A Rose for Pinkerton

Pinkerton #2

by Steven Kellogg

Pinkerton's family decides he needs a friend, but is a cat named Rose really suitable?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Cats, Dogs, Fiction, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Steven Kellogg is an author and illustrator who has contributed over 90 books for children. He is best known for writing books about animals, for which he credits his grandmother .

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this story although many did. I didn't like the style of the illustrations and found it frustrating the Great Dane didn't look like a Great Dane. I didn't enjoy the humour which was just too farcical and exaggerated for my taste, after a page or two you could tell that the idea was that everything would go wrong, be tipped over and end in chaos but we still love him sort of thing.

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[Stephen Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I recommend books to read to you children, I say anything by Steven Kellogg or illustrated by him. His Pinkerton series is my favorite and I think this book is my favorite of the series. The story is rip roaring funny and the illustrations are ones I would love to spend a lot of time analyzing with a child so you can enjoy all the little nuances and details.

In this one the young girl thinks it would be good to get a companion for Pinkerton the Great Dane. Since her mom says no way for her to get another Great Dane, she goes off to the International Pet Show to find a pet. There she gets a kitten Rose from the Castle of the Kittens. Now that I also have a cat I can appreciate that more. And can understand when the kitten isn't the best friend of Pinkerton at first. So then Pinkerton starts trying to be a Kitten. What to do? So she goes back to the international Pet Show to talk to Sarah Chattercat for advice.

Like all the Pinkerton books, she takes both Pinkerton and Rose with her, who invariably get loose and cause havoc but end well. Rose winds his way into the Grand March of the Poodles parade until a lady screams 'Stop the Ceremony! Call the police! The Grand March has been infiltrated by a feline imposter!'

The poodles were too full of themselves to notice Rose was a cat until that lady screamed in protest. This leads to the dogs chasing the cat across the convention to the Castle of the Kittens with the poodles menacing the kittens until Pinkerton saves the day.

What really makes the book great are the crazy but detailed illustrations so you really need to get the book to see them. All of Kellogg's books are great but as a dog (and now cat) fan, the Pinkerton series is the best. This one is so good i will add it to my shelf for 'dogs-favorite-books.' I jump up and down recommend this book to all.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pinkerton is based on Kellogg's own beloved Great Dane, as Rose is based on a grouchy cat that he also had. On his website, Kellogg says: "My favorite illustrators delineate their characters so that animation is implied. The individual spreads are designed so that they crackle with graphic vitality. The characters seem to speak, cavort, and leap from the page so energetically that their life and movement are totally convincing." Which explains why the illustrations in his picture books are full of action and details. There is a lot of action in this picture book of the kitten that disrupts the poodle parade at the International Pet Show. The reader can almost imagine this book, and his others, made into short, animated films.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and heart warming and now as an adult with a Big dog and Tiny cat, I realize how realistic the story actually is. This book made such an impression on me, it's been 30 years since I read it and I still cherish it, and still have my original autographed copy.

[Samantha Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this at school, and as a cat and art loving kid it was an instant favourite. I never forgot it. In fact I bought a copy for myself as an adult because I had so many good memories of it and I still love it. Yes it's for kids but the illustrations are so detailed, the story is cute, I enjoy the humor, and the two main characters (the animals that is) are adorable, just like some I've met in real life (I'm looking at my own pets here XD ) and it's even better to know that they were actually based on real pets. Brilliant stuff!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lively, full of detail, totally ready to be animated. All the words are dialogue (well, mostly monologue statements rather than give & take dialogue). No other artist could tell the same story as it's so reliant on Kellogg's own art. Learning that the dog and kitten are based on real pets makes me appreciate it more. Probably a four-star book for most, three stars is my own opinion because it's just not a good fit for my taste.

[Beverly McCall · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Steven Kellogg introduces young readers to Pinkerton, a Great Dane, who is used to being the only pet in the family. Until, the family brings home Rose, a cat. Will they get along? To discover how Pinkerton adjusts to sharing the family, you must read this book. Young readers will enjoy this book and the illustrations that are done in softer hues. They help young readers get the full meaning of this story.

[Kaelin Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. The chaos was insane! I will not spoil it for you, but your children will get the giggles after reading this book. Of course, the legendary Steven Kellogg designed this book with his quirky style of writing. Read it, and you will not regret it.

[Kelly Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven kellog I got told about him in my school that is called R.C.S its so much fun I'm in mrs.s Corker's class in second grade love Lucy Lester & God
!!!¡!!!¡!!!!!!!!!






I love Steven Kellogg he's my fave book writer and illustrater cause he is the only one I know / remember .!

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I named our kitten Rose after reading this book to my kids

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alissa played on the living room carpet while I read this story.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[CatJuggler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book for cat-lovers...one of which I'm not🙂

Fun, colourful illustrations.

[Grandma M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a cute story.

[Child960801 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second Pinkerton book. They get a kitten to be company for Pinkerton, but it doesn't go as they expect.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a puppy Pinkerton was lonely, so Emily found a friend for him, a kitten she named Rose. Things did not go well at all, at first. Funny story with great illustrations.

[Jaci Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun animal book. Illustrations are cute and funny. Would be good for students from 1st grade through 3rd grade. Could be used in a text set about animals or dogs specifically.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pinkerton's little girl is convinced that he is pining for his brothers and sisters. She suggests that they buy another Great Dane to keep him company. Then Pinkerton jumps on mother and ruins mother's painting. She quickly vetoes the idea of another Great Dane in the house. The little girl attends a international pet show and bring home a kitten named Rose. Rose begins imagining herself as a dog, and Pinkerton thinks he is a kitten. Rose chews on bones, sits up, and begs to go for a walk. Pinkerton tries to get into Rose's carrying box and sit on Mother's lap. They take Rose and Pinkerton back to the pet show to consult Sarah Chattercat, an authority on cats. Rose runs off. Pinkerton discovers The Castle of Kittens and has a great time playing with the kittens. Rose enters herself in The Grand March of the Poodles with the leash tied in a bow around her neck. The crowd is incensed by this feline imposter and start throwing rotten vegetables as the poodles chase Rose out of the arena. They all head straight for The Castle. Pinkerton saves the kittens and the day by scaring the poodles into fainting fits. Rose comes back and starts purring. She's a cat again!
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Brittany Messer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rose for Pinkerton, is a cute story of unlikely friends that create a lasting friendship. I love how Kellogg took Pinkerton and based another story off of his life. This story will have the children laughing about how two complete oppoiste animals react towards one another. The illustrations bring the storuy to life and I almost felt like I was a character in the story. Kellogg takes two animals that nearly never get along in real life and created a story where they come best friends. Primary children will have no problem reading this book because of the simple words and sentence structure.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Rose of the title is actually a kitten who is selected as a companion for Pinkerton a Great Dane puppy. They have a funny, yet surprisingly common, role reversal where Rose thinks she's big and tough and Pinkerton thinks he's small and helpless. The writing is pretty terrible but the characters are familiar from some of the later books in the series. The art is as strong as in other stories with a particularly fabulous Grand March of the Poodles where overdressed poodles are only outdone by their ridiculous owners.

[Fibersian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Pinkerton story that introduces Rose a cat companion for the dog. Again non-traditional animal behavior creates chaos that is solved in the end. Pinkerton Behave is the best book in the series. I like the series Kellog writes because it allows kids to see familiar characters whose behavior is consistent across books. Thus children can predict the action and notice that the character grows and becomes fuller as the books stories support both the expected traits and add more details to his personality.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The little girl in Pinkerton's family gets a pet kitten to keep Pinkerton, the Great Dane puppy, company. Chaos ensues. In the end, Pinkerton and Rose (the kitten) become friends. My favorite part of the story is the comical role reversal of the dog and the kitten.

Oddly, there are no quotation marks used for dialogue. Additionally, there are no dialogue tags, nor is the speech placed near the character who is speaking. So you have to guess what is dialogue versus narration or inner thought, and who is saying what.

[R.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book.

Steven Kellogg has the rare gift of being able to tell more story with a few strokes of his paint brush than many can with words. My children loved this and soon my granddaughter will love this book. I remember my children staring at the pictures for long moments even after the words were read to them.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has great colorful illustrations that represent the text very well. This is a fun and easy read for a third grade student. This book sends the message to children that it is always good to have aq close friend, and it may be someone that you do not expect.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always LOVE the illustrations done by Steven Kellogg. They tell so much of the story! Make sure to look at the pictures in this book carefully. You will find funny little details that help tell the story. This is a fun read!

[Madimeier]

This book is about a dog named Pinkerton and a cat named Rose. A family has a dog named Pinkerton and the family thought Pinkerton needed a friend to play with so they got him a cat named Rose. The cat and dog started acting like each other.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Kellogg book, or even my favorite Pinkerton book, but the panels where the kitten and Great Dane try to emulate one another are pretty cute.

[Ashten Wolff]

Pinkerton gets a new friend named Rose.

[Oona · Rating 5 out of 5]

a childhood classic, in which i wanted my seven year old to read. also, it helps illustrate the great dane in the neighborhood.