The Sign on Rosie's Door

I ordered a number of Sendak books for a class I am teaching, and selected this one without having read it. Now that I have it, I am am utterly charmed and wishing I would have discovered it years ago. The Sign on Rosie's Door is a delightful book that is closer in spirit to Little Bear than Where the Wild Things Are, and also reminds me of the Frances books by Lillian Hoban. It is one of those simple and gentle stories that seems to be about real children rather than what adults think children are like. The book (much like Little Bear) contains four chapters, each with a different episode. In the first, Rosie shares the secret with her friends that she is no longer Rosie but is Alinda, the lovely lady singer. She is performing in a "great musical show" in her backyard. Unfortunately her friend Lenny keeps interupting. The interaction between the children is completely natural and delightful. Chapters 2 & 3 show a day when the children have nothing to do and how it unfolds-again, with that whimsical sense of "this is something children would do." The last chapter shows their imaginative Fourth of July. Sendak's has a special knack for capturing the essence of children at play. The personalities of the individual children, especially their leader Rosie (or Alinda) shine in both the story and the illustrations. I smiled at the page when, after an exiting day spent sitting on "Alinda's" porch waiting for "Magic Man" to arrive, the children tell their parents that "they had done so much there wasn't even enough time to do it in and they were going to do it all over again tomorrow." "Good!" all their mothers said. Yes, good. This book is very good and you and the children in your life will be happy you picked it. This is a gentle and charming story that is suitable for children of all ages.

this book has been in frequent rotation in our house for literally YEARS. my now-5yo daughter, in particular, absolutely loves hearing about the costume and character changes of rosie, and the pretend games of the neighborhood kids. this is a book about kids being kids, and is completely compelling both to my 5yo daughter and to my 3yo son, not to mention to my husband and i.

I love this book, mainly because i see what my block and family was like long ago. See, Pudgy (my uncle Russ) passed away a few years ago but i still see my Aunt Dolly and my Uncle Lenny. Rosie Riccabone died loooong ago, but i am still very close with her son Rocky. I grew up on 58th street across from Maurice many years after he had moved out. It is so cool to see your family members in a book.

I am so glad this book is still in print. It means that you can have the enjoyment of sharing the whimsical story about the quirky Rosie and the miraculous drawings of Maurice Sendak.This isn't a saccharine kiddy book, or a gritty true-to-life drama of childhood situations. It's just a fine read and one of those books that kids ask for again and again. In our family, it was the favorite evening book of my baby sister, and I have to say, she has exquisite taste, then and now, 30 years later.

I first found this book in my school library in New Zealand 32 years ago! Took it home to read to my baby sister, and the whole family sat around listening with delight. We still love it all these years later. Sendak's story and illustrations capture the childhood of the average kid - with humour and whimsy, and true psychology, but totally without condescension. In my family, this is considered a classic. Guard your copy well - future generations will appreciate it too!