Editorial Review

“This sweet title serves up its didactic content with a gentle hand. Excited about the Jewish value of ‘tikkun olam, repairing the world by doing good deeds,’ Rosie comes up with projects to help her neighborhood. As she sets off to collect cans, her mom asks for help with the groceries, but Rosie is too busy saving the world. This theme continues as she is too busy to help her brother, clean the cat box, or visit her grandmother, because she is off to do similar things on a bigger scale: help at the library, animal shelter, and an assisted-living center. However, when the neighbor remarks that she must be a great help at home, Rosie realizes that ‘family comes first’ and returns home to do the things she neglected. The story is message-driven, but it’s a useful message, and not heavy-handed in its delivery. The text is spare and utilizes a lot of dialogue, making it engaging and readable, if not outstanding. Lyon’s bright, cartoon-style illustrations vary effectively from full-bleed spreads to single pages and spot art. Rosie is appealing, with curly brown hair and glasses, and her neighborhood and the nursing home are peopled with a moderately diverse cast. The illustrations, although pleasant, have a generic feel to them. VERDICT Jewish libraries and others serving large Jewish populations or in need of titles about good deeds will find this one fills a niche. Best shared one-on-one and in small group settings.”–School Library Journal