lonely place to be by themselves. Although Herman occasionally plays oboe and Rosie hears it, and sometimes Rosie sings and Herman hears it, they never meet. One day Rosie is told that she can’t sing in the club anymore and Herman loses his job. Both are sad and stop playing music. However, when they finally meet for the first time, the city is never quite the same again.
This book’s ability to capture both loneliness and friendship in its city setting is a treat. The illustrations capture the busy city life of New York with liveliness and noise, but also the idea and feeling of solitude and loneliness. Tiny details of the illustration add depth to the characters and the story. The mixed media nature of the illustrations create a modern but fun feeling. Readers will cheer and sigh as they wait for Herman and Rosie to meet and be able to share their hobbies with each other.
barbarianlibarian's review against another edition
5.0
sophisticated picture book with great illustrations. adorable story about being lonely and then finding someone like you
beths0103's review against another edition
5.0
The blurb by Markus Zusak on the front cover describes this book perfectly:
"Quirky, soulful and alive... a book to treasure, like a favorite song."
It's a book that captures the soul of living in a big city without being ABOUT the big city.
"Quirky, soulful and alive... a book to treasure, like a favorite song."
It's a book that captures the soul of living in a big city without being ABOUT the big city.
lornarei's review against another edition
4.0
What an adorable, sweet story about Herman and Rosie, a crocodile and a deer living in New York whose lonely paths continually *almost* cross until exactly the right time. It captures the feel of New York and each page can be enjoyed at length, so much to see. Loved it!
cacia's review against another edition
3.0
This is a story for adults. Sure, it's a picture book, and it's accessible to children, but the themes of the story are going to resonate with adults, not so much with kids, because the concepts the story is constructed around build upon life experience, or an understanding gained through life experience: jobs done to pay the bills rather than out of vocational enjoyment, finding pleasure in a devoted hobby, missed encounters, job loss, existential loneliness, ways of coping with stress and grief (such as binging on food or abandoning one's hobby). Kids might like the book, but the story is far more likely to appeal to the adult reading it to the child rather than to the child being read to, since only someone who has an understanding of the themes being explored will grasp all the hints and references woven into the narrative and illustrations. Without the hints, the story falls flat — and I'm afraid most kids won't catch the hints.
That said, when one does understand the hints, the book is an enjoyable, textured narrative that follows sympathetic characters through realistic ups and downs to a happy ending, illustrated with an eclectic composite of sketches, photographs, papers (such as postcards), and digital images that suits the quirky personalities it depicts. It's a fun book, an ode to New York City with a sort of hipster vibe: oboes, ugly sweaters, traveling by bike, jazz clubs, vinyl records, Jacques Cousteau films.
As a kid, I would have been bored by this book. As an adult, I can appreciate its nuances and the subtext of the story it tells. It's not a book I'd hand to just any kid — but it's one I'd readily recommend to a twenty- or thirty-something who has a predilection for thrift shops, vintage music, and obscure films.
That said, when one does understand the hints, the book is an enjoyable, textured narrative that follows sympathetic characters through realistic ups and downs to a happy ending, illustrated with an eclectic composite of sketches, photographs, papers (such as postcards), and digital images that suits the quirky personalities it depicts. It's a fun book, an ode to New York City with a sort of hipster vibe: oboes, ugly sweaters, traveling by bike, jazz clubs, vinyl records, Jacques Cousteau films.
As a kid, I would have been bored by this book. As an adult, I can appreciate its nuances and the subtext of the story it tells. It's not a book I'd hand to just any kid — but it's one I'd readily recommend to a twenty- or thirty-something who has a predilection for thrift shops, vintage music, and obscure films.
shighley's review against another edition
5.0
I rarely give 5's, especially to picture books, but this is an exquisite book! Gordon does such a wonderful job of using newspaper clippings and other memorabilia among the illustrations to give the "feel" of New York City in so many different ways. You could spend so much time examining the book. The importance of music to the plot is a plus as well. Enjoyed this so much I looked up the author to see what else he has done; would definitely be Caldecott material for a US illustrator.
potatomcgee's review against another edition
5.0
Go read this and have a much better day than you were having before.