Captain Rosalie

K-Gr 3–Rosalie is a determined young girl on a secret mission. Her mother drops her off at the school every day, so that Rosalie can sit in the back of the classroom and continue her assignment. As the days go on, readers learn more about the details of Rosalie’s mission, like that her father is off fighting in the trenches, or about the letters her mother reads her, and about young Edward who may prove to be a possible ally. When the young captain is finally ready to start the last leg of her mission, readers are shown the true spirit of family and truth. De Fombelle has created an interesting plot with a surprising perspective. Readers are quickly drawn into the world Rosalie describes through first-person perspective and are left wondering what mission she is on. This perspective also allows for the difficult subject of World War I to be addressed at a child-friendly level, while not hiding the tragedy, as readers learn through Rosalie’s thoughts. The story progresses at a nice pace, giving readers enough time to adjust to new knowledge and clues. Arsenault’s illustrations help to amplify the world and characters around Rosalie, allowing readers to see into moments and some emotions that cannot be conveyed through words. Sometimes there are no words, only the illustrations, which also help pace the story and give readers a chance to gather their thoughts. Together, De Fombelle and Arsenault have created a persevering tale about a young captain and her search for some truth in the darkest of times.