Rowan [Hardcover]

Robin McKinley (Author), Donna Ruff (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

A child and her new puppy work through the difficult initial adjustments and soon belong to each other.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Newbery Award winner McKinley follows her picture-book debut ( My Father Is in the Navy ) with this affable tale of a girl and her pet--"I didn't know I wanted a dog. And then, one day, I did know." Armed with this revelation, the narrator spots a newspaper notice for Whippets and the breed is decided. The choice at the kennel becomes an easy one: "I knew mine at once. She sprang up when I first bent over her, and kissed me on the nose." With grace and sensitivity this unassuming, somewhat slender story tells of a universal childhood experience. The first-person narrative lends immediacy and a youngster's perspective--though we do glimpse mother and father, this is first and foremost a kid's-eye view. And true-to-life details--the disoriented pup's initial loneliness, the girl's resultant sadness--add realism and variety. Ultimately, however, excitement and optimism shine through, feelings deftly enhanced by Ruff's somewhat hazy pastels. With its homey touches, this illustrator's debut artwork conjures up the essence of childhood; the final picture, of the gap-toothed heroine being "kissed" by her eponymous pooch, will melt just about any heart. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- After deciding that she wants a dog, a girl considers and rejects several breeds before settling on a whippet whom she names Rowan. The ride home and the first night present some difficulties, but by morning, bonding has occurred between the two. The concept of a child acquiring a pet is a worthy one, but the execution is slight. The awkward text, which is self-conscious and unchildlike, is at its best when it is describing the dog's adjustment to its new surroundings. This is a case where the illustrations definitely outshine the text. Ruff's expressive drawings, executed in pastels and colored pencil, are largely responsible for the book's appeal. --Valerie F. Patterson, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow; 1st edition (August 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068810682X
• ISBN-13: 978-0688106829
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,448,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robin McKinley has won various awards and citations for her writing, including the Newbery Medal for The Hero and the Crown and a Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword. Her other books include Sunshine; the New York Times bestseller Spindle's End; two novel-length retellings of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and Rose Daughter; and a retelling of the Robin Hood legend, The Outlaws of Sherwood. She lives with her husband, the English writer Peter Dickinson.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweet children's story, December 13, 1999

By 

Ann T. Muffin (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rowan (Hardcover)

I read this book while desperately scouring my library for anything by Robin McKinley, and was mildly surprised to find that it was a child's picture book. Still, it was as well-written as anything by McKinley, and I would recommend it to anyone to read to their children.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL book to prepare kids for owning a dog!, July 26, 2003

By 

E. Kennedy (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rowan (Library Binding)

We read Rowan when we were thinking about having a dog---it was our "dreaming of dog ownership" book. We adopted a Racing Greyhound, and so the issues covered in Rowan are very similar to the initial "fish out of water" feeling that retired Grey's have. The story shows the little girl empathizing with the pup when it's removed from everything it knows. It's also honest about her expectations and how disappointed she may be feeling at first when her puppy is afraid instead of playful. At the end there's no "too-sweet" resolution, but there is a nice beginning... and the little girl is satisfied with that--a start, a promise of the dog Rowan will become in the hint of a wag from the puppy's tail.