Rosey Posey Is Not Dirty!

Gr 1–2—Rosy Posey, "a coquettish, chubby little pig," is the new kid on the block, and she is having difficulty adjusting. Many of her classmates think that she is dirty and smelly-simply because she is a pig. As usually happens in this type of tale, one animal is brave enough to befriend her (in this case, Flynn Fleece). Rosey explains to the sheep that even though she takes a mud bath every day, it actually helps her skin stay soft and the scents she adds make the mud smell like bananas, rose petals, mint, and lavender. After learning the benefits of the mud bath, Flynn encourages Rosy to invite all the students over for a mud-bath party. The event is a success and all's well that ends well, especially when chocolate cake is involved. This story line has been done before; while acceptance of others' differences is an important issue, the meaning gets lost in the lofty vocabulary and somewhat winding plot. The soft pastel illustrations are charming, but not enough to make this a first purchase.—Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA