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Rocket and Friends
Rocket the Brave!
Kids are learning to read with Rocket! Tad Hills, the #1
New York Times
bestselling author, is back with another easy-to-read story featuring the beloved dog Rocket, this time about overcoming fear and being brave.
Rocket, the star of the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read and Rocket Writes a Story, returns in an all-new, easy-to-read book. Rocket is happily chasing a butterfly through the meadow when it disappears into the woods. As much as Rocket wants to follow the butterfly, the woods look dark and scary. Can Rocket overcome his fear? With predictable patterns, simple words, lots of repetition, and bright, colorful illustrations, young readers will love this new Rocket book, which they can read all by themselves!
Rocket, the star of the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read and Rocket Writes a Story, returns in an all-new, easy-to-read book. Rocket is happily chasing a butterfly through the meadow when it disappears into the woods. As much as Rocket wants to follow the butterfly, the woods look dark and scary. Can Rocket overcome his fear? With predictable patterns, simple words, lots of repetition, and bright, colorful illustrations, young readers will love this new Rocket book, which they can read all by themselves!
32 pages, Paperback
Published July 31, 2018
About the author
Tad Hills
67 books126 followers“Whenever I picture myself [as a child],” says Tad Hills, “I am doing art. I spent a lot of time on my own making things, drawing, and painting.” Hills was not consciously trying to become an artist, rather his motives were innocent and pure. “I liked making things,” he says.
As a graduate of Skidmore College in New York with a degree in art, Hills describes himself as the ultimate freelancer. He’s done some acting, made jewelry, makes fake teeth for stage productions, dabbled in interior renovation, and illustrated book jackets for adult trade books. But Hills’ break into children’s publishing coincided with his wife Lee’s new position as the art director for Simon and Schuster’s children’s book division. “Lee used to ask me to try illustrating some books she couldn’t find an illustrator for,” Hills says. When Lee moved to Random House to start her own imprint with long-time friend and associate, Ann Schwartz, she encouraged Hills to write his own picture books. “I started with four stories,” says Hills. His break out book, Duck and Goose (Schwartz and Wade, 2006) was one of them.
The idea for Duck and Goose started with only a title—The Silly Goose, the Odd Duck and the Good Egg. As Hills developed the story, he realized his egg would have to be rather large to support Duck and Goose so they could hatch it. Hills also had to consider what would hatch out of such a large egg. A dinosaur? An ostrich? Additionally, Hills floated the title by his son’s kindergarten class and was rewarded with blank stares. Hills took the hint and changed his egg to a ball, and changed the title.
“For me, the writing is really difficult. I stare at a blank page for hours,” he says. “When Lee comes home and asks me about my day, I say it was okay. I wrote one sentence. . .But when I’m in the zone, I literally hear the dialogue between [Duck and Goose]. They were telling me what they wanted to say! That is the best feeling. That is when it’s not work. It’s fun!”
Hills paints with water-soluble oil paint on paper, using colored pencils for the last details. Although Hills’ Duck and Goose characters look simple enough, he drew hundreds of ducks and geese before finding a style with which he was comfortable. “The first ones [I drew] were older looking,” he says. “They looked like cigar-smoking tough guys.” Over a matter of months, Hills finally pared down Duck and Goose to their essential elements—circular heads, long rectangular legs, triangular feet, and door-shaped beaks. “When I apply the eyebrow,” he says, “I can express what Duck is feeling.”
As Hills’ two children grow, he finds himself drawn to how kids treat each other. “I didn’t tolerate meanness or injustice as a kid,” he says. In Duck, Duck, Goose (Schwartz and Wade, 2007), Hills creates a friendship triangle by introducing a new duck named Thistle. Together Duck, Goose, and Thistle give Hills’ observations a voice and provide several conversation starters for parents and children.
Hills writes from his home in Brooklyn, New York. Some days he doesn’t write at all, but tries to stay receptive to what he’s experiencing. “Most of my ideas come to me when I’m not looking,” he says. “It’s hard to get yourself to a point where ideas are out there and you can grab them.”
from http://www.patriciamnewman.com/hills....
As a graduate of Skidmore College in New York with a degree in art, Hills describes himself as the ultimate freelancer. He’s done some acting, made jewelry, makes fake teeth for stage productions, dabbled in interior renovation, and illustrated book jackets for adult trade books. But Hills’ break into children’s publishing coincided with his wife Lee’s new position as the art director for Simon and Schuster’s children’s book division. “Lee used to ask me to try illustrating some books she couldn’t find an illustrator for,” Hills says. When Lee moved to Random House to start her own imprint with long-time friend and associate, Ann Schwartz, she encouraged Hills to write his own picture books. “I started with four stories,” says Hills. His break out book, Duck and Goose (Schwartz and Wade, 2006) was one of them.
The idea for Duck and Goose started with only a title—The Silly Goose, the Odd Duck and the Good Egg. As Hills developed the story, he realized his egg would have to be rather large to support Duck and Goose so they could hatch it. Hills also had to consider what would hatch out of such a large egg. A dinosaur? An ostrich? Additionally, Hills floated the title by his son’s kindergarten class and was rewarded with blank stares. Hills took the hint and changed his egg to a ball, and changed the title.
“For me, the writing is really difficult. I stare at a blank page for hours,” he says. “When Lee comes home and asks me about my day, I say it was okay. I wrote one sentence. . .But when I’m in the zone, I literally hear the dialogue between [Duck and Goose]. They were telling me what they wanted to say! That is the best feeling. That is when it’s not work. It’s fun!”
Hills paints with water-soluble oil paint on paper, using colored pencils for the last details. Although Hills’ Duck and Goose characters look simple enough, he drew hundreds of ducks and geese before finding a style with which he was comfortable. “The first ones [I drew] were older looking,” he says. “They looked like cigar-smoking tough guys.” Over a matter of months, Hills finally pared down Duck and Goose to their essential elements—circular heads, long rectangular legs, triangular feet, and door-shaped beaks. “When I apply the eyebrow,” he says, “I can express what Duck is feeling.”
As Hills’ two children grow, he finds himself drawn to how kids treat each other. “I didn’t tolerate meanness or injustice as a kid,” he says. In Duck, Duck, Goose (Schwartz and Wade, 2007), Hills creates a friendship triangle by introducing a new duck named Thistle. Together Duck, Goose, and Thistle give Hills’ observations a voice and provide several conversation starters for parents and children.
Hills writes from his home in Brooklyn, New York. Some days he doesn’t write at all, but tries to stay receptive to what he’s experiencing. “Most of my ideas come to me when I’m not looking,” he says. “It’s hard to get yourself to a point where ideas are out there and you can grab them.”
from http://www.patriciamnewman.com/hills....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 15, 2019
Rocket makes friends with a lovely butterfly, excited by the experience. When the butterfly races off, Rocket chases after it. Around the town and into the forest, where Rocket stops to assess. The forest is dark and quiet... he does not want to go in there. However, that is where the butterfly happens to have gone, so perhaps he will summon up some courage to try. Slowly, Rocket enters, unsure of what to expect. In the end, Rocket may just have made a necessary sacrifice for long-term gain. Neo liked this story and found it not too difficult to read. The word choices were decent and he did not stumble at all. We will have to see what other books in the series we can find!
May 4, 2019
Rocket, the canine star of How Rocket Learned to Read and Rocket Writes a Story, is just about irresistible, and his creator, Tad Hills, knows how to use the dog to great appeal and to teach important lessons to youngsters. In this particular title, Rocket is fascinated by a butterfly and follows it far from home. The images and text show Rocket becoming increasingly enchanted by the butterfly and boldly frolicking after it. But once it disappears into the forest, he has second thoughts about going into the woods. By paying attention to the different parts of the woods and reminding himself that the butterfly went in there, Rocket conquers his fears and feels brave. Now, how he's going to find his way back home is another thing entirely. This title would be ideal to use to provide reassurance for youngsters as they face new tasks or challenges or even venture into new territory or a new neighborhood. Since there is minimal text, it would also be useful for early readers as they hone their reading skills. Long live Rocket!
December 19, 2020
This easy reader book contains an engaging animal fantasy story about the dog Rocket’s fascination with a butterfly. Early elementary readers will be kept entertained as Rocket chases the butterfly around, and the child could relate to Rocket’s fear of the unknown and his curiosity that leads him into the forest anyway. The encouraging story teaches that exploring new things can be scary but that learning more about them helps banish the fear, but the lesson is not overly didactic and occurs naturally. The short words and sentences are appropriate for this age group, and the illustrations that show what the text describes can help the reader decipher the meaning of the words. The illustrations pop on a white background, except for the dark forest that fills the page, adding to the sense of fear, before the white borders return as Rocket learns the forest isn’t that scary
October 4, 2018
Rocket the Brave! by Tad Hills. EARLY READER. Schwartz & Wade Books (Random House), 2018. $13. 9781524773465
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL.
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Rocket is a little dog who finds that a butterfly has landed on his nose. When the butterfly flies off, Rocket chases it. He chases it around fields and rivers until he is led into the forest. At first he is scared, but when he finds the butterfly he realizes he loves the forest.
This is a great early reader. The illustrations are simple and give clues without being distracting. The reading level is about middles of first grade.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL.
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Rocket is a little dog who finds that a butterfly has landed on his nose. When the butterfly flies off, Rocket chases it. He chases it around fields and rivers until he is led into the forest. At first he is scared, but when he finds the butterfly he realizes he loves the forest.
This is a great early reader. The illustrations are simple and give clues without being distracting. The reading level is about middles of first grade.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
October 25, 2019
Rocket is afraid to go in the forest. But butterfly is not. This is a beautifully simple story of being afraid of doing something and weighing things out and risk. It's a beautiful story that shows that sometimes our fears are unfounded.
** Talking Points - what are you afraid of? Why are you afraid of that? Is anyone else in your family afraid of that? When did you become afraid of it? Do you like your fear or do you want to get over it?
If you want to get over it, what have you tried so far? What fears do others have that you don't have?
** Essential Oil Pairing Tip: Try diffusing 3 drops Myrrh & 2 drops Juniper Berry essential oils.
** Talking Points - what are you afraid of? Why are you afraid of that? Is anyone else in your family afraid of that? When did you become afraid of it? Do you like your fear or do you want to get over it?
If you want to get over it, what have you tried so far? What fears do others have that you don't have?
** Essential Oil Pairing Tip: Try diffusing 3 drops Myrrh & 2 drops Juniper Berry essential oils.
March 15, 2020
Rocket, a cute little black and white pup follows a bright butterfly up a hill, and past a pond, into a dark forest. At first, Rocket thinks the forest is scary, but then he finds not just the butterfly but other neat things there as well. Rocket, after all, is brave!
This early reader is written in a style that is very reminiscent of the old Dick and Jane books. The illustrations are simple but well done in colors that add to the mood of what the reader is reading. I think this is an excellent book for any beginning reader.
Genre: Picture Book, an early reader (ages 4-6)
This early reader is written in a style that is very reminiscent of the old Dick and Jane books. The illustrations are simple but well done in colors that add to the mood of what the reader is reading. I think this is an excellent book for any beginning reader.
Genre: Picture Book, an early reader (ages 4-6)
December 16, 2023
Chasing a butterfly can be scary work, at least if you're a dog; at least if you're the dog named Rocket. Will the spunky pooch be able to overcome his fear of the forest?
An older reader might wonder, in a dense-and-leafy forest, how would Rocket be able to see that butterfly, let alone tell that the butterfly was pink?
Maybe the answer involves the adorb illustrations by Tad Hills.
For sure, this book offers excellent reading practice. Well done:FIVE STARS well done.
An older reader might wonder, in a dense-and-leafy forest, how would Rocket be able to see that butterfly, let alone tell that the butterfly was pink?
Maybe the answer involves the adorb illustrations by Tad Hills.
For sure, this book offers excellent reading practice. Well done:FIVE STARS well done.
January 19, 2019
Rocket finds a butterfly and when the butterfly flies off, he chases it until it flies into the forest. He wants to follow the butterfly even though he's afraid, he musters up the courage to go into the forest. Comes to find out that the forest isn't as scary as he thought it was and he finds the butterfly again.
My son read the book and loved it.
My son read the book and loved it.
September 20, 2023
Rocket follows a butterfly around everywhere, but when it flies into a dark forest, Rocket is not so sure about going in. I guess it's fine for a dog to wander off into the woods alone, but I wouldn't encourage a child to do that. We love to hike, but we do that together as a family. Wandering off into the woods alone might not be a good idea.
August 13, 2018
Tad Hills popular dog character Rocket returns in this easy to read limited text. Rocket faces his fears of heading into the forest and is the better for it. Limited in use but a good text for early readers.
September 15, 2023
Rocket the dog who learned to read has made a new friend, a pretty pink butterfly. When the butterfly flies into the forest, Rocket has to decide if he's brave enough to follow. My preschoolers loved this one in the Library today!
August 1, 2024
Hills Valleys #20
Rocket & Friends #7
Engaging yarn about facing your fears and being brave.
Should be able to provoke a good discussion about what bravery is and when is it good to be fearful and when we should face our fears.
Rocket & Friends #7
Engaging yarn about facing your fears and being brave.
Should be able to provoke a good discussion about what bravery is and when is it good to be fearful and when we should face our fears.
August 13, 2018
Adorable illustrations, with easy and fun text for early readers.
August 15, 2018
Wonderful story!
August 16, 2018
all the words really are leveled
August 22, 2018
Rocket returns in a good easy reader for those just learning to read. There are lessons of bravery and beauty in this book.
August 31, 2018
Cute book - Rocket makes "friends" with a butterfly, and then follows it into the forest - that he's a bit scared of.
Neat story about facing your fears, with simple sentences for little kids.
Neat story about facing your fears, with simple sentences for little kids.
October 3, 2018
Adorable simple adventure of Rocket the dog, the forest, and a pretty pink butterfly. Perfect amount of text for a beginner reader!
January 31, 2019
Seriously. Do you want your child to go off exploring on their own. Get lost?? Why call that brave?? It’s called freaky. Or scary. Ha.
March 1, 2019
Another great Step 1 book about a dog named Rocket, a butterfly, and a not so scary forest.
August 11, 2019
Read with grandma and Papa via FaceTime for nighttime storytime
August 16, 2019
Love Rocket!
September 26, 2019
My students love the book How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills. So they are thrilled that they can find easy readers in the library of the Character Rocket.
April 17, 2020
Rocket the dog is having an adventure day chasing a butterfly. Can he follow wherever he leads? Preschool and up
October 18, 2020
This is a great beginning reader book with pleasant illustrations and a cute story.
June 8, 2021
My son didn’t like the dark scary forest but he liked that he chased the butterfly. Cute story.
August 23, 2022
Cute story for a new reader
March 21, 2023
Some cute pictures in this new chapter of our favorite readers adventures.
June 1, 2025
Another sweet Rocket story.
Rocket chases a butterfly. The butterfuly decides to go into the forest.
Rocket is afraid of the forest - but eventually goes into it to find the butterfly.
Rocket chases a butterfly. The butterfuly decides to go into the forest.
Rocket is afraid of the forest - but eventually goes into it to find the butterfly.
July 17, 2025
This is another page-turning Rocket adventure!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews