Rosie the Truffle Hound - by Jessie Hartland (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Rosie the truffle hound tries to solve her problem of not being able to safely eat the delicious chocolate truffles her family sells"--

Book Synopsis

Rosie the truffle hound finds a yummy solution to the problem of not being able to safely eat the delicious chocolate truffles her family sells.

Rosie has a super sense of smell, even by dog standards. Unfortunately, one of the best smells comes from something dogs can't eat: the chocolate truffles her human family sells in their shop. Not one to settle, Rosie sets out to find a life that might suit her better, giving lots of occupations a whirl, but none pan out. Then she hears about a job as a truffle hound. It turns out there's another kind of truffle--the fungi kind, which grow wild underground--and they require a strong nose to sniff them out. Will Rosie finally find the perfect match for her unique talents? These truffles smell divine--so that sure would be a yummy solution!

Review Quotes

"Hartland's quirky gouache world suits this eccentric readaloud well, with plenty of hidden background details and a city of walking lizards, birds, and cats and dogs. Rosie is a skinny poodle with well-defined fur texture whom viewers will enjoy seeing pose like a human, whether she's sitting in a chair or riding her bike or poorly guarding a museum from raccoon thieves. It's an entertaining story that plays with reality in unexpected ways, and viewers may also learn something about the real tradition of truffle dogs and pigs. Recipes for truffle chocolates and noodles with truffles are included at the end for kids with expensive tastes."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The brisk narration and colorful gouache paintings have plenty of cheek--as befits the indomitable, improbable protagonist--and the pages fly by, propelled by characters who seem always to be in motion. Like truffles (both kinds), there's plenty to savor."--Publishers Weekly

"An original, somewhat zany story...illustrate[d] with gouache paintings that are freewheeling, buoyant, and energetic."--Booklist

"Should entertain and empower; kids and adults will learn something. Rosie's a cheery protagonist, and the lively illustrations nicely drive the text."--Kirkus Reviews

"The naive illustrations are cheerfully comic and packed with dainty details to explore. They pair perfectly with the quirky, lighthearted text. A recipe for each type of truffle is included. There is plenty to entertain young listeners and viewers in the pages of this lark of a picture book . . . charming."--School Library Journal

About the Author

Jessie Hartland wrote and illustrated My Tiny Pet, and illustrated Lexie the Word Wrangler (by Rebecca Van Slyke). She's written and illustrated many additional picture books, including Steve Jobs: Insanely Great!, How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum, Bon Appetit: the Delicious Life of Julia Child, and How the Meteorite got to the Museum. Her paintings have been exhibited in Venice, Tokyo, Long Island, and New York City. She has painted murals at a Japanese amusement park, designed Christmas windows for Bloomingdale's, and put her mark on ceramics, watches, and all sorts of other things. Her illustrations have appeared in the New York Times, Travel and Leisure Family, Martha Stewart Kids, Bon Appetit, and Fit Pregnancy. She lives in New York City.