Rowan

by Robin McKinley, Donna Ruff (Illustrator)

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

Genres: Fantasy, Picture Books, Childrens, Young Adult, Sci Fi Fantasy

1 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1992

About the author

Robin McKinley is an American author acclaimed for fantasy novels and inventive retellings of classic fairy tales, often featuring resilient heroines and richly imagined worlds. She gained early prominence with Beauty, a reworking of Beauty and the Beast, and achieved major recognition when The Hero and the Crown won the Newbery Medal, establishing her as a leading voice in children’s and young adult fantasy. Drawing on a widely traveled upbringing and a lifelong devotion to folklore, she has reinterpreted stories such as Sleeping Beauty and Robin Hood while also creating original works, including the Damar novels and later titles like Sunshine and Dragonhaven. Her fiction is known for emotional depth, moral complexity, and sensory detail, blending adventure with themes of courage, identity, and compassion. In addition to novels, she has written short story collections, edited anthologies, and collaborated on projects exploring mythic elements. Her influence on modern fantasy has been widely recognized, culminating in her designation as a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. McKinley’s body of work continues to attract devoted readers across generations for its distinctive voice and enduring imaginative power.

Reviews

[Aerin · Rating 3 out of 5]

McKinley loves her whippets, as any half-fan of hers knows, but the illustrations in this book don't do her prose - even her child-aimed prose - justice.

[Khari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have found the most awesome thing.

Maybe you all already know about it.

I have found the Internet Archive. A glorious place where you can borrow a huge selection of books, for free, without having a library card. You just make an account. Granted, you can't read the physical book, and you can't really read it on a kindle (unless you have a fire) so you have to have a tablet, or a computer, but it has everything! Including this picture book I've been trying to find for YEARS!

It has the Wildings of Westron! A book I read when I was, like, 12, and have been wanting to reread for forever!

I am so thrilled.

You have no idea. You mean I have found another source of free books so I don't have to spend money feeding my incurable habit?! Yes. That is indeed what has happened.

Anyway, this story.

The art is good.

The story is...meh.

It has too many words, and yet not enough words. It starts a story, but doesn't finish it. There's far too much build up and not enough conclusion. It doesn't sound like a kid. I didn't like it.

The art was adorable though. Now I know exactly what a whippet looks like. McKinley did a fantastic job of describing them in Deerskin, because that's what I imagined. I don't believe I've ever seen a whippet, so her powers of description are godlike.

Art: Cute
Story: Meh
Price: FREEEEEEEEE (On Internet Archive)

[row row · Rating 5 out of 5]

My name is Rowan, and I grew up with this book as a child. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

[Jessica]

Ha! That's what I get for only looking at the author at the title of a book and not the synopsis! I had no idea this was a little kids book until I got it from the library!
Something called Rowan by Robin McKinley? I was expecting something quite different.

[Allanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl wants a dog.

She gets one.

Pretty much it's a children's book about choosing a dog and that first night of having a puppy.

Warning: there's vomit mentioned.

[Lucianna Mee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's amazing. Captured me from the start and I couldn't put it down.