Rosalie and Truffle/Truffle and Rosalie [Hardcover]

Katja Reider (Author), Jutta Bucker (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

Love at first sight does exist! Rosalie and Truffle fall in love when they meet under an apple tree. But their well-meaning friends and relatives discourage them from meeting again. As time goes by, and Rosalie and Truffle improve their lifestyles with yoga and dancing, they realize that neither material growth nor physical perfection guarantees happiness. At last they return to the apple tree and reunite.

Rosalie and Truffle, Truffle and Rosalie is an endearing story of love and trust, with wonderful illustrations. And the story is narrated from both points of view: flip the book over to read the story from the other perspective. This is a charming gift book, perfect for Valentine's Day or for any special occasion.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-In this porcine courtship tale, Rosalie meets Truffle under an apple tree and it's love at first sight. Her friends warn her to not go with the first pig to come along and persuade her that she needs a complete makeover to find someone better. She changes so much that Truffle doesn't recognize her anymore. In a clever twist, readers flip the book over for Truffle's parallel story. Under his friends' guidance, he is transformed into a stock-market-playing, weight-lifting boar. When he realizes the error of his ways, he runs to the apple tree. The wordless center spread shows the two soul mates embracing. Bücker uses a mix of simple pencil sketches and color illustrations. The innocent expressions of the sweethearts are juxtaposed against the calculating and unsympathetic sneers of their pals. The elevated language (How naïve can you get? Love is work. Passion is, too) will not resonate with young readers. The message of being true to oneself is somewhat overshadowed by off-putting quips such as ...around every corner await sweet new temptations, ripe and yours for the picking! and All men are pigs. This one is likely to have trouble finding an audience.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810959844
• ISBN-13: 978-0810959842
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,370,262 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweet calorie-free indulgence, January 27, 2009

By 

Brookins (Santa Monica, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rosalie and Truffle/Truffle and Rosalie (Hardcover)

I commented on another person's review but thought it only fair to post one of my own about this lovely book with a surprise twist.

Rosalie and Truffle/Truffle and Rosalie is the story of two single pigs trying to find their place in the world, wondering if there's another pig out in the universe who feels the same way they do. Just as it is in the real world, there is a hefty dose of peer pressure and a few bumps in the road on their way to happiness as they work towards one another. It has lessons for children and heart-warming illustrations, but it's truly a book for any adult who has a big heart.

Because of the unusual format of the book we get to follow both of their journeys. This was a most excellent treat which made me giggle out loud when I hit the middle of the book after reading Rosalie's tale first, and then eagerly gobble up the second story line following Truffle's search. The story is well written, funny and endearing. The illustrations are adorable and perfectly suited to tell this wonderful tale. All of the artwork makes me grin like a fool.

I have given this book to everyone I've ever loved, and it always gets rave reviews. It made my mother laugh and cry all at once, an ex-boyfriend keeps his copy on a shelf above his computer for those days when he's feeling blue, and of course my copy gets pulled down and read frequently. It's a good book for young and old alike!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Just for Children, October 3, 2006

By 

Vikk Simmons "(Travel writer, YA author & blo... (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rosalie and Truffle/Truffle and Rosalie (Hardcover)

<em>Rosalie and Truffle</em>, <em>Truffle and Rosalie</em> is a clever, deceptive little book. The story of true love is told from two perspectives. First is <em>Rosalie and Truffle</em>, "A Story of Love," where Rosalie spends her days dreaming of true love. Flip the book and you have <em>Truffle and Rosalie</em>, "A Story of Luck," where Truffle dreams of "being really lucky." The clever part lies in the ending.

Rosalie is a sweet pink pig. Truffle, well, he's chocolate brown and he's just Truffle. Both lie under the apple tree to while away their days dreaming. Both are accused of having no ambition. On the fateful day when Rosalie and Truffle meet under the apple tree, each experiences a moment of pure bliss. But of course the path of true love, never easy, has huge boulders blocking their way. How these two soul mates come together as one is the heart of the story.

<em>Rosalie and Truffle</em>, <em>Truffle and Rosalie</em> is a book about appearances and how important it is to be true to yourself. The storytelling and the book's execution are quite sophisticated. While children will relate to most of the story's language, many lines have another layer of meaning for adults. If you're looking for something small and charming, a gift perhaps, then <em>Rosalie and Truffle</em>, <em>Truffle and Rosalie</em> is worth considering, especially if you like to go "Ahhh," at the end.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pratically Pornographic, December 18, 2008

By 

Anna L. Martin "bananasplits636" (DeSoto, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rosalie and Truffle/Truffle and Rosalie (Hardcover)

I bought this book thinking, "Oh, how cute two little pigs!" Then I actually read the book, the girl pig, Rosalie, wants love and the boy pig, Truffle, wants to get lucky. The two pigs lay under the apple tree together. Rosalie's friends tell her it was bad to lay with the first pig that came along. Truffle's friends tell him he need to try more pigs to see which one he likes. The illustrations were beautifully drawn. This book should be recommended for ages 10-14.