Rosalie, My Rosalie: The Tale of a Duckling

by Jacquelyn Mitchard, John Bendall-Brunello (Illustrations)

Desperately wanting a pet and having always been refused one by her parents, Henry Marie is thrilled when her father comes home with a fuzzy little chick, yet when her dreams of owning and caring for a pet don’t turn out the way she dreamed, Henry Marie has to find creative ways to make their relationship work.

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens

128 pages, Library Binding

First published April 1, 2005

About the author

Jacquelyn Mitchard’s first novel, The Deep End of the Ocean, was named by USA Today as one of the ten most influential books of the past 25 years – second only to the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (but second by a long shot, it must be said.)

The Deep End of the Ocean was chosen as the first novel in the book club made famous by the TV host Oprah Winfrey, and transformed into a feature film produced by and starring Michelle Pfeiffer.

Most of Mitchard’s novels have been greater or lesser bestsellers – and include The Most Wanted, A Theory of Relativity, Twelve Times Blessed, The Breakdown Lane, The Good Son, and Cage of Stars. Critics have praised them for their authentic humanity and command of story. Readers identify because they see reflected, in her characters – however extreme their circumstances – emotions they already understand.

Mitchard also has written four novels for young adults.

The first, Now You See Her, from HarperTeen, is the story of a pampered, driven young actress who fakes her own abduction.

All We Know of Heaven told the story of lifetime best friends Bridget and Maureen, who are just sixteen when a fatal crash on an icy road and a poignant case of mistaken identity divide their small Minnesota town forever.

The Midnight Twins was the first in a trilogy of teen mysteries about identical twin sisters born on New Year’s Eve – one a minute before and a minute after midnight – Meredith and Mallory Brynn learn on the night they turn thirteen that their psychic abilities will force them to intervene in dire events, although one twin can see only the future and one can see only the past. The Midnight Twins is in development as a TV series by Kaleidoscope Entertainment.

Mitchard's newest novel for adult, A Very Inconvenient Scandal, out in November 2023 from Mira/HarperCollins, is the story of an acclaimed young underwater photographer whose famed marine biologist father shatters their family by marrying her best friend., a woman 35 years his junior.

At the local coffee shop, Mitchard is best-known as the mother of Rob, Dan, Marty, Francie, Mia, Will and Atticus , as the grandma of Hank and Diana and the wife of handsome Chris Brent.

Her favorite color is periwinkle blue; her favorite holiday is Halloween; her favorite flower is freesia; her favorite word is "smite," and her second favorite is "Massachusetts"; her lucky number is 119 (anyone who can guess where that comes from wins free first editions of her novels for life). She lives in her favorite place on earth, Cape Cod, summering in a villa on the Amalfi Coast. (Guess which part of that sentence is fiction.)

Her essays have appeared in publications including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune Magazine and Reader's Digest, and are widely anthologized and used in school curricula. She has taught in MFA programs in Vermont, Ohio, and Massachusetts, and is part of the faculty at the Summer Writers Institute at Yale University. She is a member of the Tall Poppies Writers and has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the Ragdale Foundation.

Her pet peeves are known authors and editors who cannot and will not learn the difference between “lie” and “lay” and family signs pluralized with apostrophes.

She would love to appear on just ONE episode of any incarnation of ‘Law and Order,’ as has everyone else in America. She still is willing to play the role of a murder victim – except one found by earth-moving equipment in a landfill – though she would do that in a pinch.

Mitchard would like to have a swimming pool, because, although she lives near the ocean, she is afraid of the dark water and hates sand. She would love to have a clawfoot tub, or any tub.

She believes that stories are the ways that human beings make sense of life and that our stories will save us.

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first chapter books I read as a child that kickstarted my love for reading. (and animals!)

[Marlena]

my favorite part was when henry said this phrase "oh rosalie my rosalie henry said touching her back and feling her tiny heary's strong swift beat you maybe a duck but you are my piece of luck" (it was so beautiful) my favorite charecter was henry because she was a good pet owner because she cleaned after her self and the duck she proved that she has responsibility as being a pet owner.I wish that the book can be longer to see how their relationship grows.but i dont disliike any parts because their about friend ship and i love to read about real life or just fiction. this was a good book so fair

[Pat Salvatini · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nine year old Henry doesn’t really like having a boy’s name and she doesn’t understand why her parents will not let her have a pet. When Henry is about to accept her fate, her father brings home a fuzzy yellow duckling for Henry to love. “Rosalie, my Rosalie, you may be a duck, but you’re my piece of luck! And you mean everything to me!” Henry learns how to care for her Rosalie as both she and her pet grow up. In the end Henry must make the hardest decision of any parents life. Large print, shorter chapters, and a scattering of simple drawings, and a predictable but charming story create a text that is a step up from easy chapter books.

[Ccl Children's · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet story about a girl named Henry who wants her parents to have a baby, or at least get a pet. Her parents have vetoed several kinds of animals, but when her father finds a duck in need of rescuing, Henry's dreams of having her own pet come true. The duck, named Rosalie, imprints on Henry, but having a duck in the house isn't always easy! This would be a good book for animal lovers ready to move past "easy readers". --ML

Find it in our catalog: http://catalog.ccls.org/search~S1?/tr...-

[Brandyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book because there is a girl named Henry and I have a boy name too! I also like the book because Henry got a duck named Rosalie. At the end, Henry has a baby brother and she had to take Rosalie to the arbor center. So she had a baby brother named Ross. And now she can play with him. Rosalie is going to live in the pond with the other ducks. Henry was sad about that because she is going to miss Rosalie. Rosalie was a little bit sad about that too. So, Henry is going to have fun with her baby brother.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my 6 year old son. This was his first long book and I was worried that he wouldn't enjoy the story since we had to spread the reading out. He stayed focused and really seamed to enjoy the book. His favorite part was when the duck pooped on Henry's bed and then Henry put pampers on the duck. I really liked the ending.

[Ann Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this would make an excellent addition to any second grade summer reading list...the author tells the story straight and simple...I personally found it annoying that Henry had to tell everyone that she had been "imprinted" on Rosalie but I am sure that is me just being me...other than that I saw little to nothing worth arguing about the story.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stand-alone chapter book about the difficulty of keeping a wild animal as a pet. Though the story is predictable, it's done well. There are so many stories for young readers that focus on dogs, cats, and chickens, so it's nice to read about a different animal for a change.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry(a girl) wants a pet. But when Rosalie, a duck, becomes her pet, the adventures begin. This is a good beginning chapter book.

[Kate Hastings]

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