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Herman und Rosie
Set in New York, this gorgeous picture book by Gus Gordon is a story about friendship, life in the big city, and following your dreams.
This is a tale about a big city.
It's a tale of hotdogs and music and the summertime subway breeze.
It's a tale of singing on rooftops and toffees that stick to your teeth.
But most of all, it's the tale of Herman and Rosie.
'Quirky, soulful and alive . . . a book to treasure, like a favourite song.' Markus Zusak
This is a tale about a big city.
It's a tale of hotdogs and music and the summertime subway breeze.
It's a tale of singing on rooftops and toffees that stick to your teeth.
But most of all, it's the tale of Herman and Rosie.
'Quirky, soulful and alive . . . a book to treasure, like a favourite song.' Markus Zusak
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Gus Gordon
44 books73 followersGus Gordon is an internationally acclaimed illustrator and author. He has illustrated and written over 80 books for children.
Gus’s stories are typically character orientated and appeal to both children and adults alike. His illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour, however, collage is the medium he is widely recognised for. Much of his work contains old ephemeral paper items such as catalogue engravings, postcards, advertisements, receipts, stamps, theatre programs and maps.
His writing is always anthropomorphic – where animals take the place of humans in the narrative. He attributes this to an early love of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in The Willows and Richard Scarry’s 'Busy' stories.
Gus’ books which include Wendy, Herman and Rosie (a 2013 CBCA 'Honour Award' for best picture book), Somewhere Else and The Last Peach, have sold in over 20 countries worldwide and have received wide international recognition. He has been shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Award, the Sakura Medal in Japan, the Kirico book awards in Spain, the Les Incorruptibles prize in France, the Premio Anderson Children's Book awards in Italy and has twice been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's largest award for children's and young adult literature.
Gus is represented by Charlie Olsen of InkWell Management in New York. He lives with his wife and three kids (and a dog called Biggles) in Sydney, Australia.
Gus’s stories are typically character orientated and appeal to both children and adults alike. His illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour, however, collage is the medium he is widely recognised for. Much of his work contains old ephemeral paper items such as catalogue engravings, postcards, advertisements, receipts, stamps, theatre programs and maps.
His writing is always anthropomorphic – where animals take the place of humans in the narrative. He attributes this to an early love of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in The Willows and Richard Scarry’s 'Busy' stories.
Gus’ books which include Wendy, Herman and Rosie (a 2013 CBCA 'Honour Award' for best picture book), Somewhere Else and The Last Peach, have sold in over 20 countries worldwide and have received wide international recognition. He has been shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Award, the Sakura Medal in Japan, the Kirico book awards in Spain, the Les Incorruptibles prize in France, the Premio Anderson Children's Book awards in Italy and has twice been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's largest award for children's and young adult literature.
Gus is represented by Charlie Olsen of InkWell Management in New York. He lives with his wife and three kids (and a dog called Biggles) in Sydney, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
December 22, 2022
Read 2019/reread 2022
Herman and Rosie, by Gus Gordon. A terrific graphic novel for kids and adults alike. Two lonely 'folks'--a crocodile and a deer--in NYC find each other through a mutual love for music, hot dogs, and Jacques Cousteau flicks. I'd read this in 2019 (review below), and just reread it, in Spanish this time, with the English version alongside. I've added some images this time, and at the end, a few words about the Spanish translation.
Cast your orbs on this amazing artwork! >>>>>
[2019]
Love this! Wonderful story and illustrations. Great colors and use of simulated mixed media (such as old postcards, subway plans, buildings of New York's skyline rendered from newspaper clippings.) A quick read, but do take time to savor the details--e.g., anteaters chatting at table; pig on balcony w/ cup of coffee; Rosie's record albums and an upside down book on her table you might not notice called 'All About Squid'; duck at the Mangy Hound jazz club reading 'The Daily Duck'; the tiny penguin with retro cap standing on a high stool to play a gigantic bass. Windows askew. The ad for Astor coffee. A water tower, teetering, and clinging to it a tiny figure (?) with red head --is that who just painted graffiti on the tower? Maybe.
Interestingly, there is peripheral evidence of cars ('don't honk' signs, and the sounds of cars honking and crashing, folks shouting to grab taxis) but only one vehicle is depicted, as far as I noticed anyway, a single white and black taxi that almost disappears against the background. In Gordon's delightful version of NY city, pedestrians (animals) and bicycles are king.
Suitability for reading while walking: A+. I read it in half the time it took me to walk home from library, a smile on my face all the while, even though it was close to 90 degrees and much of it's uphill.
2022: For my reread I gave the Spanish version a try. Learned some new helpful new words: tortitas (pancakes); bocinas (car horns), among others. There were some weird (lazy? computer-generated?) choices though: The Mangy Hound Jazz Club twice was written as "la Cava de jazz". (Jazz Cave ... boring!)
I would have liked to know the word for fire escape, but singing "on the fire escape" was rendered "cerca de la ventana". (Next to the window). Hot dog with "mustard, hold the sauerkraut, please" came out "con mostaza, chucrut y sin queso, por favor" (with mustard, sauerkraut and without cheese, please.)
Well, one might argue persuasively, that perhaps there are worse things than getting a fictional anthropomorphic cartoon deer's hot dog order wrong.... but on the other hand, I hear NYers (and folks from CHI) can be fussy to a international-incident degree about their hot dogs. Good thing she didn't get ketchup by mistake! Ai, yi, yi!
Herman and Rosie, by Gus Gordon. A terrific graphic novel for kids and adults alike. Two lonely 'folks'--a crocodile and a deer--in NYC find each other through a mutual love for music, hot dogs, and Jacques Cousteau flicks. I'd read this in 2019 (review below), and just reread it, in Spanish this time, with the English version alongside. I've added some images this time, and at the end, a few words about the Spanish translation.
Cast your orbs on this amazing artwork! >>>>>
[2019]
Love this! Wonderful story and illustrations. Great colors and use of simulated mixed media (such as old postcards, subway plans, buildings of New York's skyline rendered from newspaper clippings.) A quick read, but do take time to savor the details--e.g., anteaters chatting at table; pig on balcony w/ cup of coffee; Rosie's record albums and an upside down book on her table you might not notice called 'All About Squid'; duck at the Mangy Hound jazz club reading 'The Daily Duck'; the tiny penguin with retro cap standing on a high stool to play a gigantic bass. Windows askew. The ad for Astor coffee. A water tower, teetering, and clinging to it a tiny figure (?) with red head --is that who just painted graffiti on the tower? Maybe.
Interestingly, there is peripheral evidence of cars ('don't honk' signs, and the sounds of cars honking and crashing, folks shouting to grab taxis) but only one vehicle is depicted, as far as I noticed anyway, a single white and black taxi that almost disappears against the background. In Gordon's delightful version of NY city, pedestrians (animals) and bicycles are king.
Suitability for reading while walking: A+. I read it in half the time it took me to walk home from library, a smile on my face all the while, even though it was close to 90 degrees and much of it's uphill.
2022: For my reread I gave the Spanish version a try. Learned some new helpful new words: tortitas (pancakes); bocinas (car horns), among others. There were some weird (lazy? computer-generated?) choices though: The Mangy Hound Jazz Club twice was written as "la Cava de jazz". (Jazz Cave ... boring!)
I would have liked to know the word for fire escape, but singing "on the fire escape" was rendered "cerca de la ventana". (Next to the window). Hot dog with "mustard, hold the sauerkraut, please" came out "con mostaza, chucrut y sin queso, por favor" (with mustard, sauerkraut and without cheese, please.)
Well, one might argue persuasively, that perhaps there are worse things than getting a fictional anthropomorphic cartoon deer's hot dog order wrong.... but on the other hand, I hear NYers (and folks from CHI) can be fussy to a international-incident degree about their hot dogs. Good thing she didn't get ketchup by mistake! Ai, yi, yi!
May 15, 2017
A wonderful picturebook about loneliness and music and Magic in Manhattan. Herman lives on the seventh floor of one apartment building and Rosie, who lives on the fifth floor of an adjoining apartment building. I had read recently on someone's recommendation a book Gordon illustrated, The Catawumpus Cat, which I liked a lot, for a variety of reasons, among them the illustration style. Gordon liked my review (this is always surprising to me when this happens, and it happens so rarely!), so I made a special effort to look for other work he did and found this book, which I liked even more than the previous book (does this sound like pandering?! Look at the Goodreads rating for the book! I am serious, I loved it!).
Gordon's illustration style is groovy, funky, sweet, fitting the story perfectly where two lonely New Yorkers fall in love with the groovy sound of each other's music wafting out of their apartment windows. Herman plays oboe, Rosie sings. So the eternal question is: How can these two nice people who love music meet in a city where millions live next to each other and are still often desperately lonely? And what might they have in common, besides music? (One answer: films about oceans, such as Jacques Cousteau documentaries).
Why is it you should read such a book, if you are a kid?! Because it is sweet and cute. Why if you are an adult? Because the writing in this one is especially good, with fresh quotable lines on most pages. Because you need to give yourself a warm hug and a smile. Because you need this book to make your day. It did mine.
Gordon's illustration style is groovy, funky, sweet, fitting the story perfectly where two lonely New Yorkers fall in love with the groovy sound of each other's music wafting out of their apartment windows. Herman plays oboe, Rosie sings. So the eternal question is: How can these two nice people who love music meet in a city where millions live next to each other and are still often desperately lonely? And what might they have in common, besides music? (One answer: films about oceans, such as Jacques Cousteau documentaries).
Why is it you should read such a book, if you are a kid?! Because it is sweet and cute. Why if you are an adult? Because the writing in this one is especially good, with fresh quotable lines on most pages. Because you need to give yourself a warm hug and a smile. Because you need this book to make your day. It did mine.
November 30, 2013
New Yorkers are singularly single minded. It’s not enough that our city be rich, popular, and famous. We apparently are so neurotic that we need to see it EVERYWHERE. In movies, on television, and, of course, in books. Children’s books, however, get a bit of a pass in this regard. It doesn’t matter where you grow up, most kids get a bit of a thrill when they see their home city mentioned in a work of literature. Here in NYC, teachers go out of their way to find books about the city to read and study with their students. As a result of this, in my capacity as a children’s librarian I make a habit of keeping an eye peeled for any and all New York City related books for the kiddos. And as luck would have it, in the year 2013 I saw a plethora of Manhattan-based titles. Some were great. Some were jaw-droppingly awful. But one stood apart from the pack. Written by an Aussie, Herman and Rosie, author Gus Gordon has created the first picture book I’ve ever seen to successfully put its finger on the simultaneous beauty and soul-gutting loneliness of big city life. The fact that it just happens to be a fun story about an oboe-tooting croc and deer chanteuse is just icing on the cake.
Herman and Rosie are city creatures through and through. Herman is a croc with a penchant for hotdogs and yogurt and playing his oboe out the window of his 7th story home. In a nearby building, Rosie the deer likes pancakes and jazz records and singing in nightclubs, even if no one’s there to hear her. Neither one knows the other, so they continue their lonely little lives unaware of the potential soulmate nearby. One day Rosie catches a bit of Herman’s music and not long thereafter Herman manages to hear a snatch of a song sung by Rosie. They like what they hear but through a series of unfortunate events they never quite meet up. Then Herman gets fired from his job in sales and Rosie’s favorite jazz club goes belly up. Things look bad for our heroes, until a certain cheery day where it all turns around for them.
You can know a city from afar but never quite replicate it in art. I do not know how many times Gus Gordon has visited NYC. I don’t know his background here or how often he’s visited over the course of his lifetime. All I know is he got Manhattan DOWN, man! Everything from the water towers and the rooftop landscapes to the very color of the subway lines is replicated in his pitch perfect illustrations. Maybe the medium has a lot to answer for. I love the map endpapers that identify not just where Herman and Rosie live, but also where you can find a great hot dog place. I like how the art is a mix of real postcards showcasing everything from Central Park (look at the Essex House!!) to the Rose Reading Room in the main branch of New York Public Library.
But the art is far more than simply a clever encapsulation of a location. It took several readings before I could see a lot of what Gordon was up to. Here’s an example: Take a look at the two-page spread where Herman is leaving his office for the last time with all his goods in a box, while on the opposite page Rosie trudges home from the closing club, her high heeled red shoes sitting forlornly in the basket of her bike. The two images take place at different times of the day, but if you look closely you’ll see that they’re the same street corner. Yet where Herman’s New York is filled with loud angry voices and sounds, Rosie’s is near silent, a black wash representing the oncoming night. Note too that while Herman’s mailbox was a mixed media photo, Rosie’s is painted in a black wash with some crayon scribbles. It’s a subtle difference, but I love how it sort of represents how objects become less real when the lights begin to dim. And the book is just FILLED with tiny, clever details. From the pictures and instructions that grace Herman’s cubicle at work to the fact that Rosie clearly washes her clothes at home (the clothesline the runs from her bike to the old-fashioned vacuum tube television was my first clue) to Herman’s bed in the living room, Gordon is constantly peppering his book with elements that give little insights into who these two characters really are.
And that right there is the the crux of the book. Time and time again Gordon returns to this idea of how lonely it can be to live in a busy place. The idea that you can be surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people and feel as alone as if you were on a desert island is a tricky concept to convey to small fry. Herman’s whole personality, in a way, hinges on the fact that he’s terrible at his job as a telecaller because all he wants to do is talk to people on the phone, not sell them things. He longs for connection. Rosie, meanwhile, finds a certain level of connection through her singing gig. Once that gig leaves, her feelings of extreme loneliness echo Herman’s with the loss of his job. Their sole lifelines to the outside world have been severed against their wills. If this were a book for adults we’d undoubtedly also get a couple scenes of the various failed dates they fine themselves on (well, Rosie certainly… I’m not so sure that Herman’s the serial dater type). Kids understand loneliness. They get that. They’ll get this.
The book also plays on the natural inclination for a happy resolution, and the near misses when Herman almost meets Rosie and Rosie just barely misses Herman can be excruciating. You are fairly certain the two are made for one another (the natural tendencies of crocs to eat deer notwithstanding) so it can be particularly painful to see so many almost wases. This feeling is, admittedly, partly diluted by the fact that you’re not quite sure what will happen when the two DO meet. Are they going to fall in love? Well, not exactly. There may be a kind of child reader that hopes for that ending, but instead we’re given a conclusion where the two just learn to make beautiful music together, and in the course of that music happen to find financial success as well. This is New York, after all. Love’s great but a steady paycheck’s even better.
The truth of the matter is that Herman and Rosie could be set in L.A. or Minneapolis or Atlanta or even Sydney and I’d still love it as much as I do with its New York flavor, tone, and beat. It wouldn’t be exactly the same, but it’s the bones of the book that are strong. The setting is just a bonus, really. With original mixed media, a text that’s subtle and succinct, and a story that rings both true and original (for a picture book medium anyway), this is a city book, a true city book, to its core. Author Markus Zusak said the book was “Quirky, soulful and alive”. Can’t put it any better than that. What he said.
For ages 3-6.
Herman and Rosie are city creatures through and through. Herman is a croc with a penchant for hotdogs and yogurt and playing his oboe out the window of his 7th story home. In a nearby building, Rosie the deer likes pancakes and jazz records and singing in nightclubs, even if no one’s there to hear her. Neither one knows the other, so they continue their lonely little lives unaware of the potential soulmate nearby. One day Rosie catches a bit of Herman’s music and not long thereafter Herman manages to hear a snatch of a song sung by Rosie. They like what they hear but through a series of unfortunate events they never quite meet up. Then Herman gets fired from his job in sales and Rosie’s favorite jazz club goes belly up. Things look bad for our heroes, until a certain cheery day where it all turns around for them.
You can know a city from afar but never quite replicate it in art. I do not know how many times Gus Gordon has visited NYC. I don’t know his background here or how often he’s visited over the course of his lifetime. All I know is he got Manhattan DOWN, man! Everything from the water towers and the rooftop landscapes to the very color of the subway lines is replicated in his pitch perfect illustrations. Maybe the medium has a lot to answer for. I love the map endpapers that identify not just where Herman and Rosie live, but also where you can find a great hot dog place. I like how the art is a mix of real postcards showcasing everything from Central Park (look at the Essex House!!) to the Rose Reading Room in the main branch of New York Public Library.
But the art is far more than simply a clever encapsulation of a location. It took several readings before I could see a lot of what Gordon was up to. Here’s an example: Take a look at the two-page spread where Herman is leaving his office for the last time with all his goods in a box, while on the opposite page Rosie trudges home from the closing club, her high heeled red shoes sitting forlornly in the basket of her bike. The two images take place at different times of the day, but if you look closely you’ll see that they’re the same street corner. Yet where Herman’s New York is filled with loud angry voices and sounds, Rosie’s is near silent, a black wash representing the oncoming night. Note too that while Herman’s mailbox was a mixed media photo, Rosie’s is painted in a black wash with some crayon scribbles. It’s a subtle difference, but I love how it sort of represents how objects become less real when the lights begin to dim. And the book is just FILLED with tiny, clever details. From the pictures and instructions that grace Herman’s cubicle at work to the fact that Rosie clearly washes her clothes at home (the clothesline the runs from her bike to the old-fashioned vacuum tube television was my first clue) to Herman’s bed in the living room, Gordon is constantly peppering his book with elements that give little insights into who these two characters really are.
And that right there is the the crux of the book. Time and time again Gordon returns to this idea of how lonely it can be to live in a busy place. The idea that you can be surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people and feel as alone as if you were on a desert island is a tricky concept to convey to small fry. Herman’s whole personality, in a way, hinges on the fact that he’s terrible at his job as a telecaller because all he wants to do is talk to people on the phone, not sell them things. He longs for connection. Rosie, meanwhile, finds a certain level of connection through her singing gig. Once that gig leaves, her feelings of extreme loneliness echo Herman’s with the loss of his job. Their sole lifelines to the outside world have been severed against their wills. If this were a book for adults we’d undoubtedly also get a couple scenes of the various failed dates they fine themselves on (well, Rosie certainly… I’m not so sure that Herman’s the serial dater type). Kids understand loneliness. They get that. They’ll get this.
The book also plays on the natural inclination for a happy resolution, and the near misses when Herman almost meets Rosie and Rosie just barely misses Herman can be excruciating. You are fairly certain the two are made for one another (the natural tendencies of crocs to eat deer notwithstanding) so it can be particularly painful to see so many almost wases. This feeling is, admittedly, partly diluted by the fact that you’re not quite sure what will happen when the two DO meet. Are they going to fall in love? Well, not exactly. There may be a kind of child reader that hopes for that ending, but instead we’re given a conclusion where the two just learn to make beautiful music together, and in the course of that music happen to find financial success as well. This is New York, after all. Love’s great but a steady paycheck’s even better.
The truth of the matter is that Herman and Rosie could be set in L.A. or Minneapolis or Atlanta or even Sydney and I’d still love it as much as I do with its New York flavor, tone, and beat. It wouldn’t be exactly the same, but it’s the bones of the book that are strong. The setting is just a bonus, really. With original mixed media, a text that’s subtle and succinct, and a story that rings both true and original (for a picture book medium anyway), this is a city book, a true city book, to its core. Author Markus Zusak said the book was “Quirky, soulful and alive”. Can’t put it any better than that. What he said.
For ages 3-6.
September 10, 2019
Herman and Rosie lived right next door to one another in the big city, but they lived lives that never touched. They went to work, pursued their musical passions - Herman played the oboe, while Rosie was a jazz singer - and indulged their (shared) love of films about the ocean, all without knowing that the other existed. It took two catastrophes - losing a job, and losing a much-needed musical release - to bring them together, and change the course of both their lives...
Set in New York City - although the narrative never makes that explicit, the end-papers show a map of the city, and the interior illustrations depict numerous New York landmarks - Herman and Rosie is a lovely book. The story touches on important themes - loneliness, friendship - in ways that are as thoughtful as they are poignant. The reality that one can feel lonely, even amongst crowds of people, is ably captured in Gus Gordon's tale, making the meeting of these two souls all the more satisfying. The artwork, which looks to be done is a variety of media, is quirky and appealing. I liked the use of text, whether in signs or as part of postcards, in the illustrations. All in all, this was a wonderful book, about loneliness, about life in the big city, and about finding a friend.
Set in New York City - although the narrative never makes that explicit, the end-papers show a map of the city, and the interior illustrations depict numerous New York landmarks - Herman and Rosie is a lovely book. The story touches on important themes - loneliness, friendship - in ways that are as thoughtful as they are poignant. The reality that one can feel lonely, even amongst crowds of people, is ably captured in Gus Gordon's tale, making the meeting of these two souls all the more satisfying. The artwork, which looks to be done is a variety of media, is quirky and appealing. I liked the use of text, whether in signs or as part of postcards, in the illustrations. All in all, this was a wonderful book, about loneliness, about life in the big city, and about finding a friend.
November 11, 2022
The singing "made him feel like he had just eaten honey straight from the jar."
All the feels. Especially, but not only, for residents or fans of NYC, of course, and for ppl who have felt alone in big cities. Not subtle... children will understand it, and some will enjoy it. In another mood I'd give it four stars, but today it's just not working its magic on me... despite our leaping deer's adventure and the beautiful writing and the humor of the pancakes and pretzels.
I do confidently recommend it to anyone curious, and I will look for more by the author.
All the feels. Especially, but not only, for residents or fans of NYC, of course, and for ppl who have felt alone in big cities. Not subtle... children will understand it, and some will enjoy it. In another mood I'd give it four stars, but today it's just not working its magic on me... despite our leaping deer's adventure and the beautiful writing and the humor of the pancakes and pretzels.
I do confidently recommend it to anyone curious, and I will look for more by the author.
June 13, 2019
...megeja dainuoti Rosie
...megejas triubinti Herman
...apie tai, kaip dvi vienisos,taciau labai jau artimos sielos negali nesusitikti...
Labiausiai mane zavejo Iliustracijos.
February 25, 2015
Personal response: What a cute story! I was not expecting much from this book and I am not sure why, however, I ended up loving it. The story has two elements that really drew me in. First off, the theme of being in place full of people, but still feeling lonely. It is easy to feel that way at a big university. Secondly, the theme of friendship. Rosie and Herman just understood each other. I am lucky to have friends who understand me and Rosie and Herman understand each other and this book makes me more grateful for them.
Purposes:
1. Read aloud for enrichment/enjoyment
-Kids will like this book because it talks about things that are very real to them: loneliness and friendships.
-I think kids will love the anticipation of watching Herman and Rosie go to many of the same places and not know each other until they finally meet one
-This book is a good way of integrating music into the classroom since Herman plays the oboe and Rosie is a singer. Children may not know what an oboe sounds like and this could provide a good opportunity to pull up a video of someone playing the oboe, which would enrich their lives musically.
-You could also talk about the power of music and how it can bring joy to your life.
2. Curriculum
-I think this book would be a perfect level for a 1st grade read aloud.
-This book would be a good example to use to talk about setting since the setting of the city so clearly effects the characters' emotions.
-This book would also be good to talk about plot and use for retelling practice.
Purposes:
1. Read aloud for enrichment/enjoyment
-Kids will like this book because it talks about things that are very real to them: loneliness and friendships.
-I think kids will love the anticipation of watching Herman and Rosie go to many of the same places and not know each other until they finally meet one
-This book is a good way of integrating music into the classroom since Herman plays the oboe and Rosie is a singer. Children may not know what an oboe sounds like and this could provide a good opportunity to pull up a video of someone playing the oboe, which would enrich their lives musically.
-You could also talk about the power of music and how it can bring joy to your life.
2. Curriculum
-I think this book would be a perfect level for a 1st grade read aloud.
-This book would be a good example to use to talk about setting since the setting of the city so clearly effects the characters' emotions.
-This book would also be good to talk about plot and use for retelling practice.
December 4, 2013
This story is quite sad when you realise it's about two music loving animals who are both lonely in New York when dramatically both their lives go into a downward spiral. It then tracks them through their single adventures around New York City and their paths cross but not quite until one magical night when Herman decides to play his Oboe.
I simply love the illustrations in the book and could look over the detail for longer than needed. I could even see myself owning a copy of this book one day.
I simply love the illustrations in the book and could look over the detail for longer than needed. I could even see myself owning a copy of this book one day.
January 17, 2019
I absolutely loved this book and made several book reading noises while reading it in my quiet library. This book has beautiful mixed media illustrations about Herman and Rosie who live in New York. While both characters live in the same city and on the same street, it appears they don't know each other. Early on in the story you find out what drives both Herman and Rosie and realize they have many similarities. Both characters deal with stress and loneliness in similar ways and eventually find friendship through their love of music.
Theme: Loneliness, friendship, music
Theme: Loneliness, friendship, music
January 31, 2017
I just discovered this book in the library and was so pleasantly surprised with the fun use of mixed media illustrations and how Gus captures such a relatable a real life situation with really cute characters! My new fav author/illustrator I can't wait to read more of his books.
March 4, 2019
This book was a very good book to read because it talks about how two very similar people get together and how they needed each other all along. It teaches children that even though there are a lot of different people out their, there is that one person in this world who you need and how similar they are to you. Sometimes you have to look closely for the things you want and I think that is one of the important messages throughout this book.
March 9, 2022
One of my new favorite picture books. An absolutely, lovely, charming story about two folks, a crocodile and a deer, living in NYC, Herman and Rosie that are brought together through music. They live their lives in the same apartment building until one day they discover each other through their love of music. The playful, childlike illustrations make it a joy to read.
October 13, 2018
Herman, a kind hearted crocodile who plays oboe, and Rosie, a tender hearted dear who loves to sing, live within just a few blocks of each other but never have met. They have very similar likes and dislikes but are somewhat thwarted in life until their love of music merges and allows their talents to blossom.
December 12, 2019
Am learning Spanish. I read the Spanish translation of this one and really enjoyed it. I loved the illustrations as well as the story.
June 22, 2017
My favorite new children's book. It speaks of hope right around the corner, no matter how things may look. Clever story with really unique illustrations. This book is displayed in a place of honor on our bookshelf.
December 18, 2013
Books have always had a storied history with an ongoing playlist of love songs to iconic settings (Real, imagined, and all in-between) and picture books are no different.
In fact, with SO MANY love songs to a specific place, it’s HARD to stand out, but I believe ”Herman and Rosie” is one such stand out. For me, of the many love songs to New York City (Real or Surreal), this book DOES jump out in the most positive sense.
The story follows titular characters: Herman, a crocodile salary-man who loves playing his oboe, hot dogs in winter, and movies about the ocean, and Rosie, who loves toffee, movies about the ocean, and singing her heart out at a jazz club at night, after working in the restaurant biz by day.
While both Herman and Rosie love life in the city, it can feel lonely at times, sometimes lacking the kind of community building more directly inherent in a small town, or county within a large city or town.
The illustrations do an excellent job projecting the urban motif, using collage scrapbook-like elements to further enhance the overall charm to the illustration.
When I first saw the cover for this book, I almost wanted to weep with joy, because it’s unabashedly old-fashioned, in a tune when being modern is often meant to mean “Simplistic to a fault.”
Please understand, I’m not bashing simplicity, when it’s right for the story that’s fine, whether we;re talking words or text, but I don’t want simplicity to overly dictate stories that frankly demand some finesse and sophistication.
These two have a lot in common, yet like most city slickers, start out as two wayward spirits who are strangers to each other, but certainly not to the readers of their story.
When Herman loses his job (Due to lack of sales), and Rosie learns the jazz club where she sings is forced to close down, the two once mostly content souls have been infected with the “Lost my job, (Herman) Lost my Passion, (Rosie), whatever will I do now” blues…
They spend days and weeks at home.
Herman too bummed out to play his Oboe.
Rosie too down in dumps to sing and share her song to others.
Eventually, the two find their way back to their musical passions and soon after, AT LAST, find each other…
There’s something about the vintage feel that I’ve always responded to, long before I even knew the history behind it, which only enriched my appreciation as I got older.
This book manages to feel modern without also feeling cold and lifeless. It also brings a certain flair to the everyday hustle and bustle that those of you who are urban dwellers will find familiar, yet those you in the boonies will feel right at home with theme this book organically projects: connections to friends helps fight the day do day doldrums we all face, wherever in the world we call home.
For me, of the many love songs to New York (Real or Surreal), this book DOES jump out in the most positive sense.
In fact, with SO MANY love songs to a specific place, it’s HARD to stand out, but I believe ”Herman and Rosie” is one such stand out. For me, of the many love songs to New York City (Real or Surreal), this book DOES jump out in the most positive sense.
The story follows titular characters: Herman, a crocodile salary-man who loves playing his oboe, hot dogs in winter, and movies about the ocean, and Rosie, who loves toffee, movies about the ocean, and singing her heart out at a jazz club at night, after working in the restaurant biz by day.
While both Herman and Rosie love life in the city, it can feel lonely at times, sometimes lacking the kind of community building more directly inherent in a small town, or county within a large city or town.
The illustrations do an excellent job projecting the urban motif, using collage scrapbook-like elements to further enhance the overall charm to the illustration.
When I first saw the cover for this book, I almost wanted to weep with joy, because it’s unabashedly old-fashioned, in a tune when being modern is often meant to mean “Simplistic to a fault.”
Please understand, I’m not bashing simplicity, when it’s right for the story that’s fine, whether we;re talking words or text, but I don’t want simplicity to overly dictate stories that frankly demand some finesse and sophistication.
These two have a lot in common, yet like most city slickers, start out as two wayward spirits who are strangers to each other, but certainly not to the readers of their story.
When Herman loses his job (Due to lack of sales), and Rosie learns the jazz club where she sings is forced to close down, the two once mostly content souls have been infected with the “Lost my job, (Herman) Lost my Passion, (Rosie), whatever will I do now” blues…
They spend days and weeks at home.
Herman too bummed out to play his Oboe.
Rosie too down in dumps to sing and share her song to others.
Eventually, the two find their way back to their musical passions and soon after, AT LAST, find each other…
There’s something about the vintage feel that I’ve always responded to, long before I even knew the history behind it, which only enriched my appreciation as I got older.
This book manages to feel modern without also feeling cold and lifeless. It also brings a certain flair to the everyday hustle and bustle that those of you who are urban dwellers will find familiar, yet those you in the boonies will feel right at home with theme this book organically projects: connections to friends helps fight the day do day doldrums we all face, wherever in the world we call home.
For me, of the many love songs to New York (Real or Surreal), this book DOES jump out in the most positive sense.
December 19, 2013
Herman is a crocodile who lives in New York and finds it very lonely. He loves playing his oboe in his apartment. His job selling things on the telephone, makes his life less lonely because he can talk to people, but doesn’t make him very good at his job. Rosie lives in the building next door to Herman and she loves to sing. She has a job washing dishes but loves most of all her singing lessons and performing in a little jazz club on Thursday nights. The two are lonely but fairly happy because both of them hear great music floating into their windows from time to time. Then one day Herman loses his job and Rosie discovers that the jazz club is closing. The two of them head home and don’t make any music for a long time. Until they wake up one morning and things have changed. They are craving their favorite food and want to make music.
Gordon has written a picture book ode to big city living, particularly New York. He incorporates the potential loneliness of urban life but also praises the bustling, the music, the lifestyle. The characters are quirky and believable. They are the sort of characters who make perfect sense, whose actions are credible, reactions ring true, and they make the entire book work.
Gordon writes and illustrates with a playful tone. His illustrations are done in mixed media, including photographs, paint, and pencil. The different media are worked together so thoroughly that at times you never notice the photos mixed in. They are so cleverly done that it all forms one unified piece until something catches your eye.
Two musical souls in one big lonely city where they live next door to one another. It’s a combination just as exquisite as New York itself. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Gordon has written a picture book ode to big city living, particularly New York. He incorporates the potential loneliness of urban life but also praises the bustling, the music, the lifestyle. The characters are quirky and believable. They are the sort of characters who make perfect sense, whose actions are credible, reactions ring true, and they make the entire book work.
Gordon writes and illustrates with a playful tone. His illustrations are done in mixed media, including photographs, paint, and pencil. The different media are worked together so thoroughly that at times you never notice the photos mixed in. They are so cleverly done that it all forms one unified piece until something catches your eye.
Two musical souls in one big lonely city where they live next door to one another. It’s a combination just as exquisite as New York itself. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
January 20, 2016
Brimming with heart and soul Herman and Rosie is a picture book to lose yourself in. Not bad for a book where the main characters don't meet till the closing sequence.
Herman and Rosie are New Yorkers. They have much in common, but it's only the reader who is privy to their shared loves: their passions for jazz music and Jacques Cousteau movies. It's the reader who sees their parallel lives and whose heart skips a beat at their near misses. Herman and Rosie are oblivious. So, this pair like the buzz of the city but it can be a lonely place and when they eventually meet, it's pretty special. As the image of them together is the only close-up in the book, it's like we meet them for the first time too.
This book is superb graphically. What person born in the era of vinyl records wouldn't love the cover? Cover included, every part of this book is telling the story of Herman and Rosie, from the mapped endpapers, to the Mark Twain quote quietly tucked away through all the intricate multi-media artwork. I've read this many times now and find new details every time. Trees, for instance, that recall Ella Fitzgerald lyrics. . .
Herman and Rosie is a book to savour, possibly more for adults than kids, though clearly I am not the only admirer, as I saw this book has reached the pinnacle of monthly book club sent into Australian schools. Lets hope such fame helps Herman and Rosie win more hearts.
Herman and Rosie are New Yorkers. They have much in common, but it's only the reader who is privy to their shared loves: their passions for jazz music and Jacques Cousteau movies. It's the reader who sees their parallel lives and whose heart skips a beat at their near misses. Herman and Rosie are oblivious. So, this pair like the buzz of the city but it can be a lonely place and when they eventually meet, it's pretty special. As the image of them together is the only close-up in the book, it's like we meet them for the first time too.
This book is superb graphically. What person born in the era of vinyl records wouldn't love the cover? Cover included, every part of this book is telling the story of Herman and Rosie, from the mapped endpapers, to the Mark Twain quote quietly tucked away through all the intricate multi-media artwork. I've read this many times now and find new details every time. Trees, for instance, that recall Ella Fitzgerald lyrics. . .
Herman and Rosie is a book to savour, possibly more for adults than kids, though clearly I am not the only admirer, as I saw this book has reached the pinnacle of monthly book club sent into Australian schools. Lets hope such fame helps Herman and Rosie win more hearts.
February 23, 2015
Personal response- As a hopeless romantic, this was such a sweet book. While it is a love story, the book has such a good story behind it. Herman and Rosie both feel alone in this big world. Sometimes I feel the same way while going from day to day. Herman and Rosie play instruments and sing, both things I used to do in high school. This is a such a positive and uplifting book! This is one I want to keep reading for years to come!
Purposes
Read aloud for enrichment
-Students could relate to the story in two ways - one is the relationship of find a love (or a good friend) that makes you feel at home and that you have something to look forward too. The second way the students could relate is feeling at home (if a student has recently moved or just feels alone)
-vocabulary: this would be a story for students who are in the younger grades. After about first grade, this book would not be challenging enough. Younger students might find this book humorous. There is a good amount of complex and simple sentences. There is good figurative language, and the book is very descriptive to where students could imagine experiencing what the book is saying.
Read aloud for academic purposes
-strong literary elements- clear setting and clear plot. This book is good for retelling practices and would be good to help students understand character elements.
Purposes
Read aloud for enrichment
-Students could relate to the story in two ways - one is the relationship of find a love (or a good friend) that makes you feel at home and that you have something to look forward too. The second way the students could relate is feeling at home (if a student has recently moved or just feels alone)
-vocabulary: this would be a story for students who are in the younger grades. After about first grade, this book would not be challenging enough. Younger students might find this book humorous. There is a good amount of complex and simple sentences. There is good figurative language, and the book is very descriptive to where students could imagine experiencing what the book is saying.
Read aloud for academic purposes
-strong literary elements- clear setting and clear plot. This book is good for retelling practices and would be good to help students understand character elements.
April 27, 2016
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.
December 24, 2013
There are many things to love about this book, if you love NYC, if you prefer happy endings, and if you adore picture books that appeal to all ages because of story told so well by words and illustrations! Several have recommended this, and I do agree, it’s a beautiful book to savor. I’ve read it twice, just looking and looking at all the details added to the story in the illustrations. For example, Herman works at a job selling ‘things’, and in a sketch of him at his office, there is a bulletin board that includes a list of ‘things’, like sparkly things and round Things. Some backgrounds are ephermera like cutouts of newspaper weather data or a cash register printout. There are also small parts that show the city is New York City, although the name is never written. In such a short text, it’s wonderful to see how the tension builds, as slowly Rosie and Herman move closer to a meeting. And that’s all I can say. You’ll have to find the book to enjoy the rest of the story, and to enjoy more than once!
July 18, 2016
When I first read this, I was wondering what sort of appeal this could really have for a kindergartener or younger. I mean, I liked it, I enjoyed the little New York references and atmosphere, but was a kid going to relate to a story about two lonely musicians looking for a break (the anthropomorphism aside). I'm still not so sure about that, but this story has a lot of heart and it appeals to the adult me on so many levels, down to the clever vinyl cover (yet another reference the kids are not going to understand, sigh!), and I know I will be picking this book up again next time I catch it at the library, so I'm adding a star to my original rating of it. As for my five year old, he obviously loved the map of Manhattan, and tracing their walk - to the hot dog stand and into Central Park - with his finger. Also, he has this fondness for New York (where he's never been) too, knowing his little friend always goes there from time to time. So, okay, sure!
August 9, 2014
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.
December 7, 2013
New York City is huge, and it's possible to get lost in its many buildings and streets. Herman and Rosie both have day jobs that are satisfying in their own way, but at night, both of them are drawn to music. He plays his oboe on the roof, and she enjoys singing. Both of them hear each other's music, but have no idea where it originates. After some career setbacks and a bout of depression, both venture out into the city again and find each other and their shared interests. NYC residents will recognize parts of their beloved city in the text and softly colored illustrations. I'm not sure how wide the book's appeal will be, though, since the characters are a bit odd and the book focuses on a particular place. It brings to mind the books of Jimmy Liao. I really liked having a map of the city on the book's endpapers.
November 15, 2013
Um...this totally made me cry. Ha! It's a surprisingly sweet story about two lonely music and Jacques Cousteau lovers and how they find each other. And it's the story of a city and how two lonely music and Jacques Cousteau lovers finding each other can change it. The illustrations are great--detailed, but not too detailed, and made up of pencil line drawings and watercolor and collage in a way that's nostalgic, but in a modern sort of way, if that makes sense. They're kind of perfect. Also, after I finished it, I noticed the quote from Markus Zusak on the cover, which just confirmed that I was right in thinking it's awesome. Anyway, it's definitely one of my faves from this year. I sort of feel like it's more for grown-ups than for kids, but whatever. I love it. So there!
December 22, 2013
Gus Gordon has written a love story worthy of a Nora Ephron movie.. it's a bit of a triangle though, with Herman, Rosie AND the city of New York all mashed together (Tom Hanks could easily play Herman, this would not be a stretch, Rosie is so cool that I'm not sure who should be cast). Every page has something to tickle your fancy, whether it be the words he chooses or the incredible scenes he has created. These two unique characters come alive in the pages of this book and when they finally meet, you are thrilled for them and just open it up to read their love story all over again. It's jam-packed with so much detail that you can see something new and wonderful each time. It's a keeper, worth a purchase or a hold @ the biblio.
September 12, 2014
This book kind of sneaked up on me. I was captivated by the map on the end pages with the arrow pointing to the hot dog stand, and the illustrations are great, but I wasn't so sure about the slow to get started story. But like a lot of great books, the story has to have time to build. By the end, I fell in love with both Herman and Rosie. Kids will enjoy the illustrations that really invite them to pore over the pages.
It would be great to use this for a unit on mapping or cities too. Honestly, through talking to colleagues about this book, I have come to love it even more. It can stand on its own as a great book, but it can be developed into a great programming opportunity. My wheels are spinning.
It would be great to use this for a unit on mapping or cities too. Honestly, through talking to colleagues about this book, I have come to love it even more. It can stand on its own as a great book, but it can be developed into a great programming opportunity. My wheels are spinning.
December 8, 2013
I could not love this book more. An alligator and (I think?) a goat lead separate lives in nyc -- sometimes exciting and artsy and sometimes deeply lonely -- they're drawn together thru music. It's really a love letter to the city, using bits of vintage NYT clippings and old ledgers and fliers. It's WONDERFUL. Kids and adults will appreciate it on different levels -- there is a lot of stress and melancholy, but also those moments of connection and serendipity you can still have in NYC, when you're lucky. If you have a struggling musician friend in NYC, this would be a great gift.
December 12, 2013
Herman and Rosie live close to one another in New York City and despite having shared interests haven't met yet, even though they can often be found in the same places throughout the city.
A lonely sort of story, this book makes you root for the characters to both find happiness and each other and the ending doesn't disappoint.
Mixed media artwork gives the story a scrapbook feel and reads like a love letter to the city the two characters share. Must see for PreK-2+.
A lonely sort of story, this book makes you root for the characters to both find happiness and each other and the ending doesn't disappoint.
Mixed media artwork gives the story a scrapbook feel and reads like a love letter to the city the two characters share. Must see for PreK-2+.
December 28, 2015
This picture book is a true gift of writing and art combined. The story might appeal to adults more than kids though.
Herman, an alligator, and Rosie, a deer, both live in NY. The are lonely solitary people in a city of millions. It's a story of near misses. It's a story of pursuing your dreams. I loved it so much I bought a copy just for me. Even if it doesn't appeal to my class, it appeals to me.
Herman, an alligator, and Rosie, a deer, both live in NY. The are lonely solitary people in a city of millions. It's a story of near misses. It's a story of pursuing your dreams. I loved it so much I bought a copy just for me. Even if it doesn't appeal to my class, it appeals to me.
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