Rosie the Raven

K-Gr 2—Rosie, a most unusual raven, narrates her own story. When she hatches from a bright pink (not green) egg, her round, beakless face and thin arms mark her as different from her siblings. The differences become more apparent as the other nestlings grow feathers and stretch their wings. Birds come to stare and gossip. Rosie's parents remain unperturbed and call her "our little Rosie." They find a hat and dress to keep her warm and practice flying with her on their backs so she can migrate south with them. Human readers will quickly recognize that Rosie resembles a tiny girl and empathize with her attempts to fit in by flapping her skinny arms and cawing until she grows hoarse. Eventually she accepts that she's different. "And if the others talk about me, what do I care!" Bansch's illustrations seamlessly integrate Rosie into raven life. She opens her mouth as wide as her siblings, ready to eat worms provided by her parents. Unlike the flashy-dressing Robert, who is driven from the community by the ravens in Bansch's Odd Bird Out, Rosie finds acceptance. Her parents' expressions of unconditional love and happiness as they flank her in the cover illustration say it all.