HERMAN AND ROSIE

This is a tale about a big city. It’s a tale of hotdogs and music and the summertime subway breeze. It’s a tale of singing on rooftop and toffees that stick to your teeth. But most of all, it’s the tale of Herman and Rosie.

Herman, an oboe-playing crocodile, works as a thing-salesman. He sells sparkly things, round things, and squishy red things, among others. Rosie, a jazz-singing deer, works as a dish-washer at a high-end restaurant. But for both, their passion is music. On his way home from work, Herman enjoyed listening to Rosie practicing her singing but he couldn’t see who it was. That night, inspired by her music, he took to the rooftop of his apartment to play and Rosie, soaking in the tub, enjoyed listening to him too. In the midst of a bad week—Herman loses his job, Rosie’s favorite jazz club closes—fate finally brings the two together (well, with a little fire-escape-climbing from Rosie). On the surface, this is a charming, sentimental picture book about making new friends, no matter what walk of life they come from. But underneath that simple story lie charming, poetic musings on the irony of being lonely in the big City, a sly wink at our consumer culture (Herman’s day job is, after all, selling things), and the idea that new friends are all around us, if we just look for them. Gus Gordon is a children's book author and illustrator from Sydney, Australia. He has been illustrating children’s books professionally for the past 15 years—his latest book is a picture book called Wendy about a motorbike riding stunt chicken published by Viking Australia. He likes books, music and wine, and people who like books, music and wine. “Quirky, soulful and alive…a book to treasure, like a favorite song.” —Markus Zusak, bestselling author of The Book Thief